The High-Impact Place You Haven’t Thought to Add Color

By Patrick Wilson

If you’re looking for an unexpected place to add color to your home — why not try painting your door? It’s less of a commitment than painting an entire room — but it’s sure to put a smile on your face anytime you go in or out.

The painted doors in the home above, spotted on The Modern House , create a fun color effect — the rooms they lead into are painted in a somber black and white palette, but the hallway side of the doors (and the hallway floor, too) are a bright blue. With the door closed, you’re in a black and white room: with the door open, you get a pleasing jolt of color.

Since the door is a fairly small area, you can get away with a much bolder color than you could on a wall. The fluorescent yellow door in this interior from Hernandez Greene adds cheerful color without overwhelming the space.

Every time I see the photos of this Los Angeles home , it makes me want to paint my front door pink.

For extra impact, paint both the door and the trim, as seen here on French by Design .

Or try painting two side by side doors in different colors, as seen on The New .

If you want to get really advanced, you can paint both the door and the walls. The brown-and-lime combo in this room from House & Garden is definitely unusual, but somehow it works. (For anyone asking themselves WHERE CAN I FIND THAT SOFA, the answer is in this post .)

I love the tone-on-tone look of this blue door in a blue room, spotted on French by Design .

In this London home , a chalkboard painted door is the perfect spot for little notes, so you’ll never forget things on your way out the door.

If you’re feeling especially adventurous, you could even paint your door in a pattern. This DIY from One Kings Lane will show you how.

In this photo from Sight Unseen , London-based graphic designer Camille Walala has turned a door into a work of art.

We leave you with a photo of this home from Design*Sponge , where painted doors turn an otherwise unremarkable hallway into a colorful, quirky space. Why not give it a try?