Your front door is your welcome center, the first thing visitors see of your house.

Paying attention to the front door creates a good first impression and enhances your home’s curb appeal. Here are some ideas for improving your entry:

• Freshen up. Doors typically suffer a lot of weathering from being exposed to the elements. A new coat of paint can do wonders for a door’s appearance.

You also can give a plain door new interest by adding inexpensive molding to mimic the look of panels. Half-round molding will work, or choose a narrow molding with a flat back and an interesting profile.

• Change the doorknob. A front-door knob is usually called a lock set because it includes both knob and lock. You can find quite a few decorative lock sets in a range of finishes at home centers and even more at stores or in catalogs specializing in decorative hardware. It pays to invest in one with a finish that will last.

When you’re choosing, consider the style of the house and the type and finish on the metal used for other accessories around the door, such as porch lights.

Make a note before you shop of which side of your door the hinges are on when you’re looking at the door from the outside. Knowing that will help you buy the correct lock set.

• Add a kick plate. This rectangular sheet of metal, often brass, is attached to the bottom of the door to protect against marks, but it also gives a door a formal look. Usually a kick plate is attached with screws, but you can also buy magnetic kick plates for steel doors.

Sizes vary, so measure the width of your door and the depth of the bottom rail — the section beneath any molded panels or other decorations — before you buy.

• Install a knocker. A door knocker can be a traditional accent or a way to tell visitors a little bit about yourself. Shop around and check catalogs for door knockers shaped like frogs, garden trowels, acorns, lighthouses and golf putters.

Inexpensive brass-plated knockers can be found for less than $20 at home centers, but don’t expect them to last long. Solid brass knockers are more expensive, but they can be polished and renewed. Knockers also are available in other metals and finishes to match the door knob.

• Change the house numbers. Decorative options abound, including painted tiles that fit into frames and custom-made address plates that can be hung on the house or staked into the ground. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s easily visible from the street.
• Update the doorbell. Doorbell buttons, like door knockers, have become decorative accessories. Hardware stores and home centers typically carry a few selections, but check gift shops and catalogs for some whimsical options.
• Add some life. An attractive wreath, a pot of flowers or a pair of topiaries flanking the door add softness and color to an area dominated by hard surfaces and straight lines. Artificial flowers and greenery are so realistic that you don’t have to fuss with the real thing if you don’t want to.