The AcaDOORmy Awards

It’s the start of a new decade, and that brings with it an additional sense of optimism and excitement on top of the natural feeling that comes with a new year. By Doorco’s chief doork and creative consultant Jeyda.

I always think this is the perfect time of year to take stock, reflect on what’s come before and enter the new year (and indeed decade) with some intentions. I’ve been thinking about my highlights of 2019 and have devised a set of awards to dish out to the doors I saw throughout the year.

Best Colour Award. This is a really tough award as there was huge variety (as always) throughout the year. The standout doors, naturally, end up being the most vibrant colours. If you’re looking for a memorable door, then this is definitely the way to go.

My favourite place for colour inspiration is always to start with the Pantone Colour of the Year choice. In 2019, the chosen colour was ‘Living Coral’ which was supposed to represent “the fusion of modern life” by being “a nurturing color that appears in our natural surroundings and, at the same time, displays a lively presence within social media”.

I’m not sure whether I noticed that, but there was one door that really etched itself into my memory and that was purely down to the striking coral colour. The rest of the house front had an overgrown garden and recycling bin so that just goes to show that a bright door really has the power to outshine its surroundings.

For 2020, the Pantone Colour of the Year is ‘Classic Blue’, a shade chosen to offer reassurance and confidence to people who may feel unsettled by some of the uncertainty throughout the world about what the future holds. A blue door equally offers a solid feel of stability and calmness. Perfect to return to after a hectic day at work.

Best Knocker Award. Door features can make or break the whole front and there’s an abundance of interesting knockers out there.

In 2019, the best one I saw sat proudly in the middle of a fluorescent yellow door. It was shaped as the Hand of Fatima and resting under two colourful tiles displaying the house number. I love the creative and playful approach this homeowner has taken to their door. I’d encourage anyone to see their door more like a blank artist’s canvas than simply the functional bit of material closing in their home.

Best House Front Award. The 2019 house front of the year award is a huge accolade and of course, would only be bestowed onto a home with a truly excellent door. The winner is a particularly fun looking house where the owner has chased rainbow and even covered all the window sills in bright paint.

The garish door can be found on an unassuming street in the middle of Dalston (London) where the neighbours have amusingly gone for quite the opposite look with a bog-standard plain green door.

It might not be everyone’s cup of tea but there is no denying that the vivid door and windows brings the area to life. For 2020, it’s worth thinking about what fun can be had with some bright coloured doors and, if in doubt, hopefully this demonstrates that you need not settle for just one.