Rustic Entry Rustic Entry, Birmingham

3. Warm Red Door With Warm, Light-Colored SidingThis entry beckons you to come on in and enjoy a hot beverage in front of a roaring fire after a day spent outside in the crisp autumn air. Red doors look fantastic on homes with natural wood siding, but if your siding requires paint, you can't go wrong with shades of brown, tan and taupe.

A wood bucket filled with logs at the front door adds a rustic, wintry touch to a home's curb appeal, saying, "Come on in; there's a warm fire blazing inside."

Create a schedule. This far out you have the luxury of debating over every detail. Work backward from the day of the party or the big holiday meal, and set up a checklist that includes every task that needs to be completed, right down to lighting the fire and turning on the music.Tackle touch-ups around the house. Scan your surroundings for scuffed paint, busted porch lights, fraying rugs and other signs of wear and tear. Either fix them yourself or call in professional help. Don’t get too ambitious (this isn’t the time to remodel the powder room), but hosting a get-together gives you a great reason to tackle the small jobs that seem to pile up.

The main front door opens into a foyer with an 8-foot-high ceiling. Architect Richard Long describes the entry sequence as a "palate cleanser between spaces" — you walk up from outdoors, arrive underneath a low copper roof, then enter through the front door into a more compressed space. This small hallway then leads you into a large open living room and kitchen space.

Do your accessories go with your home's style? This woodsy cabin's charming bucket of logs and wreath suit it well, while if you're near the beach, you may want something coastal.

1. Front door. A beautiful wreath welcomes the holiday season. Beginning in September wreaths can include anything from fall leaves to twigs and ribbon.See DIY wreath tutorials

Hang a wreath all year round. Think of how wonderful and welcoming a wreath makes a house look during the winter holidays — now, wouldn’t it be fantastic to have that added appeal all year? Gather up some interesting twigs, vines, berries and foliage and take a wreath-making workshop so that you can craft your own. I promise these classes are really fun, and wreath making is a great skill to have.See the rest of this home

Who to hire: The electricians, doorbell vendors and contractors I spoke with agreed that most doorbell installations or replacements are ideal DIY projects; they involve relatively few components and are low-voltage installations. “Transformers don’t often go bad — the wires are usually all copper — so generally it’s the button that needs to be replaced. You’ll hold two wires between your fingers, and though you might see a very small spark, it’s less than 24 volts, so you won’t get shocked,” says Charles Daniels, a retired builder and part-time remodeler at CW Daniels in Columbia, Maryland. You could also hire a handyperson or an electrician (keep in mind that licensed electricians charge more). If you want a unique or custom doorbell, order it ahead of time to have it on hand for the installer. Confirm trip fees, hourly rates and the costs of any additional materials up front.

The main front door opens into a foyer with an 8-foot-high ceiling. Architect Richard Long describes the entry sequence as a “palate cleanser between spaces” — you walk up from outdoors, arrive underneath a low copper roof, then enter through the front door into a more compressed space. This small hallway then leads you into a large open living room and kitchen space.“Traditional and classic pieces in modern color palettes are part of Alabama style. In this hot, humid climate, we use linen and cotton fabrics mostly. Alabama has a fantastic, nationally recognized art scene. You will find local artwork as the main body of most collections.” — Laurl Self, Laurl Designs

15. This Alabama cabin’s front door and window frames painted in a custom red pop against a palette of rich woods and dark trim.

Not sure it's realistic, but I love the color combinations in this exterior

Lighting and warm inviting feel