"The Painted Back Door"

Every now and again I get a wild hair and start a spur of the moment DIY project.

 

 

Oh who am I kidding?  Often, I get a wild hair and start a spur of the moment DIY project and a couple of weeks ago I did just that.  It was the start of my vacation and I'd been contemplating painting my back door for months.  It actually started after the interior front door painting (CLICK HERE) DIY project.  After the front turned out so well, I'd sit on my sofa and stare at the back door and think about how very sad it looked.  So I finally bit the bullet and jumped in head first at about 9:00 p.m.  I do that.

 

 

For this one, I went back to the leftover paint from the front door project and it worked just as well here.  I'm a big fan of Valspar Ultra (Paint and Primer in One) and I used the satin interior finish.

The paint covered well as usual and I love the rich very dark gray. 

 

via Valspar.com

 

Well, by about 11:00 that evening,  I was out of steam and out of painter's tape so I called it a night.  It just so happened that I was leaving for vacation the next day so I ended up leaving it just like this for over a week.  Yeah, I do THAT too.

 

Well, this weekend I was back at it again, determined to finish up the project.  Initially I figured it would be pretty simple given the fact that there really isn't much "door" to paint.  I was WRONG.  It turns out taping off and painting the muntins on the door (wood grid on the glass insert) was a major pain.  You need to get the painter's tape perfectly lined up or you end up having to touch up areas or scrape paint off the glass.  Either way, it wasn't fun.  Of course, the good DIY projects never are.

 

Given the door was painted white previously, I had to get in every little nook and cranny.  It was pretty tedious work and I'd say all total, I spent about 5 hours on the project.  It wasn't difficult just tedious. 

 

However, in the end I'm glad I did it.  In fact, I should've done it long ago.  It makes such a big difference.  Check it out for yourself...

 

 

  

 

 I love that now when I sit on my sofa and look back into the kitchen, the crisp black door is staring back at me. 

It's also a big plus that now the interior of the front door and the back door match.  Because who wants mismatched front and back doors?  Lol!

 

Until next time....

"A Look Back at the To Do List"

First things first.  May I offer my condolences to my fellow Panthers and Saints fans.  Unfortunately, both of my home teams fell in the NFL playoffs this weekend.  Tough losses, but great seasons by both teams.  I'm pretty bummed that it's almost all over.  I hate the end of football season, but I guess that just gives me more time to focus on design projects.

I can hardly believe that we've already reached the middle of January.   As I regroup for the new year and plan my 2014 project to do list, I thought I'd take a look back at some of the projects I SAID I would tackle in 2013.

 

First, there was the front door. I blogged about painting the inside of my front door back in December 2012.  I loved how something as simple as a little paint on the typically overlooked surface could add so much impact.

via

I'm pleased to report that I actually got this one done.  I even have plans to paint more of my interior doors.

I really loved how it looked during the holidays, providing yet another spot for a touch of Christmas.
Next, I SAID I was toying with the idea of adding a touch of coral to the kitchen, by way of new drapery.



Contemporary Living Room design by Orange County Interior Designer Domicile Interior Design

 

Believe it or not, I actually got this one done too!  I love the pop of color in the kitchen.  It actually did a lot to make this space more cheery.  My only regret is that I didn't have the drapes lined.  I've learned that lining drapery really is a non-negotiable.  They hang so much nicer and look more..... substantial, if that makes sense. Adding it will likely be on my list for this year. 

 

The one project that I didn't get to was painting the vanity.

 



Decorchick



After seeing this image on one of my favorite blogs, I was convinced that this was my next upgrade to the master bath.  Unfortunately, it never happened and my bathroom still looks like this.....

 

 

But hey, there's always this year.  With at least one project to roll over from last year, the 2014 to do list seems to be growing in length. 

 

 

What projects do you have planned for this year?

"Doors and Trim"

I am loving painted doors and trim.



Photos via Real Simple magazine

You already know that I have BIG plans for my front door.  I blogged about it recently HERE, but the more I see painted interior doors, the more I like them.

Traditional Bathroom design by Orlando Architect Phil Kean Designs

Eclectic Kids design by San Francisco Media And Blogs Centsational Girl

 

Eclectic Bedroom design by Other Metro Interior Designer Zoe Feldman Design, Inc.

So often I think we homeowners feel like were stuck with the cards the builder dealt us, but nothing could be further from the truth.  Painted interior doors are an easy way to give your home a more custom look.

Eclectic Kids design by Los Angeles Architect Tim Barber LTD Architecture & Interior Design

I'm a little hesitant to go there because I know once I start with one door, I won't stop until the last one is painted.  It's like opening up Pandora's box.

Eclectic Living Room design by Detroit Interior Designer Dunlap Design Group, LLC

I also think that painted trim is a great way to add/highlight architectural details.  It's a particularly great idea for those who prefer neutral walls.

Traditional Family Room design by San Francisco Architect Heydt Designs

 

An excellent way to add a little something extra.  So, would you paint your interior doors or trim work?  I'm curious to know.  BTW, you guys have been awfully quiet out there lately.  I miss hearing from you. 

 

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