doors-banner
Residential

Choosing the perfect front door | Strutt & Parker blog

Q1 2017

With first impressions counting when it comes to buying a home, Rupert Lawson Johnston, Head of Strutt & Parker Chichester, takes a look at one of the first aspects of a home many people notice when approaching – the front door.

It takes some people only minutes to decide on whether they’re going to buy a home – so making sure your front door is as good as it can be could be the difference between sale and no-sale.


Don’t curb kerb appeal

The instant impact your house makes when someone approaches it can make the difference between hearts sinking and a buyer falling in love with your property.

Kerb appeal covers everything from the state of your home’s facades to the garden. And the front door plays a big part of this appeal.After all, it might well be the first part of the home that people come into physical contact with.

If the door sticks, the handle is loose or the paint is flaking it’ll give the impression that the rest of the house will follow suit and that it’s not been cared for or is in a state of disrepair. At the other extreme, if you’ve got a strong feeling door that is painted perfectly and closes with a satisfying thud, then you’re putting the buyers in a positive frame of mind.


Standing out from the crowd

Something that’s often overlooked when preparing a house for sale is repainting the front door to a colour that really makes your house stand out from the crowd. After all, the front door is often seen as one place in the home you can go a little bold with paint colours.

This works especially well on attached properties and townhouses,where you are under pressure to make yours look smarter, cleaner, and more inviting than your neighbours’.

If your house is made of Cotswolds yellow stone or is a country cottage, you might not want to go too bold, instead opting for a duck egg blue or soft green. These are much more charming than harsh black or white.

A darker royal blue, meanwhile, can look smart against red bricks,while a deeper shade of green is a nice choice for a white façade – it is a natural colour and can look elegant when framed with a pair of tall symmetrical potted bay trees.

A matte lead grey is very on trend, but onlyworks if the door and façade is dressed immaculately with a freshly painted crisp white door frame for contrast, green trees either side and chrome door furniture.

If the house is by the sea, maybe choose a mellow, chalky, duck egg blue. And when the door is looking pristine, don’t forget to shout about your high value paint when selling – it’s another string to your bow.


Door furniture

It’s not just about paint colour when it comes to front doors. What you dress your doors with can give a hint or what to expect inside.

Replacing door knockers,bells, handles, house numbers and letters boxes is a relatively affordable way to give the front of your home a new lease of life.

Choose something that not only stands out, but also complements the colour choice and architectural style.

And it’s worth splashing out a bit. Remember, a good quality handle will give buyers reassurance that you’ve no skimped elsewhere in the home.

Go for solid metals instead of plastics or chrome effect pieces, as they’ll not only look great initially but will age well. And remember to clean the windows so they sparkle and shine.


The right door for your home

Finally, make sure you’ve chosen the right door, door furniture and colour for your home. Select one that’s in fitting with both the architectural style and the surrounding neighbourhood.

It’s no use buying a huge traditional wooden door and putting it on a modern home. Likewise, a flat plastic will look out of place on a traditional home.

Salvage yards are a good place to try and find original features for period homes.