I have loved black interior front doors for years, and was anxious to get working on my own this weekend.
I found a couple of excellent examples as inspiration.
seen here.
found here.
I like to have some examples to show Donnie in case he hears my plan and is all You want to paint the door WHAT color?? Although lately he's been pretty much game for anything. (That's right. Give the crazy pregnant lady what she wants.)
To get this project going, I started by taking all of the hardware off of the door. I took out the door knobs on the inside, but left the deadbolt in place in the doorjamb, because those are a beast to put back together. I did tape around it so it wouldn't get covered in paint.
Then it was time to sand.
I used the orbital palm sander that Donnie gave me. Practical, creative gifts are the best! It made quick work of the cheap, ugly paint job that was on the door when we moved in.
Sanding a painted surface is messy.
Very messy.
Even the baby was covered in paint chips! Make sure that you use some kind of eye protection, and maybe something over your mouth too, to keep the paint dust out.
After the sanding mess was mostly cleaned up, I got out my brushes and paints.
Once again, I used the Zinzer Bin Primer. This stuff is intense, so make sure you are protected from the fumes, and that you have something strong to clean your brush after you're finished.
Once that was dry, the door took 3 coats of Martha Stewart's Francesca that I had mixed in a Glidden Satin base. I love this color. It's a true black, but it has a soft tone to it, and it looks GORGEOUS in the satin finish.
Ready to see the difference one painted door makes?
Before:
And After:
Every time I walked past it during the day, I thought Man, I love how that looks! Then it got dark outside, and every time I walked past, I jumped a little because I thought the door was open. But it's been a few days now, and I'm not quite so jumpy at night. I really love how it looks, and now I can't wait to get those walls painted.
So, what have you done this week to make your house more like a home? Share your stories and links in the comments!
