Colors to Paint the Front Door of an English Tudor

Natural Stain or Brown

• Finishing the wooden front door in a natural stain doesn’t involve paint, but is a viable color option. The glow of a translucent wood finish is a warm balance against the relatively cool exterior colors of Tudor-style architecture. Tones between a medium and deep brown wood stain effectively create a welcoming entrance to the home. Alternatively, a door may be painted a medium to deep brown tone for a similar color effect to the wood stain.

Deep Red

• Warm, deep red complements the cool exterior tones of Tudor-style architecture. The red hue must have a reduced intensity to keep the color from popping out of the exterior palette. The intensity of red is reduced by adding small amounts of its complement, green (the color directly opposite from it on the color wheel.) Red is a color that expresses warmth, conviviality and hospitality, making it emotionally appropriate for use on a front door.

Deep Green

• A deep saturated green is a classic color choice for a Tudor-style front door. Green is particularly effective in cottage-style adaptations of this architectural style, especially in combination with an English garden-style landscape treatment. Green adds vitality to the stonelike colors of a Tudor exterior.

Deep Blue

• A deep, low-intensity blue accentuates the front doorway of a medium-toned Tudor exterior. The blue tone should lean toward a Prussian blue (deep blue-green) as opposed to a cobalt blue (deep blue-violet) to balance the cool tones of the architecture. A blue door surrounded by climbing pink roses offers a romantic entrance to a Tudor-style home.

Low-Intensity Tints

• Low-intensity colors can be tinted to form tones for front doors that provide a visual focal point on the exterior, while pointing the way to an interior color palette. The best tints are medium tones that begin with a rich, low-intensity hue. These hues result from combining a basic color with its complement. Tinted colors are especially effective with contemporary interpretations of Tudor style.