We all appreciate a splendid greeting, don’t we? Well, it’s just nice, isn’t it? Whether it’s at a restaurant, a café or a local hardware store, a nice “Hello! How are you? Would you like to come in?” just makes you feel all nice and gooey in your tummy. Maybe you’ll wander in. Maybe you won’t. But, it’s good to know that there is a place close by that is cheerful, warm and welcoming, should you need it.
For those selling their home, or even just renting out, the front door plays a similar sort of function. It’s something of a calling card, in truth, but it also gives an indication as to what to expect when , or if, you ever get inside.
Does it have character? Is it brightly coloured? Is the door knocker a great big gargoyle face with glowing red eyes? If so, you could be dealing with some fun people with one quirky home. But if it’s cracked, faded and crawling with all sorts of creepy wildlife, well…well, it’s unlikely to attract anything much else than that.
You probably don’t spend an awful amount of time staring at your own front door. Who does, right? Unless you’ve forgotten your keys or/and have your hand stuck in the letterbox (ehem…never happened), then it’s far more likely that you just walk straight on through without paying the slightest bit of attention to its appearance or overall sense of health.
But, if you are looking to give your place magnificent curb appeal, then this is an area that really needs to be looked at. There’s really no point doing all of that work on the interior if nobody wants to go inside, is there?
So, to help you out, we’ve put together 5 tips on how to create a more welcoming front door. You probably won’t need to use them all, but hopefully one or two of them will give your home the welcoming smile your property deserves. Let’s have a look!
New Door: Okay, this one may come across as a little bit of an extreme option. But, sometimes, things can just seem in such a horribly mangled and depressing state, that the best thing to do is just pull out the old door and put in a brand sparkly new one. Now, this is, no doubt, something of a last resort and we would highly recommend that you look over the following points before leaping to such extravagant conclusions as installing a new door. But, if the situation is dire and the need great, don’t rule it out. It may be more money than you were anticipating shelling out, but it will be well worth it in the end.
Paint Job: Of course, as with so much in life, sometimes all that is really required is a luscious lick of paint. A bit of wear and tear doesn’t mean complete and total change! Give it some care and some love and watch it return to its glory days before your very eyes. Red? Blue? Green? Who knows! It’s your call! Do whatever seems right for you and the place as a whole. But, try not to be too outlandish. You may be looking to sell this place at some stage in the near future. Some people just might not get your childlike fondness for rainbows, glitter and oversized seashells.
Wreath: That’s right! They’re not just for Christmas! You can get a wreath that suits all seasons and it will add a nice bit of character to the exterior of your home. And, sometimes, that is all that is required. The door itself could be perfectly fine in itself, but perhaps lacking that little bit of je ne sais quoi. Try a wreath. They’re small, they’re simple, but they have bags of charm. And, let’s face it: who doesn’t like a wreath?
Little Extras: If, for whatever reason, you are not quite sold on the whole wreath idea (it’s unrealistic, we know, but let just go with it), why not have a think about something else that you could add to the situation. A fancy door knob or quirky door knock are always great fun and can make a plain looking door just a little bit less plain. Or what about an old fashioned doorbell? The choice, as ever, is completely yours. Rub than noggin of yours and let your ideas genie do its thing!
Plant Power: Yes, they come up all the time in our blogs. But, we don’t care! Plants are amazing and can improve so many aspects of our lives. If your door is looking great with its new paint job, wreath and dragon door knock, but you want to give it that extra ‘wow’, then frame it with some greenery. Do this and you’ll have created a picture perfect entrance to your home that will have the neighbours weeping with jealousy. And what could be more fun than that?
It’s easy to forget the poor old front door sitting there all alone at the bottom of the hallway, so why not give it some much deserved love today and treat it with something special?
We hope some of these ideas have inspired you to take on this little challenge and that, someday soon, you’ll have yourself a beautiful and grand front door to be proud of. Whatever you do, we know you’ll do a great job.
Good luck! Take care! And happy housekeeping!
