The question: My question relates to curb appeal: We just bought a classic red-brick two-storey home on a leafy street and are installing a handsome new panelled-wood door with brass knocker. What colour should I paint it? My husband likes black, but I'm thinking of something less usual, like forest or even mint green. And is brass hardware still chic?
The answer: First of all, congratulations on your new home! I love the fact that the street is leafy and the door is handsome, but you don't have to match the colour of the leaves.
You are so correct, though, that the door should be a bit more imaginative than basic black. One of my favourite alternatives is a high-gloss dark blue-grey, such as Benjamin Moore's Blackberry Punch (CC-962). And have you considered candy apple red? As for the hardware, polished nickel is more up-to-date and adds a bit of a nautical feel, but I do love brass, which has an elegant Old World feel.
Keep in mind that the front door is a separate entity and can be treated completely differently in terms of how you treat any other doors. I would encourage you to paint the interior side of the front door the same colour as other inside doors; if the interior doors are white, for instance, the interior face of the front door should also be white.
Follow architect and interior designer Dee Dee Taylor Eustace, president of Taylor Hannah Architect Inc., on Twitter: @ddtaylordd. Have a design dilemma? E-mail style@globeandmail.com.