What Does a Red Door Mean? The History, Origin and Meaning of Having a Red Front Door

Painting Your Home Front Door Red

If you’ve ever noticed houses with red front doors you may have wondered- What does a red front door mean? Why did they paint their front door that bright color?

The history, origin and meaning of a home having a red front door is varied. There is no one origin for the red exterior door.

If you are thinking of painting the front door of your home red, consider some of these meanings to decide if red is the right color choice for your front door. Your home’s exterior is important and how you paint your home reflects on you.

Consider these meanings before heading out to buy home exterior paint:

In Feng Shui, a red front door means “welcome.” Feng Shui is a Chinese philosophy in which the arrangement and color of objects in a room relates to the flow of energy. The front door is known as the “Mouth of Chi” where energy enters. If you believe in or follow Feng Shui, painting your front door red would create welcoming energy.

A red door means “welcome” in an old early American tradition. If a family had a red front door tired travelers traveling by horse and buggy would know that a home was a welcoming place to rest. They would be able to spend the night there.

A red door provides protection. In Biblical times, the Hebrew slaves were instructed to smear blood of a lamb on their front doors to protect their first born from the angel of death. In old Catholicism churches painted the doors of the church red to represent the blood of Christ. Passing through the door would mean that you were on holy ground. Some believe a red door protects the occupants from evil.

A red front door means mortgage-free. In Scotland, homeowners would paint their front door red to signify that they had paid off their mortgage.

Now that you’ve read some of the meanings and origins behind having a red front door, you can decide if painting your front door red is the right choice for your home.



