So you know how they say you can’t judge a book by its cover? I’m not so sure about that. Over the years, my husband has collected a good number of those Chilton Auto Repair Manuals. We had one for our Honda Civic, our Ford Taurus, our VW Cabriolet, and our VW Bug. I glanced politely at one of the books once when Dave was working on one of our cars and wanted to bond with me over the experience. I never looked again, but I’m pretty sure all the other Chilton books were full of the same diagrams and car-talk.
Now contrast those books with the multitude of Amish romance books on the market today—the ones with the bonnet-ed girl casting a confused and longing glance at the horizon, hankering for something she can’t quite put her finger on. Even without opening the cover, it’s a sure bet you’re not going to find a single transmission diagram inside, but you’re guaranteed at least one good cow-milking scene, and plenty of egg-gathering and butter-churning.
See? Sometimes you can judge a book by its cover. And apparently, people can judge your personality type by your front door. According to the Kate Smith, president and “chief maven” of Sensational Color, your front door functions much like a book cover, hinting to visitors and passers-by at the colorful personalities inside.
So what does your front door say about you? Here’s the list of some of the most popular colors, along with the message they convey to your visitors (with quotes by Kate Smith).
White — This tells people that you “prefer for things to be organized, neat and clean,” and that even if your home wasn’t always that way, you wish it were.
Black — A black door is your way of telling the world, “I’m consistent, conservative, and reserved in my manner as well as my approach to color. My design style is timeless rather than trendy.”
Gray —You’re “smart, dignified and refined. This classic color matches up with people who are responsible and cultured.”
Brown — This color signals to the world that you’re stable and dependable. “This down-to-earth color matches the earthy personality of the homeowner who is also seen as very open and approachable.”
Blue — If you have a blue door, you’re “naturally at ease in most situations and people are attracted to your easygoing personality.”
Green — Green door owners “have traditional values and enjoy being a member of the community.”
Yellow — Like green, yellow tells people that you’re traditional, but just a tad less so.
Red — You’re hospitable, energetic, warm and welcoming. Kate says that the person who chooses a red door is telling the world, “Look at me!”
Orange — This color tells your visitors, “I’m friendly, fun loving and enjoy getting together with people”
Purple — As you might predict, the owner of a purple door is a “free spirited person who is comfortable taking risks, thinking differently and dreaming big.”
Natural wood/stained wood — Those who choose to leave their doors in their natural state, with no paint at all, are telling the world that they are “self-motivated and enjoy having a good balance of hard work with leisure activities.”
And what about people who choose no color at all, but prefer a clear glass door? Kate didn’t say. But I’m thinking maybe those people are declaring to the world, “No need to judge me. I’m an open book.”