Polished brass urn knocker framed by a fir, eucalyptus and dried orange wreath with a red velvet bow on a glossy bottle-green front door, an octagonal brass centre knob below
Front door · Christmas

A bottle-green door dressed for Christmas

Mirror-bright brass, a fresh wreath and a garland round the doorcase: a Victorian front door that looks its best in December and every month after.

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The look
Fittings
Polished brass
Front door · pick one
Bottle greenBerry red
House
Stucco whitePortland stoneLead planters
Dressing
FirVelvet ribbonDried orange

A stucco-fronted Victorian terrace in London, with its four-panel door painted deep, glossy bottle green. The brass is polished and lacquered, so after dark it picks up every fairy light and candle on the step. The wreath hangs from a ribbon over the top of the door, and the knocker shows through its centre, so nothing has to be screwed in for the season. Choose berry red instead of green if you want a door that says Christmas all year round.

Up close
Polished brass Victorian letter plate on a bottle-green door with a Christmas card tied in red and white twine, the octagonal brass knob above Victorian stucco and brick terrace at dusk with a lit Christmas tree in the bay window, garlanded black railings and a green front door framed by fairy-lit fir garland Polished brass cylinder pull around a brass euro cylinder on the green lock stile, beside a stepped brass bell push on the white doorcase and a fairy-lit garland Victorian hallway at Christmas with a gold-baubled tree, garlanded staircase and black and white tiled floor, looking back at the inside of the front door and its polished brass letter tidy Polished brass screw-fixed numbers 1 and 2 on a bottle-green door with the red velvet wreath ribbon running down past them Plain round polished brass Victoria knob on a white four-panel drawing room door, open onto a fireplace hung with velvet stockings and a lit Christmas tree
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Polished brass for a bottle-green door

Bottle-green Victorian front door dressed for Christmas with a wreath, garland, bay trees and lantern, fitted with polished brass number 12, urn knocker, octagonal centre knob, letter plate, cylinder pull and stepped bell push 4 1 5 6 2 3
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Good to know

Why polished brass suits a Christmas door

EraVictorian, 1840s to 1900
Trend statusSeasonal favourite; deep greens and berry reds lead this year
Inspired byLondon stucco terraces dressed for the season
SuitsPainted timber doors on period houses, all year round

A Victorian colour that comes into its own in December

Dark greens were among the most popular front door colours in the nineteenth century, using the same durable paints as railings and carriages. They still suit stucco and London stock brick, and at Christmas they need very little help: fir and eucalyptus blend into the paint, so the brass, the dried oranges and the velvet bow stand out.

Brass that works by lamplight

For most of December a front door is seen in the dark, under a porch light or a lantern. Polished brass is buffed to a mirror finish and lacquered, so the knocker and knob reflect every fairy light where a satin or aged finish would fade into the shadows. The lacquer also means no polishing on cold mornings; a soft dry cloth keeps it bright.

Hang the wreath without spoiling the brass

Hang the wreath from a ribbon looped over the top of the door, or from a slim over-door hanger. A nail in the top rail leaves a hole once the wreath comes down, and wire tied around the knocker hoop scratches the lacquer and stops you using it. Leave a gap around the knocker so visitors can still knock.

Before the season starts

Size the letter plate for cards

Christmas post is bulkier than everyday mail. This 305mm plate has a 245mm opening, wide enough for large cards and slim parcels, and it suits the middle rail of most Victorian four-panel doors.

Stop the winter draught

Fit the internal tidy over the letter opening on the inside. It covers the cut edges of the hole, and the foam strip under its flap stops cold air blowing in on winter nights.

Numbers the street can read

Numbers are sold one digit at a time, so order each one you need. Place them on the top rail or centre muntin, high enough that a wreath or garland never hides them from the road or a delivery driver.

Knob for pulling, cylinder for opening

The octagonal centre knob is fixed and doesn't turn: it's there to pull the door shut. You open the door with your key in the nightlatch cylinder, which the brass cylinder pull frames neatly on the outside, so choose the two together.