by Red brick. Everyone has it, nobody wants to mess it up. The front door is where the whole look either comes together or falls flat.
Dark Walnut With Brass for Brooklyn Townhouses
This 10-foot walnut pivot door against charcoal trim is doing all the work. The unlacquered brass hardware picks up the golden hour light, developing that natural patina over time. Pair it with white porch floorboards and you’ve got contrast that feels intentional. The deep grain in the walnut adds texture without competing with the brick. Works especially well if your brick leans terracotta versus burgundy.
When White Columns Meet Dark Walnut
Fluted white columns create the frame. The walnut door becomes the art. That hand-rubbed finish shows subtle color shifts depending on the light—sometimes honey-toned, sometimes deeper chocolate. The antique brass knocker with verdigris detailing ties into the warm brick tones. Real talk: this combo reads expensive even if the door came from a salvage yard. The key is keeping the columns crisp white so the door stays the focal point.
Steel-and-Glass With Blackened Iron Framework
Hunter green shutters. Blackened steel door. Hand-hammered bronze pulls. This Connecticut setup proves you can go modern without looking out of place. The steel framework is slim enough to let light through while the glass stays slightly obscured with privacy film. Aged crimson brick provides the warmth, the steel adds edge. Been getting compliments since installation, especially at golden hour when the glass reflects the sky.
Forest Green Lacquer With Lion-Head Knocker
Glossy lacquer catches light completely differently than matte. This Kensington door practically glows at 5pm. The stained glass transom throws colored light onto the white porch ceiling—amber and sapphire caustics that change as the sun moves. Unlacquered brass hardware develops character over time instead of looking factory-fresh forever. One boxwood is slightly taller than the other. Honestly makes it feel more lived-in than the perfectly symmetrical versions.
Navy Blue With Aged Brass on Flagstone
Benjamin Moore Hale Navy. Black louvered shutters. Unlacquered brass kick plate showing natural patina. The combo feels classic without being stuffy. Wild lavender along the flagstone path adds that purple punch against the navy and brick. The zinc milk can with eucalyptis is doing more than expected—pulls in a metallic neutral that bridges the warm brick and cool door. Trust me on the navy over pure black here.
Museum-Quality Lion Knocker With Ivy
The lion knocker alone makes this. Three-dimensional mane detail, natural tarnish in the crevices, verdigris developing where hands don’t touch. Forest green satin finish (not gloss) keeps it sophisticated. Climbing ivy creates those dappled shadows that change throughout the day. Cream trim in semi-gloss with aged craquelure adds another layer. One fallen lavender bloom on the limestone step. The imperfections are the whole point.
Farrow & Ball Studio Green Through Sidelights
Shooting through the etched glass sidelights changes everything. The Art Deco privacy film diffuses golden light into prismatic fragments across the white oak herringbone inside. Studio Green reads almost black in shadow, rich emerald in direct sun. Black louvered shutters provide the contrast the brick needs. A marble console just inside with white peonies (one petal fallen) visible through the glass. The brass hardware catches that side light perfectly at 5pm.
High-Gloss Enamel With Magnolia Shadows
Charleston’s historic district gets this right. The high-gloss enamel reflects the magnolia tree shadows, creating shifting patterns all day. Six-panel traditional design with hand-polished brass knocker showing natural patina. Black shutters ground it. The brick shows authentic color variation—deep burgundy to burnt orange—so the consistent green acts as an anchor. Edison bulb in the vintage coach lantern adds warm ambient glow at dusk. Boxwoods in terracotta, one with a fallen leaf on the path.
Double Barn Doors With X-Pattern Detailing
Bold move. Rich forest green with sage undertones, matte sheen showing barely visible brush strokes. Oversized hand-forged iron ring pulls catch golden light, their unlacquered surface developing that lived-in patina. Copper gas lanterns flanking the entry glow warm against glossy black shutters. The X-pattern adds architectural interest without feeling too rustic. Works because the estate itself is formal Georgian—the barn doors add unexpected contrast. Coir doormat sits slightly askew, one corner lifted.
Lime-Washed Brick With Sage Green
Copenhagen approach: gently lime-wash the brick so the terracotta warmth bleeds through in patches. Then go deep sage green with blue undertones. The round porthole window casts a perfect circular light pattern onto the honey-toned oak door surround. Unlacquered brass hardware develops that rich patina faster in coastal climates. Single potted fiddle-leaf fig positioned asymmetrically. The buttery matte finish on the door shows gentle weathering at the handle—exactly what you want.
Emerald Green French Doubles With Divided Lights
Pantone 7727C emerald. Bronze unlacquered smart doorbell developing verdigris aging. Window boxes overflowing with trailing English ivy and white hydrangeas, one petal fallen on limestone. The divided lights let in serious natural light while maintaining privacy. Black shutters flank upper windows in soft matte finish. Morning light creates subsurface scattering through the ivy leaves, casting those dappled shadows across Flemish bond brickwork. Authentic weathering shows burnt sienna to terracotta to dusty rose variations.
Mid-Century Walnut With Brass Window Insert
Pasadena bungalow with original 1960s red brick. Custom walnut door with geometric brass-framed window in frosted privacy glass. Unlacquered brass lever handle with natural patina, warm honey-toned grain visible in raking light. Flanking sidelights with etched privacy film creating soft diffused glow. Charcoal-painted trim provides 60-40 color balance with the terracotta brick. Sage green potted olive tree in handthrown ceramic planter positioned left. Natural limestone gravel pathway with irregular bluestone stepping stones.
Farrow & Ball Verdigris Green With Lion Knocker
Notting Hill does this better than anywhere. Massive custom-painted forest green lacquered door with unlacquered brass lion-head knocker showing natural patina, oxidized verdigris blooming at edges. Hand-forged iron mail slot with aged brass surround, slightly tarnished. Clipped boxwood hedge frames herringbone brick pathway. Black iron lanterns with warm 2700K glow, one bulb slightly dimmer creating asymmetry. Brass door numbers hand-riveted, catching golden light. Subtle moss growth in mortar joints adds another century of character.
Flush Matte Black Steel Against Terracotta
Contemporary flush matte black steel with hidden European hinges. No panels, no trim—just clean geometry. Sculptural unlacquered brass lever handle developing patina at contact points. The Brooklyn brownstone’s warm red-orange clay brick provides all the warmth this setup needs. Weathered teak deck planks lead up. Hand-woven jute mat with frayed organic edges sits slightly askew. One fallen autumn leaf caught in the corner, light dust on mat fibers, faint shoe scuff marks on threshold. The contrast is the entire move here.
Iron-Studded Medieval Green With Ivy Shadows
Cotswolds manor. Deep forest hunter green satin finish with hand-forged black iron studs in medieval patterns. Oversized aged brass lion-head knocker with natural verdigris patina. Climbing English ivy with waxy emerald leaves catches rim lighting creating luminous halos. Volumetric light beams slice through creating shadow patterns across the door. Hand-woven natural jute mat with visible rough sisal fibers, one corner lifted. Authentic brick imperfections—varied terracotta tones from burnt sienna to dusty rose with white efflorescence streaks.
Forest Green Lacquer With Geometric Brass Grid
Greenwich estate going mid-century modern. Custom forest green lacquered door with unlacquered brass geometric window grid reflecting golden light. Charcoal-painted wood shutters with aged patina flanking. Weathered teak porch boards with natural silvering. Two black Windsor rocking chairs positioned asymmetrically, one with linen throw draped and folded newspaper on seat. Massive antique brass door knocker catches rim light. Potted boxwood shows natural irregular growth, one terracotta pot with mineral deposits and moss at base. Cream trim provides 15% accent contrast.
Hunter Green Six-Panel With Frosted Sidelights
Beacon Hill traditional. Deep hunter green lacquered door, raised panels catching soft rim lighting along beveled edges. Frosted privacy film on glass sidelights creating soft caustics. Aged red brick in warm terracotta with subtle variations. Symmetrical black wrought-iron carriage lanterns, one with flickering Edison bulb. Two terracotta pots with manicured boxwood topiaries, one slightly tilted with fallen leaves scattered at base. Polished unlacquered brass hardware (kickplate, knob, mail slot) showing natural patina. Woven doormat sits askew. Ivory trim moldings frame clean architectural detail.
Glossy Forest Green With Black Louvered Shutters
Georgetown going full gloss. Forest green lacquered with eight raised panels catching mirror-like reflections. Black louvered bi-fold shutters with visible wood grain texture flanking. Antique brass door knocker with verdigris patina glows warmly above polished brass mail slot. Slate steps with natural mineral striations, worn smooth at centers from decades of footfall. Iron railing with hand-forged scrollwork showing subtle rust blooms. Volumetric light beams create geometric shadow patterns across brick. Terracotta pot with trailing English ivy sits asymmetrically, one tendril spilling naturally.
Mahogany With Geometric Muntins and Brass Lever
Mid-century modern on a Colonial. Warm honey-toned mahogany with geometric window muntins casting sharp shadows. Frosted glass sidelights with subtle privacy film creating soft caustics on brick steps. Unlacquered brass hardware shows natural patina with fingerprint traces around the lever. Two oversized terracotta planters with slightly overgrown boxwoods, one leaning asymmetrically. Red brick shows authentic weathering—mortar aged to soft cream, individual bricks from burnt sienna to deep burgundy. Folded newspaper on second step, morning coffee ring on doormat. Rim lighting creates golden glow along beveled edge.
Deep Forest Green Dutch Door Split Design
Kensington Dutch door with divided upper and lower sections. Deep forest green lacquer with unlacquered brass hardware showing natural patina—oversized lion’s head knocker, lever handle, kick plate with honest wear. Timber-framed portico overhead in weathered oak with hand-carved corbels, painted warm cream picking up golden light. Flanking black-painted shutters against brick, slightly asymmetrical. Potted boxwood topiary beside threshold, one leaf fallen on stone. Brass house number slightly tarnished. That divided door creates 35% color punch against 55% dominant red brick and 10% cream trim.
Hunter Green Double Door With Brass Glazing
Litchfield County estate. Commanding hunter green double door with brass divided-light glazing anchoring the entrance. Hand-forged unlacquered brass hardware with verdigris patina catching golden light, matching carriage lanterns throwing soft amber pools. Hand-woven sisal mat sits slightly askew on honed bluestone steps, one corner lifted. Rough-cut concrete pavers with moss creeping between joints, bordered by boxwood hedges showing natural irregular growth. Dominant warm brick 55%, hunter green 30%, aged brass and black accents 15%. Single fallen maple leaf on threshold.
If you’re starting from scratch, I’d go with the forest green lacquer and brass combo first. Works with almost every brick tone and ages beautifully instead of looking dated.