NEW YORK • Open your door to new ideas to spruce up your home.

If you are looking for a quick uplift to the exterior of your house, one you can accomplish yourself or hire someone to do in a day, adding a coat of paint to your front door provides big impact at a small cost.

Whether you are painting your front door for your own pleasure or to appeal to buyers for a sale, choosing the right colour to match your goals and complement the rest of the house is essential.

That is one piece of advice from Ms Kristen Chuber, a certified colour consultant at Paintzen, a service that connects home owners and painting contractors.

"I consider choosing the right colour for your front door to be particularly important when considering the design of a home," Ms Chuber wrote in an e-mail.

"The perfect door colour can create a warm, 'welcome home' feeling that sets the tone for the overall experience the house provides."

Here are some of her tips on choosing colours for the front door:

When in need of a spirit boost, use yellow: "I love yellow for a front door when the home owner's goal is to boost the mood of anyone who sees the home, let alone enters it.

"Yellow adds a feeling of life to the house's exterior. A yellow door works particularly well with facade colours like grey, light green, beige or white."

When elegance is a priority, use purple: "Purple may not be the first colour you think of when it comes to front doors, but a soft purple can add whimsy and polish to the exterior of a home.

"There's something soothing and graceful about the colour when paired with white or cream."

When you want a cosy feeling, use orange: "I love burnt orange hues for an entrance, especially when they are paired with cream and beige. I think it feels familiar and warm - and of course, it's incredibly welcoming."

When you want to make a subtle statement, use blue: "Rich blue is perfect for bungalows.

"While these homes are historically associated with earth tones like brown and green, a cobalt blue works perfectly for the houses' strong lines and deep porches."

When you are going for a modern approach, use green: "I once heard a saying that goes: 'You can't please everyone; you're not an avocado.'

"I take this to mean that the colour avocado, which is particularly popular in modern design right now, will please everyone on a front door."

When you are looking for an unexpected neutral, use grey: "When you think deep, elegant grey, you probably think of offices, dining rooms or shutters, but I love a classic grey for the front door. It adds a tasteful, sophisticated appeal."

When you want to stick to the classics, use black: "I love a black front door, especially when paired with a traditional brick home. It gives off a classic vibe and a refined tone. Your home will have instant kerb appeal."

When you need a feminine flair, use blush: "I think a blush pink front door makes an unexpected playful statement without overdoing it.

"A soft pink also pairs nicely with white, pale yellow or green."

WASHINGTON POST