Colour the way to your home

Photo: Houzz. Midcentury Exterior by Encinitas
Interior Designers & Decorators Erik Gilmer

"People keep using the back door, but I want them to come in through the front entrance."

No matter how many times my client told her friends, the small door off the deck of her Trout Lake home had become the primary entry. A peek outside revealed why; the back door had an easier access on this perched property, and nothing outside made one entry stand out over the other.

How could we change the traffic path to this home without making costly adjustments to stairs and landscaping?

With paint, of course!

Photo: Houzz. Portland Interior Designers &

Decorators bright designlab..

The first suggestion I gave my client was to paint the front door an eye-catching colour. Given the home's contemporary, playful vibe, I thought a happy yellow or orange would look great. My client was on board for yellow. So far so good.

But a happy door doesn't do the trick on its own. It needs a context. So I recommended placing oversized flower pots at the top of the steep stairs leading down to the cheery front door. The colour of the flowers? Yellow, of course!

I also suggested a coat of yellow paint on the stair railings, and yellow flowers at the foot of the stairs.

Photo: Houzz. Contemporary Entry by

Austin Architects & Building Designers

Rick & Cindy Black Architects.

See how we've started a theme here?

Sunflowers, with their majestic and contemporary look would be a great choice for the foot of the stairs! I envision them in an oversized, rectangular box casually leaning towards the sundrenched wall of the stair landing.

Photo link.

Finally, to complete the traffic path, I suggested placing yellow flowers also by the front door, a few feet away.

With a clear colour code established, there should be little mistake in the future which door guests should use.

As always, a little paint goes a long way!