Your front door sets the tone for your entire home. Dave and Jenny Marrs, of HGTV’s “Fixer to Fabulous,” never neglect this important part of the exterior. Whether Dave is crafting custom wood inlays or Jenny is choosing the perfect paint color, the front door is always a priority. This dynamic duo has a keen eye for upgrades that will stand the test of time.

If you’re searching for ways to make your front door pop, take a cue from Dave and Jenny. They have a wide range of design solutions that won’t break the bank, so you can choose the best one for your unique taste and budget. From adding complementary decor to replacing the door itself, there are a variety of stylish options. Discover the most show-stopping front door design ideas from your favorite HGTV stars. Give your front door a much-needed upgrade with the Marrs in mind.

In “Fixer to Fabulous: Italiano,” Jenny and Dave wanted to create an authentic, Italian home suitable for a modern family. They swapped the original, barred front door with a more welcoming wood door with glass panels. The new shutters were also key to creating the Italian atmosphere. Jenny explained, “We replaced the front door, and now we have a beautiful door which was so important, because it’s the first thing people see when they enter your home. So, you have the green shutters inspired by the olive groves.” They also added an industrial-style, mounted light fixture above the front door.

If changing your door is out of your budget, you can steal inspiration from Dave and Jenny’s bucolic shutters. Adding shutters to your front door is an inexpensive way to upgrade the look of your entrance. If your front door isn’t suitable for real shutters, faux exterior shutters can create the same visual effect and can be mounted on each side of the door. For a similar olive shade, try the Heirloom Traditions Paint All-In-One Paint in the shade Crete. Mount the Darkaway Gooseneck Outdoor Light Fixture over your door to complete the look.

In Season 5, Episode 13, of “Fixer to Fabulous,” a new front door was key to making a mid-century home look modern instead of dated. Dave and Jenny opted for a matte black front door to match the new windows and charcoal exterior. The dark-toned approach made the home appear more contemporary, including the vintage stone masonry. Jenny said, “Everything feels modern and before the stone was just so ugly, but now it works.” The client replied, “I love the front door, it’s my favorite.”

A black front door comes with a range of pros and cons to consider. The most notable pro is the potential to increase the value of your home. Zillow reported that a home with a black front door could be worth about $6,450 more than the average home. However, a black front door can also absorb heat, which may not be ideal if you live in a warm climate. If your door is wood, this can increase the chance of swelling or warping, which may lead to cracks down the line. One alternative is to go with a steel door, and another is to opt for a dark shade that isn’t stark black. Dark gray or blue doors can have a similar visual effect. If you want to explore all of the color and finish options, this is the ultimate guide to finding your perfect front door.

The Season 5, Episode 9, renovation is proof that you don’t need to replace your front door to give it new life. Dave and Jenny removed the paint and restored its original wood tone, in addition to inserting a new window. Jenny explained, “It’s your old front door. We stripped it and changed out the window to modernize it.” The finished door was a medium-toned, warm wood color that added a welcoming touch to the dark exterior.

If you can’t decide what color to paint your door, why not bring it back to its roots? Taking the paint off your door completely can reveal a stunning wood surface — with potentially an antique charm. The trick is to prep, prime, and seal the door correctly. If there are layers of paint, use a paint stripper to easily remove the existing coating. Then, sand down the surface and scrape the moldings. Finally, apply a stain like the Olympic Elite Mahogany Woodland Oil Stain and Sealant.

Season 5, Episode 3 featured a first-time homebuyer who wanted her home to incorporate a touch of English charm. In addition to centering the front door, Dave and Jenny chose to add functioning gas lanterns to flank each side. They also painted the trim white to contrast the house’s green exterior. The entire design was all about drawing the eye to the entrance of the home. Jenny told the client, “We got you a new front door and then of course have the gas lanterns, ’cause that feels kind of old world to me. I feel like they’re just really charming and pretty.”

Adding lighting around your front door is essential not just for functionality, but to give it a stylish finishing touch. However, you don’t need to purchase real gas lanterns to mimic Jenny and Dave’s technique. These Lawyettle Dusk to Dawn Outdoor Wall Lanterns are ideal for illuminating your front porch. For a more ornate approach, consider the Sea Gull Lighting Lancaster Lanterns. If you already have lanterns, consider painting them to change up the look of your existing fixtures, such as with matte black for a Marrs-inspired look.

Jenny and Dave wanted to create a brighter, more modern entryway in Season 4, Episode 15. They removed the old sidelights from the front door and moved the door itself all the way to the right. This allowed space for a singular, large glass panel. Jenny exclaimed upon the reveal, “We have a new front door with a big piece of glass instead of the dated sidelights that were here before.” The client replied, “Yes, that really brightens it up.”

Although sidelights are a common feature among front door designs, creating an asymmetrical look with a single glass panel can set your home apart. This front door style popularity in mid-century homes, where it provided that quintessential sleek, modern appearance. Another show-stopping, mid-century-inspired approach is to lean into the asymmetry. This means adding glass panels that aren’t perfect rectangles. If you don’t think you have space to add glass, think again! Get creative and consider carving out areas above and around your front door, even if they end up trapezoidal.

In the Season 4, Episode 13, transformation, Dave and Jenny turned a bare bones barn into a livable space. Although the renovation required an insulated door, Dave and Jenny didn’t want to lose the charm of the classic barn door look, so they mounted barn doors on either side of the front door. It was a purely aesthetic touch as a nod to the origin of the home. Dave explained, “We knew we had to have new doors that were insulated and sealed, but we wanted to have some of that original barn feel and that’s something you’d see on an old barn, big sliding doors like that.”

For your exterior, you’ll want to opt for a heavy-duty barn door kit. Mounting large barn doors on the outside of your house is much different from hanging interior barn doors. Although they are decorative, you still want to ensure longevity. You can buy a product like the Jubest Box Rail Exterior Barn Door Hardware Kit and pair it with standard barn doors or source reclaimed barn doors from a vintage retailer or salvage yard. You may need to install a header board for reinforcement, depending on your exterior.

The Season 4, Episode 7 renovation is proof that you can actually transform your front door without touching the door itself. If you’re on a tight budget, consider adjusting your landscaping to frame your entrance. Dave and Jenny gave one couple’s home a stunning splash of curb appeal by removing the overgrown hedges that were obscuring the entrance. After raving about the new landscaping, the client exclaimed, “You couldn’t even see the front door!” The finished result was a dark door that popped against a light exterior, with no plants to hide it from view.

This curb-appeal boosting trick from Jenny and Dave Marrs won’t break the bank. In addition to clearing any overgrown greenery that blocks your front door from the street view, consider landscaping that will frame it. Try flanking your front door with two cypress trees. Since they are tall and narrow, they won’t obscure the doorway. Another option is to line your walkway with potted plants. This will give you more control over the growth of the flora and create an eyeline towards your front door.

Dave and Jenny always take care to incorporate the client’s personal taste throughout the design of each home. In Season 3, Episode 11, the client loved pink, and they wanted to add splashes of rosy hue both inside and out. By painting the front door in a soft, pastel pink shade, the duo was able to create a unique exterior that still looked sophisticated. This flip is evidence that you should consider painting your front door a color that represents your personal style.

There are several shades of pink that can make your front door pop without looking garish. For example, consider a peach-toned pink if your goal is to curate a warm and welcoming space. Just Peachy by Benjamin Moore adds a splash of gentle pink against a white exterior. For a bolder option that still appears grown-up, try Persimmon, a warm hue with terra cotta undertones. For more daring color ideas, these trendy front door colors will be replacing outdated styles in 2025.

Season 3, Episode 8 shows that the shape of your front door can transform the aesthetic of your home. With the Cotswolds, U.K. as their main source of inspiration, Jenny and Dave wanted to add Tudor-style touches to this quirky exterior. A key element was swapping the front door for an arched, natural wood alternative. The arched shape immediately added a sense of old world, countryside charm. Jenny summarized, “The arched front door is just very traditional, quintessential Tudor, and the wood element just really warms everything up.”

Changing the shape of your doorway is no simple task, but the results can be stunning. Arched doorways often have to be custom-built, so this transformation isn’t a DIY project. However, there are other ways to incorporate arches into your exterior for a similar effect. One option is to install an arched pediment in the shape of a half circle above your door, such as the Ekena Millwork Sunburst Pediment. For more curved ideas, there are even more creative ways to add arched doors in your home.

Changing the size of your front door can create a showstopping entrance. Jenny and Dave utilized this technique in Season 3, Episode 9, when they turned an unfinished bachelor pad into a chic and stylish home. Their renovation included painting the house black and creating a custom, oversized front door out of natural wood. The wood contrasted the dark, modern paint color, and the larger door acted as a striking centerpiece. Jenny explained, “It’s such a big statement piece that everybody’s going to see. The first thing they see, obviously when they come over.”

This front door design will make your home feel bigger than it is — simply by creating a grand entrance. Swapping your standard front door for a larger variety is a custom technique that makes a major visual impact. The most common front door size is approximately 3 feet wide and 6 feet, 8 inches tall, but opting for an even wider door is a great way to increase curb appeal. If this isn’t an option for your home, you can add a wider, more substantial trim. This will also give the illusion that your door is larger than it is in reality.