How To Stage Your Front Door

Don’t Allow Your House To Be a “Drive By” Victim!

Frequently, buyers drive by a house to capture a quick look before scheduling a showing. If your home fails the “drive by test” they probably aren’t coming back. That being said, when preparing to list your house, don’t ignore the front door.  Small, inexpensive updates go a long way in making a favorable first impression. Below are a few ideas to consider:

Front Door Colors

The correct choice depends on the style and coloring of your home. Personally, I like to see three colors on the exterior. If your home’s siding (or brick) is the first color and the trim is the second why not make your front door color the third?

Find these three colors here, here, and here.

Ideas To Consider…

• Go with a historical color…something that goes along with the period of your home. Benjamin Moore has an entire collection.
• Is your house a neutral color?  Use the front door to add a pop of color.   Check out Benjamin Moore’s Honey Yellow
  

  front door yellow (photo from Benjamin Moore website)

  or Sherwin Williams’ Pickle.

  

  front door green (photo from Sherwin Williams website)

  Red is tried and true and looks crisp against a white or grey house. I like Benjamin Moore’s Dinner Party.

  

  front door red (photo from Benjamin Moore’s website)

• House not a neutral color?   Think about complementary colors that work well together such as shades of green and red or yellow and blue.
• Be careful with shade. If your house is a muddier color then choose a front door color that adds interest but at the same time is muddied down.
•  Repeat the front door color elsewhere.  For example, add painted flower pots using the same paint.

Mailboxes

Consider the following:

• If it is broken, fix it!
• If dented, replace it!
• Freshen it up with a coat of spray paint.  Rust-Oleum’s one coat variety goes on smooth. here
• Dated mailbox? Change it.  I love Pottery Barn’s Envelope Mailbox (see photo above).
• Appeal to buyers!  Your mailbox should be an extension of the style of your home not a reflection of your personal taste so skip the pig shaped mailbox.

Flowers

 

Many sellers do not have motivation or time for extensive gardening but at the very least add flowers or greenery to the front porch. Keep it simple and stick with choices typical for the season. Selections depend on your zone but in general I recommend the following:

• If busy, keep it simple with pansies  in the spring, flowing petunias  in the summer, mums  in the fall, and evergreen leafs with dogwood twigs in the winter .
• Use large painted clay pots (thinking about repeating front door or mailbox color).
• Avoid faux flowers. Real flowers = love=positive message to buyers.

Finally…

• Keep the toys picked up. A porch full of toys = children which may cause the buyer to wonder if the house has taken a beating.
• Add a wreath to your front door. If you are able to change it with the seasons great, otherwise, just stick with a simple twig wreath.
• Sell the “American Dream” of home ownership by flying the American flag.

Pay attention to your home’s first impression and ensure that a buyer’s “drive by” ends with a call to their realtor.

For help with your home staging needs:  Find me here!