It’s time to shut the door on plain white.
From candy apple red to dark green, a lot of time and attention is spent choosing just the right front door color. But that’s not the only place you can make an impact with a door and a can of paint. An interior door painted in a bright hue, a moody neutral, or a deep blue adds a thoughtful touch of color that greets you before you even step foot in a space.
Whether you choose on consistent shade to paint every door your house or you decide to add a pop of vibrant color to one high-profile room, choosing to forgo traditional white in lieu of an intentionally selected color is an easy way to add high style to a space. It’s one of those details that makes it clear you spent a little more time on this room, making sure that nothing was left to chance (or builder grade basics).
Want to give your own doors the five-star treatment? Here are nine designer-approved interior door colors that will give your space an elevated look.
Benjamin Moore Passion Fruit
Lark Interiors/Jen Morley Burner
A bright touch of coral pink lends a playful look to a door, particularly when it’s chosen to complement the light pink walls besides it. Janelle Patton, lead designer at Lark Interiors, explains, “We love using interior doors to add a pop of color and detail to a space. We painted the inset panel of this little girl’s bedroom Benjamin Moore Passion Fruit.”
Benjamin Moore Iron Mountain
In Detail Interiors/Steven Gray Camera and Flask
Choosing a color for the door rather than opting for basic white can drive home the aesthetic of a space. For example, a dark door contrasting lighter walls can add to a moody look, especially when the same color is used on the trim that surrounds the door.
“Benjamin Moore Iron Mountain is a deep, moody grey that brings a bold, architectural feel to the doors. We love it for its ability to elevate the design, ground the home’s overall style, and make a subtle yet powerful statement,” says Cheryl Clendenon, owner of In Detail Interiors.
Benjamin Moore Firefly
Sarah Storms/Brittany Ambridge
Sunny yellow doors add a whimsical energy to a space with traditional bones, yet they still have a timeless feel that is right at home next to warm wood tones.
“For a vibrant and happy color, Benjamin Moore Firefly is my absolute favorite. While it is a bright color, there is a lot of nuance and depth to help balance this in any space.” Sarah Storms, principal designer at Styled by Storms.
Benjamin Moore Bonsai
Green can often read as a neutral, particularly when it’s a nature-inspired shade. It’s a color you can use on doors in an otherwise warm, timeless space, and it will go with everything. You can also use it to add a touch of moodiness to a room with a nostalgic edge.
Krystal Kellerman, senior designer at O’Hara Interiors, says, “A vintage, forest-inspired green felt natural to the space and the surroundings, and a green and wood combination especially felt warm, welcoming, and cozy,”
Benjamin Moore Aegean Blue
Choosing a pretty shade of blue that blends perfectly with neutral interiors and repeating along every interior door can create a sense of continuity and flow—and that’s exactly what was done in this space.
“Benjamin Moore Aegean Blue adds unexpected drama to an otherwise neutral and understated space. The door moldings are simple, and the doors are standard height, so the addition of blue brings in character and visual interest that the architecture itself lacked,” says Victoria Holly, owner of Victoria Holly Interiors.
Holly adds painting the doors is an easy and cost-effective way to introduce personality into a space and make it feel thoughtfully curated, without having to make structural changes.
Benjamin Moore Black
“Black is the safest choice when it comes to interior door choices. I like to go glossy with the finish. This contrast against neutral walls adds instant elegance,” says Storms, who reaches for the classic Benjamin Moore Black 2132-10.
Storms recommends that when painting a door black, leave the trim around it a different color, even white. “I like to play up the contrast and not have it look too heavy and modern,” says Storms.
Benjamin Moore Normandy
Color drenching a room includes painting every surface from the walls to the trim to the ceiling and, of course, the doors. A moody color like Benjamin Moore Normandy envelopes a space in a deep, dark look that straddles the line between classic and sleek.
“Any time of year or day, Normandy reads both grey and blue making it a timeless color,” says Andrea Sinkin Jaffe, owner of Andrea Sinkin Design.
Sherwin Williams Bosc Pear
Sherwin Williams Bosc Pear is a rich mustard gold that has a vintage-inspired appeal, especially when it’s used to make a statement next to lighter colored walls. Because it has so much warmth, it seems nostalgic and cozy, even when it adds a pop of color in an unexpected way.
Johanna Lyle, principal and owner at Jo Lyle and Co., says, “A bold contrasting trim and door color can add so much personality to your space. In this room, we used a blue grasscloth on the walls and went with a contrast mustard trim and door color.”
Benjamin Moore Apollo Blue
For a blue-green that blends beautifully with traditional and modern interiors alike, Benjamin Moore Apollo Blue is a striking choice. It has a touch of black in the color, which adds a muted quality, and it’s the type of paint that takes a backseat to any decor style.
