10 Ways to Enhance Your Front Entry

Guide guests from the street or drive to the front door with a clearly marked and well-maintained path that is 3-4 feet wide so two people can walk side-by-side. Add interest and impress your guests with custom walkway as seen here.

Cut back overgrown plantings that block views of the front door or spill over onto walkways. Flowers and plants in containers are easy to maintain and can be rearranged at any time. Here, the white accents on the house extend to the planters and flowers.

A can of bright, bold paint that contrasts with the siding and trim is an easy way to revamp a tired entry. Against the stone facade, this orange-red door cheerfully leads visitors inside. Consider the style of your home and choose colors accordingly.

Research your home's architectural style and add appropriate architectural details such as decorative brackets, moldings, columns, and trim. If you already have those elements, bolster their appeal by giving them a fresh coat of paint or stain.

Good lighting is a must for both convenience and safety. Consider motion-sensing lights near the front door. Use low-voltage lights to illuminate pathways and lanterns on posts for general yard lighting.

An entryway is a prime location to splurge on an expensive material, such as the wooden, double-wide front door or framed stone walkway seen here. With these elements, you don't need much to achieve a polished look, and they will impress potential buyers in the future.

Add a roof or awning over the front door to keep rain or sun off visitors while they ring the bell (and off you while you fish for your keys). Give the space a sense of warmth and comfort by placing a piece or two of weather-resistant furniture near the entry.

Create a polished and sophisticated entry by choosing the same color or metal finish for exterior elements such as entrance hardware, door knockers, house numbers, mailboxes, and porch lights.

Connect the entry with the rest of your home's exterior by repeating elements that create a cohesive look. A prominent design element, such as the arch in the window above the double doors, reappears in the windows to the left of the entry.

Open up your front entry with full-length windows on either side of your door. They let more light into your home, make your entry seem larger, and underscore your home's architectural style.