Your front door can be a symbol of hope and good luck
In Toronto during the Depression, the minister at a church in a poor downtown neighbourhood painted its doors red, which became a symbol of hope and help.
“We decided that owing to the continued very depressed drab outlook of those ragged days of 1931 onward, we should paint the door of the church a brilliant red and the door of the house the same colour,” says a history of the Woodgreen United Church, which decades later became the Red Door Family Shelter.
Red doors are associated with a number of beliefs and traditions drawn from around the world, most involving good luck. Having a door that stands out and grabs attention can also help make a good first impression.
Home decor website Apartment Therapy explains a few of the meanings behind the red entryway.
One popular practice, associated with Scotland, is that a red door signified its inhabitants had paid off their mortgage.
Stateside, a ruby door historically meant the building was a safe place for travellers to stop for the night. Now, it’s more aligned with owners wishing to represent their sense of community and neighbourhood, according to reporting from the site.
In China, a red door is seen as lucky. The scarlet shade is thought to fight evil while bringing luck and good health to its owners. However, doors facing west or northwest should avoid the colour red, since those directions are associated with metal, feng shui blogger Eddie Tee says. Red represents fire, which clashes with metal.
Overall, say the experts consulted by Apartment Therapy, a red door is a signal to the world that its owners embrace positivity and passion and are open to opportunity.