Overdoor Pediment Ideas by Door Style and Colour

Start with the house

The easiest rule is to follow the house. A pediment that suits the age and proportions of the building looks inevitable; one that does not looks added. If you are not certain of the period, our guide to identifying the period of your house from its plasterwork will help, and the Georgian interiors guide covers the formal rooms that overdoors suit best.

The chart below shows the broad periods. Dates are approximate and many houses were altered, so treat them as a guide to character rather than a legal definition. The periods follow Designing Buildings, which dates the Georgian period 1714 to 1837 and the Victorian 1837 to 1901; some sources end Georgian at 1830, as the chart does.^[1]

See also our history of the overdoor pediment for how the form changed from classical temples to domestic doorways.

Pediment shapes explained

Three silhouettes cover most overdoor designs.^[2]

• Triangular: the classic gable shape taken from classical temples. Crisp and formal.
• Segmental: a shallow arc instead of a point. Softer, and good where a door has a curved fanlight or arch.
• Broken: the triangle or arc is open at the centre, usually to hold a small urn, crest or motif. Grander and more decorative.

Flare's overdoors are not all strictly one of these. The Acanthus has a sculpted leaf centre, the Laureate a balanced laurel design, the Wellington and Georgian Crest a balanced Georgian profile, and the Versailles a Baroque crest with sweeping scrollwork either side.^{[3][4][5][6][7]} Check each listing for its profile and size.

Match the door style

A pediment is a frame for the door. On a plain door it adds the detail the architecture lacks, which is why they work well in new-build hallways: see adding character to a new-build home and pediments on modern and internal doors.

Choosing the colour

Two approaches work reliably. Tone-on-tone means painting the pediment the same colour as the architrave, which gives a calm, architectural result and makes the whole doorway read as one piece. Contrast means painting it in a different colour from the door or wall so the pediment becomes a feature in itself.

Pieces come Natural Cast (plain plaster) or White Primed and take ordinary emulsion, so the colour is yours to choose.^[3] For painting advice see how to paint plaster and ceiling rose paint colours, which apply equally to pediments.

Choosing paint colours: principles, not brands

Flare supplies the plaster and the paint is yours, so there is no brand to buy. The same four principles hold whichever range you use, from a trade emulsion to a designer colour.

• Check the light reflectance value (LRV). Most paint makers publish an LRV for each colour, a score from 0 (a surface that absorbs all light) to 100 (one that reflects all of it).^[8] A pediment close to the wall's LRV merges into the doorway; one with a clearly higher LRV steps forward and reads as a feature.
• Keep the undertone consistent. A cool, blue-leaning white beside warm cream walls looks grubby instead of crisp. Match warm to warm and cool to cool.
• Choose the sheen for the detail. A matt or flat finish shows relief best. A harder sheen is easier to wipe, but it catches the light on the raised parts of the carving and flattens the shadow.
• Seal, then keep coats thin. Our fitting and painting guide says bare plaster should be sealed before painting and then finished with two thin coats of emulsion.^[9] Thick coats clog fine leaf detail, so three thin coats beat one heavy one.

Test the colour before you commit

Colour looks different on a doorway than on a card in the shop. Paint a sample pot onto a sheet of lining paper or an A3 piece of card, and tack it above the door, next to the architrave and the wall. Look at it in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening with the lamps on, because warm artificial light shifts whites towards yellow and cool daylight pulls them towards grey.

Do the same with the shape: cut a cardboard template to the listed width and height, hold it up and stand back at the other end of the hall. Doing both costs a few pounds and an evening, and it is far cheaper than repainting a finished piece.

Choosing step by step

1. Pick the doorway. The one you see first, or the entrance to the main reception room.
2. Date the house roughly, using the period guide above.
3. Measure the opening with its architrave, and the clear gap above it.
4. Choose the shape and size from the table, checking width and height in the listing.
5. Choose tone-on-tone or contrast for the colour.
6. Test the template and the paint sample in the actual hall.
7. Order and fit. Allow for dispatch time, as pieces are made to order. The fitting guide takes you through it.

Size and proportion

Width is the first thing to check. The pediment should be a little wider than the door opening including its architrave, not the width of the whole wall. The chart shows the listed widths: from 71.1 cm for the Laureate to 128 cm for the largest Acanthus single leaf.^[4][10] Our guide to measuring for an overdoor walks through the measurements.

Height is the second. The Acanthus is 11.5 cm high, the Laureate 17.8 cm and the Versailles 24.1 cm, so a tall piece needs more room above the door.^[3][4][7] In a low room choose a shallow piece: the lower the ceiling, the lower the profile should be.

Where to use one

Use a pediment on the doorway you see first when you walk in, or on the doorway between two main rooms, rather than on every door. A hall, landing or the entrance to a main reception room is usually enough. Sets of two to five are available, which helps if you want a matching run along a corridor.

The listings describe these as interior pediments. Do not use them outdoors unless the listing says they are suitable. Our fitting guide covers fixing.

Pairing with other details

A pediment works best as part of a scheme rather than a single gesture. Three combinations are worth planning together:

• Wall lights either side of the door. A pair of small lights flanking a pedimented doorway reinforces its symmetry. Our wall light height and spacing guide and how to light a hallway with wall lights cover where to put them.
• A ceiling rose in the same hall. A rose above a pendant in the hall echoes the plaster above the door. See choosing a ceiling rose.
• Cornice and mouldings. If the room already has cornice or picture rails, keep the pediment below them with room to breathe. The cornice, coving and mouldings glossary explains the terms.

Keep the palette tight: two or three colours across the doorway, walls and plaster is usually plenty.

Hallways, landings and sets

Most Flare pediments are available singly or in sets of two to five, which suits a hall with several doors. Two approaches work. Matching all doors in a run gives a formal, rhythmic look, but only suits a generous hall. Picking out one or two, such as the front door and the door to the main living room, gives the doorways that matter a hierarchy. In a small hall, one well-chosen pediment on the first door you see is almost always enough.

Whichever you choose, hold the pieces up with cardboard templates first, cut to the listed width and height, and stand back. It is a free way to check scale and position before you order, and it shows quickly whether a taller piece crowds the ceiling.

Five combinations to copy

1. Navy door, white architrave, Wellington pediment in warm white. Formal and Georgian.
2. Sage door and pediment painted the same sage. Calm, and the carving reads in shadow.
3. Coral door, white architrave and white Laureate. Bold, but kept tidy.
4. Pale internal door with an Acanthus painted to match the skirting. Seamless and quiet.
5. Tall double doors with a Versailles in an off-white. A grand hall entrance.

Mistakes to avoid

• Ornate pieces on plain flat doors in a low hall.
• A pediment narrower than the opening.
• Choosing colour by eye in the shop rather than testing it in the room.
• Fitting one on every door, which dilutes the effect.
• Fixing without checking the wall: see how to fit an overdoor pediment.

Keep reading

• How to fit an overdoor pediment
• How to measure for an overdoor
• History of the overdoor pediment
• Do I need an overdoor pediment?
• Overdoor, door surround, architrave and pediment explained

Shop the look

Acanthus Overdoor Pediment — 35 inWellington Overdoor PedimentAcanthus Overdoor Pediment — 30–50.5 in

Frequently asked questions

What colour should an overdoor pediment be?

Usually the same as the architrave for a calm look, or the wall colour for a subtle one. A contrast colour makes it a statement. Pieces come Natural Cast or White Primed and take ordinary emulsion.

Does a pediment suit a modern door?

Yes, if it is shallow and plain and the scale is right. The Acanthus (35 in) is 11.5 cm high. See our guide to pediments on modern doors.

What style of pediment suits a Georgian door?

A balanced, formal profile, such as the Wellington or the Georgian Crest.

What suits a Victorian or Edwardian door?

Leaf or laurel designs such as the Acanthus or Laureate, which suit richer ornament.

Can I use an overdoor pediment outside?

The listings describe them as interior pediments. Do not use them outdoors unless the listing says they are suitable.

How wide should the pediment be?

A little wider than the opening including its architrave. Listed widths run from 71.1 cm (Laureate) to 128 cm (largest Acanthus single leaf).

Should I put one on every door?

Usually not. Use one on the doorway you see first, or between two main rooms.

Where can I see the sizes?

Each listing gives height and width. The Acanthus is 11.5 cm high and 89 cm wide in the 35 in size; the Versailles is 24.1 cm high and 90.2 cm wide.