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sally_harrison68

What colour front door?

LTS
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago

Hi everyone


We have decided on warm, light grey windows for our house and would like to get a Solidor or Rockdoor front door but they do not offer the same colour as the window frames.


Our semi detached neighbour has black windows so we thought perhaps a black door would tie in with them, the guttering & we could also paint our side gate black...the rendering will be in Pointing. I've attached a photo of our roof tiles & a mock up of the colours - do you think this configuration would work well or do you have any other suggestions?


Many thanks!




Featured Answer
  • PRO
    Caroline Couzens Design Ltd
    3 years ago

    Hello!
    I think to give any further advice it is really important to work with pictures of the property itself.
    The grey plague is best avoided!

    • Comments (47)

    • LTS
      Original Author
      3 years ago

      Bump :)

    • Juliet Docherty
      3 years ago

      When you say grey windows, what exact colour are they? Out of interest, there is apparently a greyplague hashtag trending on intagram, haven't looked yet but I will.

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    • LTS
      Original Author
      3 years ago

      It’s RAL 9006. I had a look on Instagram for the hashtag but couldn’t find anything?

    • E D
      3 years ago
      last modified: 3 years ago

      Ha the ‘grey plague’. 😱😄

      https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8830429/Tasteless-homeowners-slammed-Grey-Plague-trend.html

    • Juliet Docherty
      3 years ago

      No me neither. Ha, E D, that is it! I think it's bit of a warning, maybe don't go overboard.

    • LTS
      Original Author
      3 years ago

      Our house is 1950s red brick & white render...only changing the frames to light grey & repainting the render white. Some have changed to black or anthracite frames but it feels a bit dark to me.

      Such a difficult decision & easy to get wrong! Pah!!

    • Juliet Docherty
      3 years ago

      There are greys and greys, thousands. The less colour grey contains the harder it is to work in a scheme. Contrary to what people say, grey can be hard to work with as it can be cold and unforgiving. A grey with a slight tinge of another colour can make the process easier, but window manufacturers can't be bothered with the hassle. Where we live in Cambridge where there are lots of award winning developments going on, I can honestly say I haven't seen an anthracite window, nor a pure grey one go in a development for over a year. Depending on the colour of the bricks they tend to be slightly bronze, slightly warm grey etc etc. It's a huge expense and all a bit confusing.

    • Sonia
      3 years ago

      Grey-plague love it! I don’t mind a soft pale grey, but that really dark paint job on a house is just grim. I’ve said before they are like a house from a horror movie. The Addams Family Live here! I’ve also seen somewhere people moaning about the amount of plastic green windows being installed, oh no!

      Back to the front door, I personally would go for the softer shades such as Brassica (lilac) or Pigeon (sage green). However, Black is classic and could work. I rather like F&Bs De Nimes too.

    • LTS
      Original Author
      3 years ago

      Thanks everyone, I appreciate yo help.
      This is the colour of the frames. We were going to go for Agate Grey but it was quite green. I know a greenish tinge works well with red brick but it looked more green than we’d prefer. The RAL 9006 has white & black hues which may be a bit cold I guess? This is the sample against our red brick & mortar. It was the door colour that we were finding tricky but now are concerned the grey may be too stark now. Three years we’ve been deciding on Windows. I need a coffee, lol.

    • Juliet Docherty
      3 years ago

      Just to throw a massive spanner in the works, have you done your block paving yet? The above image looks quite cool grey (slightly bluish) in my screen and quite different for the digital image at the top.


    • LTS
      Original Author
      3 years ago

      We have a grey/silver block paved drive (not new) at the front with a lawn and shrubs. At the back we have grey Indian sandstone & in our rear single storey extension we put in anthracite (not my first choice of colour but that’s an old post!) bifolds / windows & white windows upstairs. It’s only the front windows that need replacing now. I was going to paint the rear upstairs windows to match the front...a bit like this. Our red brick is quite darks though!

    • siobhanmcgee90
      3 years ago

      The world is your oyster here. How about a pop of colour and would you consider painting the wall inside the arch.

    • Marylee H
      3 years ago

      Hi - I use colour measurements to create colour palettes for both interior and exterior.


      I used two different sources to find out in which Hue Family RAL 9006 belongs and got wildly different results. I couldn’t understand it, so searched a little more and came across this article.




      I have a few alternative suggestions for you just in case.

    • Marylee H
      3 years ago

      Your brick belongs to the Yellow Red Hue Family, here are a few more ideas, all of which work with the brick for different reasons.




      As mentioned further above in this thread, I also particularly like the bronze colour with Yellow-Red Brick. The one in this image is 7502-Y which is an NCS colour by Johnstones.

      It is very close to Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze, should you want to look for pictures.

      It belongs to the adjacent Yellow Hue Family.

    • David Thomas
      3 years ago

      Personally, I think the pale grey looks absolutely hideous. Mid-grey is altogether more attractive.

    • PRO
      Caroline Couzens Design Ltd
      3 years ago

      Good Morning! A Big decision these windows!

      You would be well-advised to look at the hues in the brick and pointing for referencing.

      I extend this advice to the colour you paint your render if you want a sophisticated finish. I'm afraid I am not a fan of the current generic vogue for extremley pale render and anthracite combinations.

      Take a step back from what you see every other builder doing.

      Look a the original style and architecture of your home and before you replace you windows. I would certainly address the positions of fan lights/window site lines for a truly professional approach to decorating your exterior.

      I would also steer from F&B paint.


    • Ethereal Nothings
      3 years ago

      The front door is likely to be an expensive purchase and therefore not replaced very often. Fashions change and some colours will ‘date’. - this goes for the frames as well. Are you planning to be there forever, or sell in a few years time? Black might look stylish but I feel it can come across as very austere and depressing. Can you shop around for another manufacturer for a better match to the other grey you have decided upon.? Will you be having plants around the door?. Think about different times of the year and also how welcoming an impression you want to make to visitors - and yourself on return home after a hard day. I’d probably look at a shade of blue that tones with the grey if you can’t get the match.

    • PRO
      Caroline Couzens Design Ltd
      3 years ago

      Good comments!

      I will add ANY colour can be matched at a price (normally 10-15% but dependent on window company). The Brickwork is your reference. Use it for frames and render colour. These items do not work in isolation.


      You do not need to re-invent the wheel.

      You need to refer to the fixed elements in your home and work with them.


      Previous project for ref.

      2 hour consultation.




    • Marylee H
      3 years ago



    • Marylee H
      3 years ago



    • meg diver
      3 years ago

      This won't help but since you asked for comments, I loathe grey! whether exterior or interior. Loathe it. And sooooo many people use it. ugh.

    • Marylee H
      3 years ago

      For the top image above, we took multiple colour measurements of the brick so we could plot into its Hue Family location. (mortar also) Then found paint colours from a similar locations. They work together as they share shared strands of Hue Family DNA.


      The bottom image shows paint colours from the opposite side of the color wheel.

      They are complementary to the brick colours and offer a contrast in Hue Family.

    • Ronnie Dyne
      3 years ago

      We are having the same colours and we've gone for a red Solidor to make it stand out a bit.

    • minnie101
      3 years ago

      Hi LTS. I’m terrible at colour but just wondered if you’d looked at colours other than grey?

      I looked at 1019, which I thought may work?! (Possibly 😂)

      there is also the Cotswold biscuit shown on the 2nd pic which I think works but not sure on your thoughts.

      I don’t envy you, I looked at images of the greys and it’s tricky!




    • LTS
      Original Author
      3 years ago

      Hi everyone thanks for all of the replies, I really appreciate it & lots to think about. I’m sorry but the mock up I did was completely misleading as I just used the colours available in the App. I think the best way forwards is to ask the window company for all colours available & then assess the hues, etc. I’m not going to rush this process (it’s been a long time already tee hee) & can always fall back on faithful white frames & a nice colour front door! Thanks again, it’s so kind to offer your help.

    • LTS
      Original Author
      3 years ago

      Hi everyone I have the brochure & card samples but don’t feel confident so I think the safest bet is white frames.
      Thanks for all of your help.

    • LTS
      Original Author
      3 years ago

      Hi guys I am still working hard on this! I’m now swaying towards a painswick front door and white window frames. I think painswick is agate grey RAL 7038 which we initially thought was a bit green but it does seem to compliment the hues of the red brick & mortar. Anyone think this is a bad mistake TELL ME NOW!!! Lol.

      Caroline do you think we shouldn’t have fan lights? We’ve thought about this but we do use them a lot in summer, especially in the kids’ bedrooms in the evenings. The casement windows don’t really let enough air in when opened on the first notch. Any thoughts on this appreciated.

    • LTS
      Original Author
      3 years ago

      I’m worried having a painswick front door and painswick windows may be a bit too much? I’m going around in circles....

    • PRO
      Jade Jefferies
      3 years ago

      Hi!
      We’ve actually just started to refurbish our own house and replaced the windows with the agate grey (and also painted the front door to match) excuse the rendering around the windows which still needs to be painted.. hope it helps

    • LTS
      Original Author
      3 years ago

      Thank you for the replies. Your house looks gorgeous Jade, something I would have liked to achieve but we are semi-detached & our neighbours have black frames (too harsh for my liking) & green render on the first floor so tricky to tie everything together. I feel white frames & render (obviously that needs to be the right tone of white too) will fit in better...just the door colour to decide on now between Painswick or black!

    • LTS
      Original Author
      3 years ago

      Sneaky little pic on a gloomy!

    • PRO
      Caroline Couzens Design Ltd
      3 years ago

      That’s more like it! Right. I am delighted to see your neighbours have actually chosen black or near black aluminium frames - hoorah!
      Follow their lead. People forget that their homes is most likely part of a street scene. Ensuring your house compliments your neighbours will always enhance kerb appeal!
      This colour choice really enhances the brick tones and will also enable you a lot more freedom on the choice of door colour - a blue Will look gorgeous (again enhancing the birck tones)
      They have a French grey on their render - ideally I’d go a bit darker. You never know - they may see your darker tone works do well they’ll join in.
      Of course, if the neighbour’s house is a mess you’re not going to ‘style down’ but in your case this isn’t the case!
      Hope that help?
      Caroline

    • PRO
      Caroline Couzens Design Ltd
      3 years ago

      Couple of typos there but hope you can amend! Cold fingers, small phone!

    • LTS
      Original Author
      3 years ago

      Hi Caroline thank you so much for your reply...I really appreciate the advice you have given but unfortunately the black frames aren’t for us. Most of the houses in the neighbourhood have white frames, a couple anthracite & our neighbours black. Many thanks again :)

    • PRO
      Caroline Couzens Design Ltd
      3 years ago

      No problem.
      I can only give advice as a professional and can only re-iterate how much the over all effect will be enhanced by working with your neighbour.
      From experience I know it is the choice that will give the most sophisticated result.
      My best wishes.

    • LTS
      Original Author
      3 years ago

      Thanks Caroline I’ve discussed the black frames (again, lol) with my husband but we just don’t feel they are for us. I understand what you are saying but when we look at our neighbour’s house it appears too dark to us. Thanks again for your help, much appreciated. Have a lovely weekend :)

    • Juliet Docherty
      3 years ago

      What is the name of the company, can we see the colour options?


    • LTS
      Original Author
      3 years ago

      Hi colourhappy this is the colour swatch brochure. We could also get any RAL colour...once we’ve narrowed down the choices the window company said they could get a few samples sprayed as it can look different on aluminium. Thank so much :)

    • LTS
      Original Author
      3 years ago
      last modified: 3 years ago

      It’s Alitherm windows and we have been looking at a Solidor door (flint) which offer these colours:








    • Juliet Docherty
      3 years ago

      Just one thought. Are you having a different colour on the inside, that can really affect price?

    • LTS
      Original Author
      3 years ago

      We have quotes for both options & advised how much more a RAL colour would be (if it’s not one of the swatch colours).

    • Juliet Docherty
      3 years ago

      When we had our windows done we couldn't afford to have a different colour inside and out. We could kick ourselves now as we really wish we had. Whatever you do, go for white or off white inside, otherwise the colour dictates everything.

    • Juliet Docherty
      3 years ago

      This is RAL 7039 Quartz Grey which is the closest to the colour I have seen a lot of around Cambridge in new developments. It has a touch of Bronze about it which is quite different to the more typical blue of Anthracite.





    • LTS
      Original Author
      3 years ago

      Thank you colourhappy...yes we are definitely having white frames inside. Is the second photo RAL 7039 too?

    • PRO
      Caroline Couzens Design Ltd
      3 years ago

      Good to hear Colourhappy’s suggestion for dark frames also!

    • Juliet Docherty
      3 years ago

      It says so. Anyway, just a thought. I would start to get some samples.

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