Painting the inside of your front door is one of the simplest ways to make a big impact in your entryway. Want to make this update in your home? Explore our paint color consultant’s picks for the best interior front door paint colors.
While many people spend time thinking about their exterior front door paint color (Article), it’s not as common to paint your interior front door. But it’s one of our favorite ways to help our clients elevate their home and add depth and texture to their entryway or main living area.
Keep reading to learn more about painting an interior front door and explore our favorite hues.
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What Color to Paint Interior Front Doors: Guidelines
When choosing an interior front door paint color, it’s important to keep a few things in mind:
- Make sure to consider your whole house color palette (Article). Find a color that pairs well with the art or other decor elements in your entryway or adjacent rooms.
- You can also consider painting your interior front door the same color as your kitchen cabinets (Article). This is a great way to create a cohesive look throughout your home.
- If your entry has very low light, you can use a white paint color for the interior front door. The white paint should be the same as the trim color.
- Wood interior front doors are also very elegant. If you go this route, make sure the wood matches the tones of the floor.
- Your interior front door paint color does not need to match your exterior front door paint, but the two hues should complement each other.
- You don’t have to paint an entry closet door the same color as your interior front door. It can be painted the same color as the other passage doors in the home. Those are usually painted with the home’s white trim color (Article), but not always.
No matter what, always test your interior front door paint colors before painting your door! Be sure to look at it in your entryway and at different times of day.
What to Avoid When Painting an Interior Front Door
Some red or pink paint colors shouldn’t be used as an interior front door color if the door faces a white wall.
I know this because when I tried painting my interior front door BM First Light (Article), it reflected to the Simply White wall about 40 feet opposite from the front door and it was HORRIBLE! My family to this day can’t stop talking about it. That’s why I often experiment with new things in my house before ever trying them in a client’s home. Never again!
Sample Interior Front Door Paint Colors
We always recommend that you test paint colors (Article) in your home because lighting can completely change a color, both on interiors and exteriors.
In the old days, this meant we painted a large poster board with sample pots and a huge mess.
Now we have a better way to test paint, with Samplize Peel-and-Stick samples!
- Samples pre-painted with 2 coats of real paint from the manufacturer.
- Large 9” x 14” samples to see the color better in the lighting.
- Delivered overnight
- Colors are accurate
- Less expensive than painting a large poster board with sample pots
- No mess, and no toxic paint to dispose of
I use these in my color consulting practice for exact results. Discover Samplize peel-and-stick paint samples and sample interior front door paint colors via the link below.
11 Best Interior Front Door Paint Colors
You can paint your front door just about any color, as long as it ties into your overall home color palette (Article). Look for inspiration in your kitchen, your entry rugs or art. Here are some of our favorite options, inspired by our paint color consulting clients’ homes.
White Interior Front Door Paint Colors
Doors painted white should be the same color as the white trim. While this is the traditional look for the inside of a front door, it’s also a beautiful option!
Sherwin-Williams Alabaster Interior Front Door
SW Alabaster (Article) is a gorgeous, creamy off-white that looks beautiful on an interior front door. In the home below, the door is Alabaster (Sample), which matches the trim. The walls are SW Accessible Beige (Article), which pairs beautifully with the warm white door.
Blue Interior Front Door Paint Colors
Blue is such a classic color for an interior front door. Whether you opt for a timeless navy or a bolder, brighter hue, a blue front door is a beautiful option that can work with many home color palettes.
Benjamin Moore Hale Navy Interior Front Door
BM Hale Navy (Article) is one of our favorite navy blue paint colors for interior and exterior applications. In the client’s home pictured below, we used Hale Navy (Sample) for both the interior front door and the interior back door. It was a great way to tie the two ends of the home together.
The navy hue looked beautiful paired with BM Simply White (Article) walls, BM Oxford White trim and a BM Britannia Blue (Article) accent wall in the dining room. And the connection between the front and back door, pictured below, makes this home feel so cohesive.
This home is also a great reminder that the interior and exterior of the front door don’t need to be the same color. This home’s exterior (Article) front door color was Sherwin-William’s Stolen Kiss, a gorgeous deep red.
Benjamin Moore Kensington Blue Interior Front Door
This painted front door features BM Kensington Blue (Sample), a beautiful blue-gray paint color (Article). It offers just enough of a pop of color without being too bright. I love the way the blue door ties into the blue and white entry rug and the blue sofa in the adjacent room.
Sherwin-Williams Charcoal Blue Interior Front Door
The door in my own home was painted SW Charcoal Blue (Article) for awhile! I’ve experimented with many front door paint colors over the years. It’s such a quick and easy way to transform your entry!
SW Charcoal Blue (Sample) is a cool blue with violet undertones – what my favorite local painter calls a “blurple.” I love the way the dark blue color references my Ikea art on the entry wall! These were something like $1/print. I saw the same poster in an Airbnb in France a couple of years later. I’m not gonna lie, I really like them. I’m not an art snob.
Benjamin Moore Newburyport Blue Interior Front Door
In the client’s home pictured below, the interior front door is painted with BM Newburyport Blue (Sample) and paired with SW Greek Villa (Article) walls. This is a beautiful color. It’s dark, rich and lovely without being too dark.
Even though this entryway doesn’t have tons of natural light, the color looks clearly blue and doesn’t risk looking black in the shadowy areas.
Black Interior Front Door Paint Colors
Black interior front doors are classic and timeless! They look beautiful with white walls but can also work with other neutral wall colors and even light non-neutrals.
Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron Interior Front Door
In the client’s home pictured below, we used BM Wrought Iron (Article) for both the interior front door and the entry closet door. I love the way these two doors look together in the entryway.
Wrought Iron (Sample) is a soft black paint color with cool, blue undertones. It can work well with a variety of other colors, finishes and decor.
We used the same color for an interior back door that led to the patio. These doors looked gorgeous paired with BM Classic Gray (Article) walls.
We also used BM Wrought Iron in another client’s home, painting a set of French doors that open to a back deck. I absolutely love the way they pair with the BM Cloud White (Article) walls and connect with the hanging lighting in the center of the room.
Gray Interior Front Door Paint Colors
Like black front doors, gray doors can be very classic and timeless. And because there are so many different kinds of gray paint colors – from warm grays with green undertones to cool grays with blue or violet undertones – they can work with just about any home color palette.
Benjamin Moore Wolf Gray Interior Front Door
BM Wolf Gray (Sample) is a beautiful mid-tone blue-gray paint color that works great for an interior front door.
In the client’s home pictured above, it ties in so nicely with the art next to the front door and the kitchen cabinets in the next room, which are the same color and are pictured below. The wall color with BM Balboa Mist (Article).
Benjamin Moore Baltic Gray Interior Front Door
The beautiful, cool gray pictured below is painted with BM Baltic Gray (Sample), a gray paint color with violet undertones, like the color of elephants. This interior door looks so beautiful next to the BM Snowfall White (Article) walls. It references the window seat cushion on the left.
Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray Interior Front Door
My own front door features again! In the photo below, we painted the door with BM Chelsea Gray (Article), a color that matches the lower kitchen cabinets and has warm green undertones.
You can see the kitchen cabinets in the image below.
We used Chelsea Gray (Sample) on the back entry door in my home as well. In the image below (taken with overhead lights on because it was so dark), the Chelsea Gray door is paired with SW Cyberspace (Article) walls. It looked really good, but I ended up painting that back entry BM Simply White (Article) to keep it light and bright.
Sherwin-Williams Attitude Gray Interior Front Door
SW Attitude Gray (Sample) is the Sherwin-Williams’ version of Chelsea Gray. It is a similar gray with warm, green undertones, but with a bit more green in it. This front door nicely complements the Sherwin-Williams Grey Heron (Article) walls in the entryway.
BONUS: Behr English Daisy Interior Front Door
When it comes to painting interior front doors, there are so many paint colors that we can choose from! One of my all-time favorites, however, is the front door paint color pictured below.
I found this bright yellow door in a client’s home; it was a choice they made before I had arrived, and it was stunning. They picked a color that was pulled from their art in the entry.
This color is Behr English Daisy. The Sherwin-Williams equivalent is SW Goldfinch (Sample).
I absolutely love how much joy and sunshine this front door brings to the home, especially when paired with some gorgeous yellow flowers.
Sample Interior Front Door Paint Colors
Ready to paint your interior front door? Get inspired and start collecting your samples with Samplize.com. Use the links below to get samples of your favorite front door paint colors for interiors.
- Sherwin-Williams Alabaster (Sample)
- Benjamin Moore Hale Navy (Sample)
- Benjamin Moore Kensington Blue (Sample)
- Sherwin-Williams Charcoal Blue (Sample)
- Benjamin Moore Newburyport Blue (Sample)
- Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron (Sample)
- Benjamin Moore Wolf Gray (Sample)
- Benjamin Moore Baltic Gray (Sample)
- Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray (Sample)
- Sherwin-Williams Attitude Gray (Sample)
- Behr English Daisy (Sample)
What Parts of the Interior Door Should You Paint?
Once you’ve chosen the perfect paint color for your interior front door, the next question is: what parts of an interior door should be painted? Do you paint the sides? The trim? The door frame? Keep reading for our best tips on how to use your interior front door paint color.
1. The Front Face of the Door
This one’s a no-brainer – the interior-facing side of the door (what you see from inside the house) is the main home of your interior front door paint color.
2. The Edges of the Door
Here’s where it gets a little more complicated. The general rule of thumb is:
- Paint the edge that swings into the room the same color as that room’s side of the door.
- If your door opens into another color-dominant space (like a mudroom or hallway), you can match the edge to whichever side you want to blend into more. Just keep it consistent with other doors in your home for cohesion.
3. The Door Trim (a.k.a. Door Jamb or Casing)
This is personal preference, but most people keep the door trim the same color as the rest of the trim in the home (usually white). Painting the trim the same bold color as your door can be a fun design statement, but can end up looking overpowering, especially in spaces with low light or if you’re using a dark paint color.
4. Glass Panes or Windows in the Door
If your door has glass panels, you’ll want to use painter’s tape to create crisp lines around the panes. Paint the bars between the panes the same color as the door for a seamless look.
5. Sidelights and Transoms
These are the fixed glass panels alongside or above the door. You can paint the frames around them to match your door or leave them the same color as the trim. If you’re going bold with your door color, painting these frames can create a dramatic, cohesive look. Want something more subtle? Stick with white or a neutral that matches your wall or trim.
Key Learning Points
Painting an interior front door is one of the simplest upgrades you can make to your home, while still having a big impact!
- Make sure to choose an interior front door color that aligns with the color palette within your home. Look toward entryway rugs, art and other decor for color inspiration.
- Don’t try painting a front door pink or red if it’s across from a white wall – the color will reflect on the wall and make the whole space look pink! (Trust me, I’ve tried it before!)
- Review the different parts of your door that you plan to paint. If you want to keep the trim white, be sure to use the same white trim as the rest of your home.
No matter what, don’t forget to test your paint colors. Check out the SAMPLIZE website HERE.
NEVER, EVER use paint matches from a different brand than the one specified. Results are poor and there are no standards for the sheens. Even though your painter may truly believe it can be done, don’t do it. See results from paint matching here.
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Related Posts
- Best Front Door Paint Colors
- Sherwin-Williams Alabaster Review
- Benjamin Moore Simply White Review
- Benjamin Moore Hale Navy Review
- Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray Review
About the Author
Hi, I’m Michelle Marceny, founder, owner, and Principal Color Designer at The Color Concierge. I believe a fresh coat of paint can completely transform a space. The Color Concierge was born out of my drive to help clients fall back in love with their homes. My clients trust me to help them find the perfect paint color for their home – whether it’s a whole-house paint color scheme or ideas for a single room.
Since The Color Concierge was founded in 2017, we have completed over 3000 color consultations, both online and in-person. I am a Certified Color Expert with 7 years of experience creating interior and exterior color palettes throughout North America.
We love your comments! Please note that the blog is meant as general advice, and it is not possible to give out specific answers to your paint questions. If you want more specific advice, our Online Color Consultations will help you pick your paint colors. Thank you for your understanding.
