Hilary Farr Unveils A Gorgeous Front Door Design You'll Want For Your Own Home
On HGTV's "Love It or List It," Hilary Farr transforms ordinary homes into extraordinary spaces. Taking even the most drab houses, she turns them into aesthetically pleasing abodes with stunning curb appeal and improved property value. Farr now stars on HGTV's "Tough Love," where she works alongside families to make sanctuaries of serenity out of dysfunctional domiciles. Hosting 19 TV seasons of "Love It Or List It," Hilary Farr demonstrated just how important it is to boost your home's curb appeal. An attractive exterior is crucial in creating a welcoming residence that you'll delight in returning to, while also making your home more appealing to potential buyers.
Farr knows how to ensure a home makes a great first impression, and one of her standout techniques is the choice of a bold and striking black front door. In Season 19, Episode 5 of "Love It Or List It," Farr obliges the homeowner's request for a compelling exterior entrance and improved curb appeal with a black exterior door accented by natural wood along the ceiling and sides of the portico. If you're ready to elevate your curb appeal, an exterior black door is a sophisticated modern design choice. Very on-trend with contemporary and transitional home designers, it could be the addition that takes your home's aesthetic to a new level. But don't start unscrewing your door hinges just yet. There are a few things to consider before you go noir.
Embracing this striking exterior upgrade
Before incorporating a black exterior door, you'll want to consider whether this daring color fits well with your home's existing design to avoid a potential clash. For modern farmhouses painted white or eggshell and homes with light exterior shades, a black door is ideal for creating symmetry and contrast. If your exterior is painted with a dark hue, a black door will create a serious, modern tone. To balance and enrich the look, consider incorporating natural wood accents to balance the black. Possible selections include natural wood beams, siding panels, or cedar shake shingles.
It's also important to decide what style and material fits best with your home's design, your budget, and your region's climate. Darker colors absorb more UV rays from the sun, so getting a door with proper insulation is important. If you live in an area with fluctuating weather, you'll likely select thermally insulated fiberglass over steel, or wood, which can bow over time. For homes in temperate regions, a solid pine door from Lowe's will only set you back $375. If you're looking for natural light and traditional touches, a fiberglass door with a deco glass window runs $1,408 at Home Depot. When it comes to curb appeal, you'll want an eye-catching choice that can withstand the outdoor elements. If you love the idea of a black door but the research and expenses sound daunting, there's always the option to do it yourself.
Grab your paintbrush and DIY
Tackling this trend at home is a cost-effective way to enliven your home's exterior without breaking the bank. As mentioned by Hilary Farr on Facebook, giving your front door some new life by repainting it is a great way to add to your home's curb appeal. If you want to go full-out "Love It or List It" and incorporate wood accents on a budget as well, start to collect pallets or reclaimed wood for upcycled siding, shakes, or even DIY house number woodwork.
When you're ready to work on your door, you'll want to remove it from its hinges, unscrew all hardware and finishes, and use painter's tape and newspaper to cover all glass panels. With any material door, the level of prep work you decide to do is up to you, but filling in holes, sanding off imperfections and old paint, cleaning, and priming your door are the steps that set you up for success. It's important to find the perfect paint finish for your front door as well as the right paint type for the material of your door. One coat of primer helps the paint adhere without eventually peeling or flaking, followed by two or three coats of black paint once the primer is dry. When it's completely dry, and you've re-attached your hardware, you're ready to get your door back on its hinges and reintroduce your house to the neighborhood — now boasting some added curb appeal.