Exterior Door Trim Ideas: Front Entryway Design Inspiration

March 18, 2024

By: The Finished Space

Craftsman 6 Lite Internal Grid

Exterior door trim can have a huge impact on your home’s curb appeal.

In fact, the doorway of your home—and therefore the trim color—is what catches the attention of others when they first see your house.

To help you find the best trim for your house’s front door, we’ve compiled a list of exterior door trim ideas that can add some stylish elements to your home’s appearance.

But before we get to that, let’s take a moment to discuss what exterior door trim is and how it’s used.

What is Exterior Door Trim?

Exterior door trim is essentially the visual frame for your door, as it enhances the architectural style of your home and protects the door’s seams from outdoor elements. Typically, it includes the moulding and trim around the top and sides of the door—often complemented by additional decorative details.

It’s also important, however, to determine the quality of the exterior trim before selecting it.

How to Tell the Difference Between High-Quality Exterior Door Trim and Low-Quality Exterior Door Trim

High-quality door trim is typically made from durable materials that can withstand harsh weather without warping or fading. Look for trim that offers moisture resistance and doesn’t require frequent repainting or high levels of maintenance.

High-quality door trim features precise cuts and intricate designs that align perfectly around your door, creating a seamless and elegant appearance. Lower-quality options may have uneven edges, visible gaps, or less intricate designs. 

6 Exterior Door Trim Ideas, Tips, and Tricks

Selecting and installing the right exterior door trim idea can dramatically enhance your home’s curb appeal, but it’s not always easy. Here are six exterior door trim ideas and tips to guide you through the process.

1. Play With Color

Consider the color of your trim carefully. It can either complement your current color story or add contrast to the rest of your home’s exterior. Bright colors can make your door pop, while more subdued tones will offer a refined elegance. Ultimately, you should choose the color story that feels like you.

2. Classic vs. Contemporary

The style of your trim should reflect the overall aesthetic of your house. Classic styles often feature more ornate and intricately carved mouldings, while contemporary designs usually focus on cleaner, more minimal lines that won’t pull focus.

3. Focus on Materials

Choose materials that match the style and color you want, are appropriate for your climate, and will hold up over time. Here at Metrie, we prioritize materials that ensure longevity and durability.

4. Take Accurate Measurements

Accurate measurements are crucial for ensuring your trim fits perfectly. It’s essential to measure more than once to avoid costly mistakes.

5. Hire a Professional

Unless you’re an experienced DIYer, getting that professional touch can be quite challenging. So, for the best results possible, we recommend considering hiring a professional to install your trim. They can ensure your installation is done correctly and efficiently, providing the best finish.

6. Think About Lighting

Your new door trim isn’t going to shine if people can’t see it, so we highly recommend focusing on your exterior lighting. Think about how different times of day and lighting conditions will interact with your trim to maximize your home’s curb appeal.

Get Exclusive Tips! Sign Up for the Newsletter

4 Exterior Door Trim Design Ideas

Enhancing your home’s exterior is easy with these inspired door trim ideas. From bold and ornate to sleek and modern, these unique and exciting ideas will help you choose the perfect trim style for your home.

1. Bold Contrast

1 panel black exterior double doors

This exterior door trim is the perfect example of choosing a color that will add the most contrast and make the biggest impact on the overall design. The white door trim stands out beautifully against the dark grey floor and siding, making the entire entryway pop!

2. Subtlety Defined

Masonite Lifestyle Fiberglass Vista-Grande-1-Lite

This beautiful exterior door trim is simple and elegant, which is perfect for this chic little entryway. The overall design shown in this image is the perfect blend of minimalism and classic design, using trim and moulding throughout to pull the design together.

3. Mixing Patterns

Masonite Lifestyle Green 6 Panel Exterior Door

This design has a lot of elements, including a dark door, light exterior door trim, plants, industrial lighting, brick facades, and paneled columns – and yet, despite all those different textures and patterns, the design works to perfection!

4. Pairing Multiple Colors and Finishes

6 Panel black Exterior Door

The designer of this entryway chose dark brown to create a home that exudes earth-toned goodness. But the real elegance emerges with the choice to pair dark wood finish trim with a stark white trim. Pairing both trims together helped create a standout entryway that catches your attention.

Enhance your Home's security and style. Check out our exterior doors

Elevate Your Home with Exterior Door Trim from Metrie

Transforming your home starts with paying attention to the little details.

Exterior door trim not only enhances the beauty of your entryway but also adds value and character to your home. If you’re interested in upgrading your home with gorgeous flatboard trim and moulding from Metrie, contact us today to learn more and find out if our products are available in your area.

Are you looking for more inspiration? Check out The Finished Space to see just what’s possible with trim and moulding products.