51 Front Door Ideas to Spruce up Your Entryway all Year-Round

We take a lot of pride in our homes, and it all starts with a welcoming front door and walkway. You could have a well-manicured lawn, an elaborate porch, or a nice patio. It’s the first thing people see on your home, and they can look in from the road as well, so it can impact your home’s curb appeal. When you’re considering new front door ideas, you want to take the look, size, and structure of your space into account to ensure you get a well-balanced design.

If you’re stuck for inspiration, our front door ideas will help you enhance your home while reflecting your personal style. You can upgrade and get a chic or fun look with a little time, a few materials, and a lot of inspiration from this post. 

1. Curving Shapes and Railings 

Curving on your railings and in your porch design can give the entire front of the home detail and a unique shape. They allow your eyes to flow from one point to the other without any jarring breaks. Additionally, they give you a classic and timeless look with effortless curb appeal. 

Credit: Garden District Mansion by denisbin / CC BY-ND 2.0

2. Open Designs 

Do you have a gorgeous view of a tropical oasis? Maybe you have a well-manicured garden you want to showcase, or you’re a flower aficionado. Keep a simple and open design that allows you to showcase whatever is beyond your porch with this front door idea. 

Credit: Maho reflections by David Barnas / CC BY-NC 2.0

3. Well Manicured Walkway 

Sometimes, a simple well-manicured walkway is the best front porch idea you can come up with. You could have gravel, cement, or brick leading up to your front door. As long as you keep it looking neat and tidy, this will translate over to your entire home and keep it looking great all year round. 

Credit: My Front Door by ☼☼Jo Zimny☼☼ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

4. Pop of Bright Colors

Anyone who lives in side-by-sides or in a suburb where the houses all look the same can paint a bright pop of color on their front door to help it stand out. Bold reds or blues set off beige or white coloring to help it stand out, and you can continue the color on the trim. 

Credit: Front Doors, Swaton Street, Bow by Simon / CC BY 2.0

5. Lighten with Windows 

Adding clean windows around your doorway is an easy front door idea to incorporate. It can add a warm look to your entryway, and the light can filter out after dusk. You can add tempered glass to create a textured look, and they allow you to see outside when someone comes. 

Credit: New Front Door by Timo Newton-Syms / CC BY-SA 2.0

6. Contrasting Flowers 

You can continue your flower theme from the flower beds or planters themselves to your home with this easy front door idea. All you have to do is get a wreath and stick a few fake or real flowers into it and hang it on your door to help you create a seamless look and feel all year-round. 

Credit: Front Door by Bridget Murphy / CC BY 2.0

7. Rustic Timber

Having rustic timber around your front doorway lends a charming appeal to the house as a whole. It looks warm and inviting, and it easily withstands wear and tear. This distressed look is very in, and you can easily continue the look inside and outside of your home. 

Credit: Front Door Georgia by Lee Coursey / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

8. Shallow Steps 

You don’t need to incorporate massive flower gardens, trees, or other ornaments to make a home look welcoming. It can be something as simple as adding slightly wider and more shallow steps that are easier to navigate. This is especially nice for elderly friends or family. 

Credit: Front Door with Copper and Glass Awnings by Spencer Means / CC BY-SA 2.0

9. Ornamental Railings 

Ornamental railings help you add a touch of class and elegance to any home. They’re extremely nice if you can offset them against the house’s exterior paint to make them pop. As a bonus, these railings are also very functional, and they can help you keep your balance as you leave and return. 

Credit: 9 Limehouse Street (1856), Charleston, SC by Spencer Means / CC BY-SA 2.0

10. Complimentary Colors 

Who says your door color has to stop at the door? Instead, this front door idea allows you to continue it out onto the trim to help tie your decorating scheme together. You can add it to your shutters and railings as long as it compliments the main color of your home. 

Credit: ODC-X Marks The Spot by ☼☼Jo Zimny☼☼ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

11. Antiqued Look 

A larger gothic-style door with an antiqued look can add a nice flair of drama to your front door ideas. A wooden design with iron strap hinges and a gentle curved top brings old-world castles to mind. It looks wonderful on gothic architecture or old homes. 

Credit: A Gothic front door with iron strap hinges by Spencer Means / CC BY-SA 2.0

12. Multiple Doorway Mirage 

This front door idea creates a mirage that looks like your guests will have to walk through at least three doorways to make it to your front door. It works well with brick designs, and the bright coloring on the door makes it pop out from the background. 

Credit: Shut the Front Door! By Marcy Leigh / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

13. Light it Up

Adding a few lights around your doorway is one way to ensure no one falls. However, you can also use it to double as security by adding motion sensor lighting. It’ll cast a warmer glow around your doorway that makes your entire home look inviting both day and night. 

Credit: Front Door Fall by Barbara Olson / CC BY-ND 2.0

14. Graceful Curves 

Curves in your home make the space look more fluid and inviting. This front door idea embraces the use of a gently curved upper portion of the door, and it repeats in the doorway itself and in the windows directly above the door. The soft grey tones are also very warm. 

Credit: Front Door by MorningStar Studios / CC BY-SA 2.0

15. Unique Textures 

It’s easy to draw someone’s eyes and create a unique focal point for your home by incorporating unique textures and designs into your decor. Wrought iron is nice because it can withstand different weather conditions, it’s easy to paint, and it lasts for years. 

Credit: Front Door Finished Finally by Talina / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

16. Ornamental Shrubs 

If you want to frame in your front door, this front door idea is easy to do. All you need is two ornamental shrubs. You can put them in pretty containers and use them to frame in the doorway. They look green and lush all year round, and you can decorate them for Christmas and other holidays. 

Credit:  St Margaret’s Place, Bradford on Avon by Neosnaps / CC BY 2.0

17. Large French Doors 

This front door idea involves widening your entryway to accommodate a pair of sleek french doors. These doors swing out and give your home a very elegant and regal look to your home. Also, they’re easy to dress up or dress down for the holidays with multiple decorations. 

Credit: The Front Door by Pattie / CC BY-SA 2.0

18. Gabled Entryway 

Don’t just build your front porch in one direction. Instead, build it up with elegant gables. You can create a nice covered seating area with graceful curves and you can continue them up the second story. They add a contemporary look and feel to any home while being practical. 

Credit: Winchester Mystery House by Pattie / CC BY-SA 2.0

19. Simple Greenery 

You don’t have to go large and elaborate for your home. Instead, you can go small and elegant. If you have a walkup with railings, decorate the railings with plants like the Wisteria Vine. They can cascade down the railings to help frame in the doorway, and you can add garland for the winter season. 

Credit: Front Door Decorations by Julie Anne Johnson / CC BY 2.0

20. Elegant Overhang

If you don’t have room for a full porch, you can still give your guests a sheltered area to stand by your front door with a small overhang. Using thin gables to provide support with small molded designs make the entryway look and feel taller, and it adds a timeless charm. 

Credit: Front door, Bucksport, Maine by Spencer Means / CC BY-SA 2.0

21. Hanging Plants

This simple front door idea allows you to frame your entryway with hanging plants and gorgeous greenery. You can add one plant with trailing vines by each side of the door, add a seasonal wreath with pops of green, and have plants sitting by the bottom of the door frame to complete this look. 

Credit: My Front Door…… by Faylyne / CC BY 2.0

22. Bright Pop of Color

Who says your front door has to be an ordinary color? This front door idea incorporates a bright color. Sunny yellows, bold reds, or stunning blues all make acceptable front door colors. They cause the eye to naturally go to the doorway, and it makes the home look much more inviting as a whole. 

Credit: Door with a mussel-shell wreath by Spencer Means / CC BY-SA 2.0

23. Relaxing Entertaining Area 

If you have a large porch or patio, this front door idea is easy to bring to life. All you’ll need is a few chairs, an infrared heater if it gets cold, and a few friends. You can create a gathering space for everyone who visits, and you could even have movie nights out there. 

Credit: New Front Porch and Rocking Chairs by Robert Occhialini / CC BY-NC 2.0

24. Frame Your Entryway 

Your front door should be a focal point in your home, and you can transform yours by adding a very clear walkway. Adding a fence is a nice touch, and you should have a clear path up your stairs or directly to your doorway. This makes your home more inviting to anyone who sees it. 

Credit: Front Porch – Manchester Michigan by Julie Falk / CC BY-NC 2.0

25. Wide Open Spaces 

Instead of adding a lot of railings to your porch or patio, this front door idea expands on the wide open spaces beyond the house. It uses simple posts to support the porch without any railings, and this allows you to get a virtually unobstructed view of your yard or space. 

Credit: Front porch post bases by Ryan McFarland / CC BY 2.0

26. Dual Levels 

When you’re building your home, you have to decide if you want a single or double story. You can take your design to new heights by adding a second story walkout that mimics the porch underneath. Use the same railings and colors to give the house a symmetrical look. 

Credit: Tilden Selmes House, Quincy, Illinois by Randy von Liski / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

27. Wooden Ceilings 

You don’t have to limit your wood flooring to the floor. Instead, you can add it to the ceiling to create a unique front door idea. As a bonus, this ceiling will withstand different environments without a problem, and you can stain and seal it a large array of colors to match your decor. 

Credit: Cottage front porch by Gene Wilburn / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

28. Matching Paint Colors 

Do you live in an area that has gorgeous colors? Maybe you live in the mountains and have fantastic blue skies, or you live on the beach and see turquoise. This front door idea brings a little of your favorite colors to your home. Paint your chairs colors that reflect your surroundings to tie your home to the environment. 

Credit: Front Porch at Bluebird Hill Cellars by Rick Obst / CC BY-NC 2.0

29. Gothic Architecture 

You’ll need an impressive porch or patio to go with your imposing gothic home design. This front door idea utilizes stonework throughout the home. The red doorways and windows match the roof’s coloring, and it creates a very solid and secure home. 

Credit: John B. Carson House, Quincy, Illinois by Randy von Liski / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

30. Holiday Cheer

Get into the spirit of the holidays with this front door idea. Add lights, garland, and baubles for Christmas, spooky ghosts and streamers for Halloween, flowers and gourds for fall and Thanksgiving, and flowers for spring and summer to create a festive doorway. Incorporating lights or tin can crafts makes it even more welcoming while making it safer. 

Credit: Front Door by Kevin Trotman / 

31. Tall Windows 

Adding tall and thin windows to your home can make it appear larger and more elegant. They can also enhance the look of your front door, and you can tie both stories together by adding windows on top of one another. Repeating patterns and woodwork create a seamless look and feel.

Credit: The Moyer House, Brownsville, Oregon by A. Davey / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

32. Sloping Roof

This unique front door idea uses a low sloping roof for the first story and it has a larger second story rising out of it. It creates a unique look where the second story actually looks much larger than the first, and both stories have contrasting colors to call attention to the differences even more. 

Credit: Best shot of Booloominbah by denisbin / CC BY-ND 2.0

33. Climbing Vines 

Climbing vines are one front door idea that you can count on to come back year after year. They can arch around your front door to create a slightly wild look, and you can offset all of the green with colorful flowers. You can train Mandevilla Vines to surround your doorway or grow upwards, and they have beautiful flowers. 

Credit: RINCÓN FLORIDO EN LA BRETAÑA FRANCESA by Miquel Fabre / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

34.Split Doorway

Split doorways like you’d find on stables aren’t extremely popular as a front door idea, but they provide many benefits. For example, you can keep the bottom half locked to keep kids and pets inside while opening the top portion, and they provide a little extra security for you. 

Credit: Horse Stable Doors by allispossible.org.uk / CC BY-NC 2.0

35. Gated Steps 

Although this is an odd front door idea, it works well for brownstones or places in the city that could need a small security boost. You can install a small gate right at the end of your steps that locks. This can help keep your kids or pets inside, but it also adds another layer of security. 

Credit: Entrance, 9 Gay Street (1860), Greenwich Village by Spencer Means / CC BY-SA 2.0

36. Stained Glass

Instead of having the normal tempered glass in your doorway, add a colorful element by adding stained glass. The sunlight will stream through and create gorgeous patterns on the walls or in your entryway, and you can have flowers or other patterns made into the glass to make it stand out more. 

Credit: Stained Glass Door by Newton Graffiti / CC BY 2.0

37. Continuing Arches 

A simple arched doorway with arched windows on either side provide a nice symmetrical look. Also, the gentle arches with a solid coloring creates an elegant look, especially if you offset it with the color of the home and the trim. It’s inviting and elegant for a decor choice. 

Credit: 3453 by Maggy Le Saux / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

38. Slim Glass Insets 

This front door idea involves not having a solid door. However, it makes it easier to see your kids as they play on their playground sets. You’ll have two thin glass inserts in your french doors or one glass insert in your regular door that goes from the ground to the top of the door. It should be slightly narrow to provide security. 

Credit: 48 West 12th (1854) by Spencer Means / CC BY-SA 2.0

39. Glossy Paint

Most people use a flat paint to cover their door, but this front door idea tries to make the area more eye-catching by adding a high-gloss paint. The sleek black with gloss stands out from the flat black on the home’s brick, and the white frame really offsets it and creates a chic look. 

Credit: Number 10 Door by Number 10 / CC BY 2.0

40. Small Peephole 

Instead of a tiny apartment-style peephole in your door, you can go slightly larger with this front door idea to give yourself a wider field of view. It’s a small glass insert, and you can even get them with a small door that covers it when it’s not in use and locks closed. 

Credit: Front Door Inside by Inga Munsinger Cotton / CC BY 2.0

41. Unique Wooden Design 

This front door idea allows you to transform a boring doorway to something unique. You can use wood with a unique pattern and stain it to match your desired aesthetic or decor. The result is an eye-catching design that stands out from the usually doorways. 

Credit: Facade by Johan Neven / CC BY 2.0

42. Wrought Iron Doorway 

Anyone who wants to add a small layer of protection and security to their doorway should try this front door idea. You install a regular doorway slightly set back in your home, and then you add a wrought iron and screen door between it and the outside. It can lock, and you can interact with whoever is on the other side without opening both. 

Credit: New Front Doorway by Nick Fullerton / CC BY-NC 2.0

43. Matching Colors

Instead of making your doorway stand out, you can create a chic and timeless look by matching it with the color of the home. White on white is a very popular combination, and you can make the door stand out a little by adding a few windows. A simple gold or silver handle will complete the look. 

Credit: Front Door by Kara Babcock / CC BY 2.0

44. Round Illusion 

If you want a unique front door idea, creating an illusion is one way to go. You can have larger french doors, but instead of the traditional square windows, create a circle design that spans both doors with the glass. This will create the illusion that you have a round doorway on your home. 

Credit: Bambu Front Door by Tucker Sherman / CC BY 2.0

45. Mix of Materials 

You don’t have to stick with one type of material on and around your front door. Instead, you can easily mix mediums like stonework and wood or vinyl siding. The mixed textures add interest to your home while giving the eye things to play off of. A lot of glass also provides interest. 

Credit: Winchester Front Door by johpan / CC BY-ND 2.0

46. Stone Walkway 

Jazz up the walkway leading to your door with this front door idea. Instead of using the traditional concrete, you can add large flagstone. This is a great way to make a curving walkway that winds around your flower beds and right up to your front door. You could even add xeriscape plants around it. 

Credit: At the Front Door by Juile Corsi / CC BY 2.0

47. Textured Design

Your door doesn’t have to be a flat wooden or synthetic design. Instead, you can create a fun focal point by adding texture. Ripples or other textures add interest to your front door, and it can help it stand out from your home’s more flat siding. A bright color can also further enhance the look. 

Credit: New Front Door by IrishFireside / CC BY 2.0

48. Carved Wood

A custom carved wooden door is one front door idea that will give your guests the impression of elegance and luxury. It also hints at a very stylish and modern interior. You can complete the look with a stylish brass knocker and a wrought iron handle. They can have a square or curved top. 

Credit: Ham: Front Door by Tom Parnell / CC BY-SA 2.0

49. Arching Windows

Anyone who wants to make their doorway look more grand and larger overall should try to incorporate arching windows into their front door idea. You can add slim panes of glass along the sides of the door before adding taller arching ones above it to help reach up higher on your home. 

Credit: The front door of the Brandford-Horry House (1750) by Spencer Means / CC BY-SA 2.0

50. Matching Screen and Main Doors

Many people have different screen doors that don’t match their main interior door. However, this front door idea creates a beautifully matched screen and main door. When you pull open the screen door, you see a shiny wooden door that mimics the trim on the screen door to create a seamless look. 

Credit: New Front Door by gemteck1 / CC BY 2.0

51. Gentle Curves

Who says your front door idea has to be a traditional rectangle design? You can change it up by having gently curved doorways that mimic the hallway behind it. These curves can easily extend out into your windows by the side of the doorway to give it a whimsical look and feel. 

Credit: Doorway by Peter Miller / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Bottom Line

These 51 front door ideas allow you to get creative with your entryway. You can easily boost your home’s curb appeal, make the doorway the focal point of your home, and get a look that is wholly your own. We encourage you to gain inspiration from this post and try it out on your own home. You never know, you may just start a new neighborhood trend!