There’s something about a fire-engine red front door on a bright white house that intrigues me. I’ve always looked at it as merely an artistic expression of the homeowner’s taste in design. While browsing the internet, however, I came across a story explaining the Tradition of Painting a Front Door Red.
“There’s a tradition??” – I thought to myself as I clicked on the photo of a beautiful red door to read more.
Tradition of the Red Front Door
Come to find out, there’s more than one tradition associated with the classic red front door. In early America, for example, the red front door was a welcoming sign, so travelers knew the home was an open and friendly place to stay and rest.
As if traveling by horse and buggy wasn’t taxing enough, there weren’t a plethora of rest stops or Holiday Inn’s along the journey. So, the red front doors served as a welcoming center for anyone passing by.
Chinese Tradition
Similarly, the red front door means “welcome” in the Chinese tradition of Feng Shui. In this tradition, the color of the front door actually depends on the direction the door is facing and what natural element is associated with that direction. For example, the element of water is associated with the North direction, therefore, any homes with doors facing North are painted with dark blacks, blues or metallic colors.
On the contrary, South facing homes are associated with the element of Fire… this is where you’ll see your fire-engine red front doors. Though fires can be mean and scary, the bright red and orange colors still carry a warm and welcoming element in the Feng Shui tradition.
Another Tradition You’ll Enjoy…
In Scotland, a red front door means you have paid off your home’s mortgage in full. Yaahoo! As you can imagine, it is a Happy Day when you go to the Lowe’s store (or the Scottish equivalent) and purchase your can of bright glossy red paint. Even if your neighbors don’t understand the meaning, it is sure to put a smile on the homeowners face every time they approach their front door.
Who else thinks we should adopt this celebratory tradition in America?!
The Color Red
The color red is vibrant, exciting, full of life and high energy. It’s also associated with luck, and safe protection against evil spirits. Whatever meaning you associate with the color – it usually comes with a warm and positive connotation.
Plus, the red front door gives your home a stylish flare, a bold statement separating it from the other homes in your neighborhood. Personally, I love the bright red front door. I plan to paint my own front door red one day – maybe when I celebrate paying off a home mortgage!
