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8 Ways to Make Your Front Door Distinctive

Boost your home s curb appeal for selling or just for welcoming guests

Getty Images You open and close it umpteen times a day — leaving for work, walking the dog and emptying the recycling — without giving your front door much thought. But during the holidays, it will be who you may not have seen for a while.
“When you have visitors, the first thing they notice before walking in is how your door looks,” says Marco Bizzley, a certified interior designer and consultant at HouseGrail.com. “Having an updated door gives a great first impression.” Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Rethinking your front door's look can and not only when you're trying to sell. Making changes to your front door can alter the entire look of your home. Thomas Jepsen, CEO of online architecture platform Passion Plans, says “most people see their front door as purely utilitarian, but “it’s also about being happy about the place where you live and beautifying the neighborhood.” Here are eight ways to make your front door pop .

1 Paint it

Blue doors and seasonal wreaths are popular. Courtesy Power Home Remodeling One of the easiest, fastest and most inexpensive changes you can make is to . Choose an eye-catching color to make the entry distinctive or one that reflects your personality. Popular colors are blue — particularly royal blue — red and yellow. You don’t need much paint, so experts advise buying a quart of paint instead of a gallon to save money. It can cost as little as $20 for DIYers. When Georgiana White, 78, repainted her Sacramento, California, house earlier this year, she went with dark blue for the front door. “I thought it was a great contrast with the lavender [stucco and white brick],” she says. “I love it.” Experts suggest selecting an exterior pain suitable for the material of your door, whether it's wood or metal, and sanding the door to help the paint adhere. Before sanding, however, Jepsen says make sure to check if the existing paint contains lead. Although toxic lead paint was banned in 1978, if your home was built before that, the front door paint may contain it. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved three home test kits: 3M LeadCheck ($11 for a two-pack), D-Lead ($39.50 for seven tests), and one required by Massachusetts and available only to professionals there. Entertainment $3 off popcorn and soft drink combos See more Entertainment offers > Keep those Christmas lights around the front door all year or change the color seasonally, such as yellow for Easter. No power outlets outside? Try battery-powered sensor lights. Other lighting options include hanging a lantern above the door or adding uplights along the sides to create a soft glow.

3 Replace the door

Getting a new front door can transform the whole look of your home, says Michael DiMartino, senior vice president of installations for Power Home Remodeling in the Philadelphia area. This option also may increase the security of your home or make it more energy efficient, he adds. Experts suggest matching the style of your front door to the style of your home. If you r house is mid- century modern home, go retro with an aqua door with square glass panels. Bizzley likes Dutch doors (also called split doors), where the top and bottom sections can be opened and locked separately. A Dutch door can cost from $750 to nearly $2,000 with installation.

4 Go seasonal

Melissa Sage Fadim decorated with garland, lights and pink bows to match her door. Courtesy Melissa Sage Fadim Decorate your front door based on the season or holidays like Halloween and Easter. Use wreaths, lights or hanging signs with inspirational sayings. For Christmas, Melissa Sage Fadim of Chicago added with soft pink bows to match the pink of her front door. “I am a pink person,” says the 72-year-old who painted the door when she bought the house a year ago. “For the first time in many, many years, I’m excited about Christmas.” AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe More on home-family AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS