Rounding Up The 6 Most Stunning Front Door Designs We've Seen From Hilary Farr
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If you're looking for an easy way to modernize your home, never underestimate the power of a new front door. Hilary Farr's ability to renovate and rejuvenate family homes isn't limited to the interior. Her expert makeovers frequently emphasize the importance of curb appeal and a welcoming entrance. From a fresh coat of paint to a brand-new entry point, you can source inspiration from Hilary's beautiful upgrades, regardless of your budget or scope.
Consider the architectural style of your home, and choose a project that enhances rather than competes with your pre-existing aesthetic. Next, decide on whether you want to DIY a new door or hire a contractor for a more involved undertaking. Finally, consider the message you want to send visitors upon entering your home, and ensure that your perfect front door reflects your design goals. Hilary Farr is an expert at taking a family's design dreams and finding practical ways to turn them into reality. Consider her clever tips and get motivated by her most stunning front door designs.
A mix of modern and traditional
While Hilary Farr is often renovating properties for strangers, in 2022, she had the opportunity to upgrade her own home's exterior. One of the key elements to this striking transformation was selecting a new front door. She shared on her Instagram: "I knew I wanted a front door that would be an unexpected design with the traditional brick exterior of the house. It must not be too modern. It must look beautiful from the inside and the exterior. It must let in maximum natural light but give privacy. It must be sturdy. A tall order! Once I met with the team at @clarkhalldoors, nothing else would do for me. My dream design is a gorgeous reality."
Although Farr's front door was custom made, you can find a ready-made door that offers a similar aesthetic value. Part of the appeal of Farr's front door is undoubtedly the arched shape. Achieve a similar look with this elegant arch top door from Grand Entry Doors. Another key element of her door is the iron frame, resulting in an up-to-date appearance. This arched iron door from Pinky's Iron Doors is equally modern. If you're worried about privacy with the addition of glass panels, you can opt for the cost-saving option of adding textured privacy glass window stickers from Amazon.
A Mid-century makeover
On Season 19, Episode 5 of "Love It or List It", Hilary Farr had the tall order of restoring an authentic Mid-century build. With this front door, she wanted to give the home a contemporary touch while still paying homage to its roots. Not only did Farr choose a stunning black steel door that elevates and complements the exterior, but she built out an entire front porch to make the entrance pop. When the entrance is finally revealed, the client exclaims, "This is very sexy curb appeal." Hilary responds, "He's smiling and happy even before we open the door," emphasizing the importance of a stylish entrance.
If you're searching for a similar, Mid-century-inspired entrance, consider this steel door from Door Design Lab. The triple-frosted glass panels will add to the geometric look. If black feels too harsh, choose brown or anthracite gray. For a door that excels in longevity, steel requires very little upkeep and maintains its condition much longer than other materials. However, if replacing the door is out of your price range, adding a contemporary, matte black handle can be enough to modernize your exterior. Try this sleek option from The Home Depot.
A totally transformed triplex
Hilary Farr faced a challenging, yet rewarding, renovation in the Season 17, Episode 7 of "Love It or List It." She took a dated, butter yellow triplex and gave it new life. At the beginning of the episode, there were three doors leading into three separate apartments. Hilary chose to swap two of them out for a single grand entrance with a porch. She also gave the entire exterior a fresh coat of paint –- front door included. "Paint is so miraculous, isn't it?" Hilary exclaims upon the reveal.
If there is a door you simply don't use, sometimes the best solution is to remove it entirely. One stylish entrance is better than multiple insignificant entry points. When it comes to making your main doorway pop, take a cue from Hilary and experiment with shades of blue. Whether you choose a blue door with a neutral exterior or a blue exterior with a neutral door, get inspired by Benjamin Moore and consider their 2024 Color of the Year, Blue Nova.
1970s to cool and contemporary
This renovation is proof that changing up the front door can make an entire property look and feel up to date. On Season 14, Episode 18 of "Love It or List It", Hilary Farr gave a 1970s home an entirely new look. Farr chose a solid black front door to make a striking visual statement. "It sets the stage for what's to come," Farr explains. Originally, the window panels on each side of the front door were painted white. This resulted in a choppy, disconnected look. The single shade of black across the entire door and sidelights creates visual cohesion.
Variations of black have become ultra-popular for exterior paint jobs. From modernizing your front door to creating contrast with your trim, a splash of black can add immense curb appeal. However, not all shades of black paint are created equal. Charcoal, black-brown, and midnight are all in the black family, but each shade can create a completely different look. Picking the best black paint color requires more than a few swatches. Consider Behr's Color of the Year for 2024, Cracked Pepper, a soft black that adds depth.
Subtle changes, big impact
Sometimes, subtle changes can completely transform the look of your home's entrance. On Season 17, Episode 11 of "Love It or List It", Hilary Farr had the task of modernizing a traditional, three-story home with bright, natural details. She chose to swap the dark wood front door for a more contemporary, lighter stain. She also changed the glass paneling around the door in favor of a light-toned wood frame.
Stripping and re-staining your front door requires some prep, but the finished result is worth the initial steps. Follow this guide to refinishing a wooden door for a comprehensive walkthrough. As Farr proved, a light oak front door is an attractive addition –- but any lighter shade will require a bit more upkeep. Maintain your beautiful new bright tone by keeping your front door free of debris and following cleaning tips to keep your door looking as good as new.
Letting the light in
It's no secret that maximizing natural light is essential for creating a welcoming atmosphere. On Season 17, Episode 15 of "Love It or List It", Hilary Farr completely changed the energy of this couple's entryway by adding frosted glass panels on and around their front door. "Part of the 'wow factor' here is just the natural light that is now coming into your home," she explains.
If your goal is to let in as much light as possible, follow Farr's lead and choose a front door and sidelights with large, single panels. For example, consider this pre-hung front door from The Home Depot. This light-friendly look will also allow you to experiment with darker door colors, as pictured in Farr's renovation. You can balance light and dark by combining frosted glass with a dark gray or black frame. Choose a doorknob in the same shade as the door itself so that it recedes into the background and keeps the focus on the glowing glass. If you'd rather not replace your entire door, follow this DIY guide to add a window to your existing front door to get the same effect.