This is what our house looked like when we looked at it for the first time back in February.
Everything dead and winter-y (shudder), and a big, ugly brown front door. Here’s another shot on the day we closed in March. #BeardedRiley
As you can see, the brown front door totally blends in with the brown bricks and stone, especially since it’s situated under the shadowy archway. Right off the bat we knew we’d repaint it, and I even noted that I loved a blue front door in this Design Inspiration for Our New House post that I published back in February! After contemplating a few colors, we settled on Benjamin Moore Wythe Blue, which we had color-matched and mixed into a quart of Behr high gloss paint. Below is a photo of the formula if you’re interested.
Then, we painted our front door! Here’s how we did that: first, we removed our door from the hinges, moved it into the backyard, and set it up on some sawhorses.
You can really see that awful brown in all its glory, can’t you? #JustAwful Then, we wiped the dust, dirt, and grime off the door so that the paint would have a clean surface to adhere to. (We woke up early to tackle this project, but not early enough. It was about 4000 degrees by 9am.)
Once it was wiped down, we let it sit in the sun for a couple of minutes to dry completely before we painted it. While it dried, we prepped our paint/painting supplies.
It was too hot to leave the paint can open (it would legitimately harden), so we decided to make a small, disposable paint tray. First, I grabbed a roll of Glad™ Standard Aluminum Foil. This foil is thick and sturdy, and 12″ wide, so it’s a great option for DIY projects.
As I was opening this box of foil, I kept remarking “Oh, how cool!” and “Wow, that’s awesome!” (Riley was laughing at me.) First of all, there’s a thumb dot that makes it easy to open the carton in the first place. (No ripping the entire thing apart trying to get it open!) The carton itself has a really neat design that allows the lid to click shut, as well as a “pull up” cutting feature, so the foil cuts clean and straight. When you’re finished using it, the foil sits on the “ready edge,” making it easy to grab the next time. I love good design!
Once I had my foil, I lined a small box with the tabs cut off with it. We used this as an easy paint tray. It worked perfectly! #ISpyACharleyNose
Then, we gathered all of our supplies outside and began to tape off the door.
I had seen a painting “hack” on Pinterest where you wrap front door hardware with foil to eliminate the hassle of removing it and reattaching it. We decided to try it…worked like a charm! #AnotherFoilWin We also used painters tape around the edges of the hardware and the door to protect it.
Then, of course, we painted!
Our DIY painting tray was perfect–it was light, easy to carry, and held the right amount of paint for our project.
After a while, Riley took a turn.
After one coat, I added a second.
It. was. so. hot.
Finally, we went through and touched up a few places. We let it dry for about twenty minutes even though it was bone dry by minute three, and then we peeled off the tape and foil and reattached it to the front of our house.
It looked really pretty, but it definitely needed a wreath. We added one, along with a hook that matches our oil-rubbed bronze hardware. Perfect!
For a project that took us less than an hour, it sure packs a big punch. Check out the before and after! (The lush summer foliage helps, too!)
We love how our new blue door updates and modernizes our house as well as makes it stand out on our street! There are a couple of red doors, but we have the only blue one on our block! 😉 If you’re tackling a DIY project some time soon and your project would be made easier with Glad™ Aluminum Foil, be sure to grab a $1 off coupon to use wherever it’s currently sold here! Happy DIY-ing!
// What color is your front door? Tell me in the comments for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!
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The front door of my apartment is a Christmas-y green 🙂
Mine is brown, because it’s an apartment. We can’t wait to get our own house and be able to paint the door!
Our apartment door is an icky brown – wish we could paint it!!
https://mobile.twitter.com/amandambixler/status/771355395113693188?p=v
Our front door is a tan-ish color. Not that cute, honestly, but we rent so it’ll have to do for now! Can’t wait until we have our own home, where we can paint the door at will! 🙂
cornflower blue against a beige/tan siding … looks cheery in the gray Seattle days ahead! Also found this pin on Pinterest about the correct way to paint a panel door (as both of us have!)
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/249035054373600343/
My front door is white, which I’m not fond of, but we’re in a rental so we can’t repaint! 🙁
https://twitter.com/BaileyKCummins/status/771422606943723524
Our front door is white and glass.
My front door to my condo is dark brown!
https://twitter.com/yarbr012/status/771490943723794432
My front door is orangish-reddish.
https://twitter.com/willgriesmer/status/771497312451461120
Plain white! But I’ve dressed it up with a wreath. 🙂
Our front door is just white. We’re renting. Your posts make me so excited to have our own home!
My front door is a deep brownish green color right now.
TWITTER ENTRY HERE: https://twitter.com/zanderbear/status/771732092174467072
My front door is green! Not a very pretty green though…we’re thinking about painting ours too!
https://twitter.com/rickyh340/status/771846013363511296
my front door is brown
elena150980 at yahoo dot com
tweet https://twitter.com/ElenaIstomina/status/772140605321338881
My front door is white.
https://twitter.com/benz1171/status/772146719563747329
my front door is beige
https://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/772306899626631168
My front door is blue! I painted it from a boring white!
tweet-https://twitter.com/JewelWood/status/772417717362126848
Our door and shutters are black. I wish they were burgundy.
mami2jcn at gmail dot com
tweet–https://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/772446151119339521
My front door is burgundy.
We have a country blue door (a medium blue).
Tweet link: https://twitter.com/shala_darkstone/status/772484751265587201
Our front door is burgundy.
tcarolinep at gmail dot com
tweet-https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/772566789121191936
My front doors are mostly glass but the parts that aren’t are stained a warm brown with oil rubbed bronze kick plates.
Our front door is white.
tweet
https://twitter.com/Kellydpa/status/772620092744032256
My front door is red.
https://twitter.com/RachelGriesmer/status/773624492040056833
https://twitter.com/Natashalamoreu1/status/773656980380680196
My front door is BORING beige!
I love the color you chose! It really stands out in a pretty way. Our front door is white which is pretty boring.
Tweet. https://mobile.twitter.com/Michael64263870/status/774050524089896960
It’s a maroon shade. Not bad, considering we didn’t pick it.
my front door is white. I love how this light blue lightens up and transformed your entrance. nice tips for painting.
amy [at] uTry [dot] it
tweeted:
https://twitter.com/uTry_it/status/774296203907305472
amy [at] uTry [dot] it
MIne is a williamsburg blue to match the trim
https://twitter.com/mkjmc/status/774715556910039040
Ours is brown.
Thanks for the chance to win this
Tweet:
https://twitter.com/allisonrswain/status/774719613284257792
my front door is burgundy red
https://twitter.com/raggammuffin/status/775015442708561924
Plain white because we live in an apartment, but I dressed it up with a wreath!
chambanachik(at)gmail(dot)com
My husband just painted our door red about a month ago. Love it. Thanks so much.
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/peg42/status/775463963349880832
Thanks again
My front door is blue.
Tweet: https://twitter.com/PrettyHotPink6/status/776048429201920000
My front door is white.
https://twitter.com/mitadav/status/776124636241223681
Our front door used to me stained and my wife painted it red. I think it looks wonderful, she also made a beautiful wreath that compliments the color!
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/FireRunner2379/status/776793074106265600.
Mine is glass! Around the glass it is just plain black. To be honest I’m not sure if the HOA rules would allow for a new paint job on mine.
My front door is a dark green but I love the color you picked out!
I tweeted
https://twitter.com/my4boysand1/status/779702818768822272
My front door is white. thanks! truckredford(at)Gmail(Dot)com
https://twitter.com/eliza_elliott/status/780543689584091140
our front door is white
https://twitter.com/sweetums82/status/781888974784790528
This looks SO good! Our front door is black too. And I think I may just steal this color to repaint it!
tweet: https://twitter.com/Twenteries/status/781941987926691840
Ours is dark green.
tweeted
https://twitter.com/rubylorikeet/status/782296411547193344
Mine is brown and has a hand carved art piece on it. It’s beautiful and unique.
Nice job on the door. It looks great. Our front door is white (and could use a good painting, even if we don’t change the color).
tweeted – https://twitter.com/dmarie824/status/783023142935539712
Burgendy.
tweeted: https://twitter.com/KerryBishop/status/783407070808797184
our front door is stained dark brown
i posted a tweet here:
https://twitter.com/purplepanda1966/status/783530748406030336
My front door is a rust color.
My front door is white but I’m thinking of painting it. I just haven’t decided on a color.
Tweet – https://twitter.com/willitara/status/783645707416719361
Wood stained.
Our front door is dark brown with an etched glass window.
My front door is light blue color.
my front door is beige
My front door is now black ; I just repainted it this year (before that it was maroon).
https://twitter.com/ThatTuxedoCat/status/784083742629453825
My front door color is tan.
https://twitter.com/susan1215/status/784097760395993088
My door is a light brown, but I’m wanting to paint it a dark charcoal gray.
westiemks5 at yahoo dot com
Tweeted! https://twitter.com/calebaw3s0m3/status/784134856645029888
My front door is a dark red, I’d like to make it a little bit brighter.
tweeted: https://twitter.com/tinawoo21/status/784250438350548994
My front door is a cream color.
Thanks for the contest.
slehan at juno dot com
Previous tweet link was WRONG!!
This is right one: https://twitter.com/slehan/status/784303179106099201
My front door is the color it came in when purchased: light gray primer. Planning to paint it a plum purple though. 😀
I tweeted here: https://twitter.com/MsTofuFairy/status/784382317531914240
Our front door is red
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
tweet https://twitter.com/ChelleB36/status/784439618720698368
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
My front door is black.
tweeted
https://twitter.com/thomasmurphy40/status/784459972902092801
My front door is a light blue color 🙂 Not by personal choice… I’d probably have a red door if I could lol
Tweeted 🙂 – https://twitter.com/Enter_Now/status/784510722646560769