How to Update Your Main Entrance for Maximum Curb Appeal
By: Britteny
The main entrance is often the first part of your home people see, and therefore, it has a major impact on your curb appeal. A dated or uninviting main entrance can give guests and passersby a bad first impression of your home.
If you’re looking for ways to update your main entrance, you’re in the right place. From budget-friendly projects you can tackle in a day to more involved renovations, we share all our best ideas below. Keep reading to learn more.
Whether you want to update your main entrance or overhaul your entire exterior, our team of expert designers can help. Learn more about our virtual exterior design services.
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Refresh or replace your front door
The front door is typically the focal point of your entry area, so investing in one that is aesthetically pleasing is a smart move. In the design above, we replaced the dated door with a more modern option featuring a large section of glass. The black portion of the door matches the new windows, porch columns, and privacy screen.
If replacing your front door is out of budget, consider refreshing your existing one with a fresh coat of paint. The rendering above features a double-entry door painted with Benjamin Moore’s Chiswell Blue. We used this moody blue hue on the home’s shutters too.
Have fun with front door hardware
If replacing or painting your front door sounds like too much work, consider switching out the hardware instead. Adding a door knocker or swapping out your old one is an easy, effective way to spruce up your front door. We love the simple geometric design of the door knocker above and the elegant touch it adds to the home.
Similarly, you can dress up your entry door with a wreath.
Light it up
We often think of lighting as the finishing touch of a home exterior design update. Exterior lighting is fun, but it’s also functional. Plus, the right fixtures can elevate your entry without much effort. The home design above features one of our go-to light fixtures — a wall lantern that beautifully blends modern and vintage aesthetics — to the left of the front door. We love how this piece pops against the light-painted brick but matches the black front door and garage door.
Accessorize with planters
Decorating your entry with planters is one of the simplest, most inexpensive ways to jazz up the area. Frame your door with a planter on each side, use a cluster of planters to fill in empty space on your porch, or line your front steps with them.
Add an address plaque
An address plaque is another easy, affordable design element to incorporate into your entrance area. The one seen in the rendering above really stands out against the white brick while still feeling like a cohesive part of the design thanks to all the other black accents. A light fixture above the plaque ensures the numbers will also be visible at night.
Create an accent wall
Designing an accent wall around your main entrance is a great way to draw attention to the area. The entry of the home above was dark, and the front door was barely visible. Our design uses light siding around the front door to make it a focal point. This light siding is juxtaposed with darker siding, which makes it stand out even more.
We also frequently create accent areas with stone siding, as seen above. The light stone around the door creates contrast with the dark siding, rendered in Sherwin Williams’ After the Storm. We also used the stone siding on the garage to create cohesion.
Another one of our favorite ways to accent a specific area of a home’s exterior is with wood paneling. This design has a small section of Ipe siding, which looks lovely with the near-black horizontal siding.
Build a porch
Adding a porch to your home exterior is definitely one of the bigger projects on our list, but the end result makes it so worthwhile. The original façade of this home was underwhelming, but the addition of a covered porch totally transformed it. The white railing and columns contribute to the light and airy look of the home while the wood door adds warmth.
If a porch addition is out of the question, consider a portico instead. Porticos are generally described as the covered space above a front door or entryway, and they are usually held up by columns. Porticos offer protection from the elements and add visual interest to your façade.
Add an awning
Adding an awning over your main entrance is a fantastic way to enhance your curb appeal. Awnings can be small — enough space for a planter or two — or wrap around your main level. In the design above, we created a small patio area and covered it with an awning. The awning’s wood ceiling and columns bring warmth to this exterior.
Main entrance updates for maximum curb appeal
You can’t maximize your curb appeal without a well-designed main entrance. From small touches like the addition of some planters to more significant changes like building a portico, there are tons of ways you can update your main entrance. We hope this post has offered you plenty of inspiration for your exterior design project.
From your main entrance to your backyard and everything in between, we can help you visualize updates to all aspects of your home exterior. With our photorealistic rendering and design recommendations in hand, you can tackle your home renovation and achieve the curb appeal you’ve always dreamed of. Begin your exterior design project today.
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