Spruce up your entrance door

The entryway to your home is the first thing people notice. It sends a strong message about the home, as well as the people who live in it. Unfortunately, most entrance doors don’t really say too much — and many more send totally the wrong message.

There are many ways to spruce up your entrance door, and not all of them require splurging on a brand new front door. All that is needed is a bit of time and effort to have your entrance door looking as good as new.

You’ll want to have people over, just to show it off!

Here are some tips to help make your entrance door truly shine:

	Paint it. This is a great, cost-effective way to give your entrance door a quick face-lift. A brightly painted entrance door demands to be noticed. Be bold; choose a bright color for real eye-appeal. Look to your garden for color cues. If you have an amazing show of peonies each year then match your door color for maximum effect.
	Change the lighting. A well-designed lighting scheme will not only look great, it will provide better security as well.
	Replace your mailbox. If your mailbox looks tired or non-descript, perhaps it’s time to get a new one. Again, look to your garden or the architectural features of your house for ideas on what will look best.
	Add design elements. Large-scale pots placed at either side of your entrance door add elegance and a sense of symmetry to the entryway. Plant them with bright flowers in the summer and look for attractive plants, such as ornamental cabbages and kale, to keep them looking through the winter months. Don’t forget to under plant the winter plants with bulbs for a fresh spring show.
	Add exterior trim. It won’t cost as much as you might think to add architectural millwork. Several manufacturers offer high-quality millwork made from durable high-density urethane foam. It looks like handcrafted wood molding without either the cost or the maintenance.