Your front door says a lot about who you are. It’s the first thing to welcome your guests when they arrive at your home so what are you trying to say? What first impression do you want to make? Because no one thing in our lives is a bigger expression of our personality than our homes!

In feng shui, the front door is considered the mouth of Chi – it’s where all good stuff comes to enter and meander through your home. But the caveat is that if your front door is old and dilapidated, the energy will be too; it will essentially be slow, or choked. Think about it, when you arrive at a home that has a beat-up front porch, with chipped paint, scratched trim and dents, do you notice? I once went to a home where the front door had not been updated for over 30 years, and it was south facing. Not only was it dilapidated, and chipped but the wood was dry rotted, and the seams were splitting so much i could see portions of the interior of the home. Icky!

One of the easiest ways to update your entry is to paint the front door. ( don’t forget fantastic exterior lights too) And depending on the direction your door, updates should be done every couple of years, if not yearly to maintain it to keep it pretty.

And as long as you aren’t battling HOA’s and the budget allows, go for gold and paint the entire home a fresh new set of colors. It invites new opportunity into your home and says to your guests, we care about this home and can’t wait to share it with you.

4 easy ways to achieve a spiffy front door

Below you’ll find 4 of my favorite color combos that will instantly update your home, plus invite awesome Ch’i into your space! I should also mention, I hate it when designers share their favorite colors and they are from some obscure paint company that no ones ever heard of! All paint below is from Sherwin Williams because everyone can find one in their area. We all deserve More boom for our rooms!

The first combo works well for a beach or modern home. It’s bright, fun and shows off a vivacious personality. Maybe someone who is an artist and loves color.

The second combo has been popular here in Nashville for all sorts of homes. Whether you’re traditional, or somewhere in between this is what I would consider a great generic combo that works with many style homes. But the twist on this modern classic combo is the trim is darker than the body paint. Most homeowners do the reverse. They would paint the body urban putty and the trim in the natural. But mix it up! Painting trim a darker color than the body adds architectural interest.

If your home is an older bungalow or craftsman, the combos below work well. The first one also works well on a cape cod style.

I recently did an exterior color consult for a gal who loved the Rockwood Red and Alabaster combo above. Her home had a strong fire element which read as too warm for the landscape and didn’t show off the homes charm.

So I suggested we paint the body a light green color with a red door and cream trim. Doesn’t this just feel better?  Terrible photo, but you get the idea. Plus red is an auspicious color that stirs up Ch’i and new opportunities.

No matter the combo, remember to have fun with it. Let the colors speak to your homes architecture and your personality. And be sure to keep it up. Maintenance is key for a pretty home that attracts good energy.

Need help with your project? Let’s talk! I’d love to hear about your project and how we can make it kick ass!

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