Okay, maybe not so quick in my case but I’m easily distracted in the middle of projects and often take long breaks in between steps. But for most, this project would be a quick and easy update with a big impact. And since the front of a house is the first impression people have of your home, it’s important that it reflect your personality and taste. After all, the front door is a big part of a home’s curb appeal!
You might remember from my previous front door post what my door used to look like. The door was painted the same color as the trim and it was just ho-hum. It didn’t reflect my taste at all.
I knew I wanted to give it a fresh coat of paint but didn’t really want to go with color and so instead when with black. While dramatic, it’s still neutral, which for me, means it’s within my comfort zone. The door had originally been painted with a roller, leaving it with an orange-peel texture and I really should have taken the door off the hinges and started from scratch, but… Instead, I used a brush and painted it in place and while the original texture still shows through, I’m still happy with how it turned out.
With the addition of a new coat of paint and a few decorative accents, my front door makeover is now done! {And yes, I know that the paint color on my house looks different here, but I took the Before and After photos at different times on different days and the lighting wasn’t the same. I promise I didn’t also paint the house!}
While there’s no need for a door knocker since I have a doorbell, I just couldn’t resist. I originally purchased a generic one from Lowes in oil rubbed bronze to match the existing hardware.
But if the point of adding a door knocker was to give the door some personality, a generic design that blended in just wasn’t going to cut it!
Instead, I decided to buy this vintage lion head door knocker that I had spotted on Etsy and had immediately fallen in love with. This solid brass beauty is my all-time favorite and I’m so glad I made the switch. My design philosophy has always been to buy things you love and everything else will fall into place and I was determined to make the lion head work!
I also decided to add our house number to the door since I live in tract housing and when all of the houses look the same, it’s easy to end up knocking at the wrong front door! I originally purchased a white decal from a vendor on Etsy. Sadly, it was incredibly difficult to install and once it was on, I didn’t like the color. After a DIY decal-painting #fail, I decided to order a new decal {in gold this time} but from a different vendor and thankfully, I couldn’t be happier with the final product! This one from Candi at Welcoming Walls was *so* much easier to put on.
I added a small pot with blue hydrangeas next to my lion and with that, called it a day.
It’s amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do. I can’t believe I waited so many years to tackle this project!
Next up? That out-of-date doorbell and intercom…. Why does one project always lead to another?!?!
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Love your front door transformation! What color and sheen did you use?
Hi Adrienne – I used Sherwin Williams Tricorn black and I had them mix in an additive to extend the drying time so that my brush marks would dissipate a bit more despite the warm outdoor temperatures.
I am in love with your new door numbers! The whole makeover turned out so well – great job!!
xo. Leslie
Segreto Finishes
I have the exact same set up at my front door, with the window on the side. I have a black door and LOVE it. Everything looks better against the black! You are lucky that you can have hydrangeas now, wish we could!
Looks fantastic! The black door really draws attention to the pretty light on the porch. :)
Wow, this is a major makeover. It looks amazing. I love the house numbers and brass lions head. They definitely add a ton of interest.
Hi Marty – Thank you so much! I really can’t believe the difference. :)