A front door is the first element of your home to welcome an arriving guest. To make the best impression, it is important to select a color for your front door that is inviting and approachable. Some homeowners opt for a classic and simple color to breathe familiarity, while others use their door as a canvas for an exciting, eye-catching design. But there is a solution that combines the two practices: Looking to nature for inspiration, and selecting a wood toned front door to represent the best of both worlds.

Your front door will be facing the outside, so it is fitting to paint the door with a color that matches its natural surroundings. A traditional wood hue on the front door evokes a feeling of beauty and timelessness. Trees, flowers, and other landscaping and foliage will coordinate well with this rustic element. This is also a great way to incorporate a timeless visual on your home’s exterior that is not too overwhelming, while still being creative and tasteful. If a door made of hardwood is out of your price range, a wood look can be achieved with the right painting techniques.

As far as timeless front door colors go, wood tone is ideal for an earthy and comfortable feel. It evokes a feeling of coziness and calm that will stand the test of time  as it tastefully taps into horticultural inspiration. This is also a way to reflect your own personality and design preferences. Your choice of front door gives people a preview into what they will find when they enter your residence. And there is still a chance to experiment with design as you can decide what type of wood shade to replicate — dark or light.

Painting a front door to look like wood will visually last longer than real hardwood which could fade overtime. If an occasional touch up is needed, it won’t take up too much of your time or hold up your front door from being utilized. Plus, a real hardwood door will require regular maintenance like resurfacing, while a painted door will not need as much upkeep. Real wood can also be damaged by rain and wind, but the same elements could make a wood-style painted door appear more realistic by adding character to the look.

According to HGTV’s Erin and Ben Napier, changing your front door can transform your home. Luckily, you can update the look to include a stylish wood tone. First, determine the shade of wood that you would like the door to have. Wood species range from the stunningly pale maple and white oak to deeper hues like walnut and mahogany, so you’ll have your pick of beautiful shades. Wipe down your door to make sure it is free of dirt and debris, then grab your paintbrush.

Karin Peters of the Renovated Faith blog painted a metal front door to replicate shades of wood. First, she sanded her door to give it a rough wood-like texture. For painting, she used one base coat and two glaze colors. She painted the base on and while it was still wet, applied the first glaze. “The brush strokes will create a graining effect just like wood,” Peters explained. “When that first layer of paint dries … brush on the second glaze layer which acts as a wood grain finish coat.” You can even create the look of faux wood using paint and a rubber pet hair remover.

On the Come Stay Awhile blog, Amanda Vernaci painted her faux wood grain fiberglass door to look like authentic wood. After painting the base of the door, she amplified the wood texture by applying a gel stain with a brush. Vernaci recommended doing the same thing to the door frame as well to make the exterior look uniform. With the right color and a few pro tips, you can easily paint your way to an on-trend wooden front door.