When the installers finished putting up your new front door, you couldn’t help but stand in your yard and admire it. You carefully selected the door’s style and color, and you love the way it looks on your home’s entrance.

But did you also get the feeling that something was missing from the final picture? You can truly make that new front door stand out by adding some accessories. Mix and match pieces from the following categories to your front porch or stoop.

1. Doormat

Doormats serve a practical purpose because they encourage guests to wipe their feet before they enter. This accessory can also add style and personality to your house’s entrance. Find a doormat with a fun saying, an interesting shape, or a colorful pattern.

2. Plants

Potted plants add dimension and warmth to an entryway. Tall, green topiaries can complement the height of your new door, or potted flowers can make your house look cozy and inviting. Look for funky planters or traditional terra cotta pots to complete the look. Don’t forget to water your greenery, too!

3. Light Fixtures

When you update your door, you can also upgrade the porch light fixtures. Find classic shapes like lanterns or street lamps or choose a polished, metallic fixture if you prefer a traditional look. If you want more modern fixtures, search for out-of-the-box styles shaped like stars or lights with sleek, straight lines.

4. Door Knocker

Even though your house has a doorbell, you can still add some panache to your door with this fun accessory. Door knockers come in many styles. You can stick to traditional with a simple round knocker, or you can declare your love for the animal kingdom, fantasy worlds, or nautical adventures.

5. House Numbers

The numbers on your house were probably basic digits chosen by your builder to complete your house. Now that you have a new door, take this opportunity to personalize your address. Perhaps you prefer a metal or ceramic panel with the numbers painted on it. Maybe you like oversized digits in a funky font.

6. Seating

Does the area around your front door have enough space for a few chairs or a bench? Extend your living space outdoors and add some seating. Go beyond stackable plastic chairs or plastic and canvas camp chairs. Instead opt for a sturdier style that matches your tastes, such as hardy Adirondack chairs, wood-and-cloth beach chairs, or metal bistro chairs.

7. Side Tables

Finish off that outdoor living space with a unique side table. It’s the perfect place to set down your iced tea or your pink lemonade on a summer evening. Paint the table a color that matches your new front door, or if you’re feeling bold, choose a contrasting color that will make both the table and the door pop.

8. Pillows and Cushions

After you add benches or chairs to complement your front door, make the seating even cozier with fluffy pillows and comfy cushions. Outdoor fabrics are more durable than indoor textiles, and most will stay bright after hours in direct sunlight and won’t get permanent damage from wet weather or sharp pet claws.

You can find pillows and cushions in hundreds of fabrics if you want ready-made comfort. Do you love to take on DIY projects? Find a fabric you like at a local store and sew your own accessories.

9. Doorstops

Every once in a while, you’ll want to keep your front door open for an extended time. You might be moving furniture in or out or simply toting in several loads of groceries. Make those tasks easier with a doorstop. When it’s not in use, you can keep the doorstop on your stoop.

Basic doorstops come in traditional shapes like triangles, cylinders, blocks, or even rocks. You can also find special doorstops that resemble everything from maple leaves to paper airplanes to friendly squirrels.

10. Birdhouses

Your new entry door makes your house more inviting to human guests, but a complementary birdhouse will welcome feathered friends to the space as well. Traditional wooden birdhouses pair well with most doors, and you can either stain or paint the wood. Hang the birdhouse somewhere that allows you to see its visitors easily through your door’s window or sidelights.

11. Hanging Lights

Make your porch a great place to spend a cool evening. Find a string of party lights with old-fashionedlooking bulbs, or hang up a seasonal light strand that shows your excitement about an upcoming holiday. For example, you can hang up star lights before Independence Day and heart lights before Valentine’s Day. The dim lights should attract fewer bugs, and they’ll bring out new tones in your door’s paint.

If you love your new front door, then show it. Help it stand out with accessories like those listed above. Stick within color palate that complements your door and the other features on your home, like the brick, siding, trim, and roof.

Alexandra 4/15/2016