Style

Don’t Love Accent Walls? Try Accent Doors

publishedDec 23, 2022
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Credit:Lula Poggi

Have you checked out thepaint colors of the yearyet? They can certainly inspire some dreamy and dramatic paint projects, but sometimes tackling an entire room or wall with a bold new color is a daunting task. For renters, it may not even be an option. Evencolor block projects like arches or muralscan be tricky to map out, measure, and execute. An alternative way to give a room a fresh look — with little more than a sample-sized can of paint — is to considera statement door.

The concept of statement doors (or accent doors) is nothing new. In colonial or craftsman-style homes, it’s common to see doors kept in their natural wood finish, a statement of its own. (The wood usually extends to the trim, baseboards, and wainscoting, too.)This Minneapolis houseuses the warmth of the wood doors and trim throughout the house to a unifying effect. It’s also common to see a bold statement front door on a home, like onthis Portland bungalowfront door that pops in Sherwin Williams’ Jovial pink.

Credit:Lula Poggi

But colorful painted doors work on both the exterior and interior. Inthis Barcelona apartment, the homeowners kept the walls a neutral white while adding color to the doors and trim. Inspired by the countryside and the seaside, they chose an organic green that evokes thoughts of seafoam and sage.

When painting doors and trim, you might want to go with a satin or gloss sheen, which can be wiped down and holds up better to scuffs and everyday wear. You might also choose to go with multiple accent colors. A hallway lined with bright bedroom doors is a great way to customize kids’ bedrooms, or to give a hallway a boost of energy, likethese Nashville homeowners did in their retro-inspired home.

Remember that colors hold meaning and significance;they can change your mood and emotionsas you move throughout the house. Colored doors can also delineate spaces in a home and cue about a room’s purpose or vibe. Consider painting a home office door a color that makes you feel awake, creative, and focused — perhaps yellow. A room meant for relaxing or reading might have a door painted a calming color like green or blue.

如果你还发现门intimidati颜色声明ng, or you gravitate more toward traditional or modern design, painting your doors and window trim black against neutral walls brings a kind of gravity and geometry to a space.These Detroit homeownersused black window and trim to complement their historic home’s stained-glass and leaded-glass window detail. It feels timeless and grounding.