We always hear that when decorating the interior of your home you should consider bringing the outdoors in. Well, the opposite can be true as well. When the seasons change to warmer weather, our thoughts turn to getting outside, planting gardens, developing new landscaping plans and beginning exterior painting. When introducing color, there are many areas where we have the opportunity to enhance the overall curb appeal of our homes.

The Front Door

Landscape architects will provide the plans for beautiful gardens, trees and walkways. As these paths lead to your front door, it is important that they are not only beautiful, but that the entrance to your home finishes their grand plan on arrival. When looking to choose the exterior colors, consider not only the brick, siding and shingles, but also what you see when you open the front door. Does the red you chose for the outside of the front door clash with the terracotta wall inside? A smooth transition from the interior to the exterior is not just lovely to look at, but is comfortable and inviting to all who grace your doorstep.

Let us look at how to accomplish this. First consider the door you have. Will painting it be sufficient to make a significant change or does it need to be replaced altogether? Do you want to enlarge the entrance, change from a solid single door to one with side lites or a double door entry? Changing a solid door to allow light into the entry with a glass panel, etched or stained glass can be a transformation for the entire front of your home.

Think of the plan for the step area gardens. You could have a custom stain glass made specifically with your flowers in mind, either etched patterns or full colors. Not only do you get to enjoy your flowers in the warmer months, but this will brighten the dull winter days and provide a warm invitation into your home.

Exterior Paint

Painting the exterior should bring the finishes of the house together. Consideration for the brick, siding, soffit, facia and roof colors should all play a role in choosing the best color. A shade to complement the trim is important too. Are you looking to make a bold statement or blend everything together? So many people are looking for that dramatic color for the front door, different from the remainder of the house to say, “welcome to my home.” Red and black are popular when making a statement, while taupe, green and white blend elements together.

The garage door also needs to be included in the choices for colors. Ideally, it blends with the house and is not the focal point. Some like to have the front door and garage doors the same color, while others wish it to fade in. If you want your front door in a dramatic color like black or red, the garage doors should be painted the same shades as the trim color or the brick tone.

Door Hardware

Of course, finishing the door with beautiful hardware can be a statement unto itself. The style and color of hardware can define an entrance as well as dictate color usage for the door. Aesthetics aside, the chief purpose of any door hardware is to keep the door securely closed. Since many decorative knobs and handles don’t have good lock systems, a dead-bolt is always a required addition to all exterior doors. The hardware, lockset and handle can work into the light fixtures and mailbox choices too. A kick plate adds elegance to the bottom of the door as well. Brass, polished or antiqued, brushed nickel, wrought iron, copper or bronze tones all provide a unique look that gives character to the entry of your home. Again, the choices of accessories are dictated by the style of the home.

When you open your front door, what do you have there? A wrought iron bench might dictate that the door hardware should be black iron, while an elegant wood table with a brass lamp might lend itself to stately and polished brass hardware. Using a unique architectural detail will enhance the exterior as well. A round stained glass window can introduce the color to the porch chairs and fabric or window boxes with flowers to complement. If you are lucky to have a covered porch this is a wonderful transitional space from your outdoors to the indoors. Turn it into an inviting outdoor room with seating, attractive lighting and hanging plants.

Lighting Choices

Lighting is probably one of the most often forgotten elements of both interior and exterior decor. If you take a look down your street it will probably not come as a surprise that the majority of all homes still have the original basic builder’s choice for the lawn lamps and lanterns. Start a new trend and change yours. Introduce lighting along the walkway, between the shrubs or in trees. Mount coach lanterns on either side of your front door with matching fixtures for the garage. Remember proportion and scale are important, so be sure to select sizes that complement the space they are going in. Again, the finishes should reflect the selection of the door hardware.

Design your interior lighting to convey warmth when viewed from outside. Hanging a lantern in an open hall that can be seen from the street or a table lamp that offers a soft glow through a draped window all add warmth and invitation to enter.

If you live in a townhouse or semidetached home, consult with your neighbors before making major color changes or introducing new lighting. You could create quite a unified look if you get together and do things at the same time. Don’t forget your house numbers – not only is it important that they be large and distinct enough to be seen by those coming to your home, the color and the style also need to tie in with all the other selections.

This article was provided by CPI Interiors. Catherine Pulcine is President and founder of CPI Interiors and can be reached at 613-599-5564 ext. 22 or toll free at 1-866-446-4415 ext 22 or via email at catherine@cpiinteriors.ca. Also visit the web site at www.cpiinteriors.ca .