Front Door Makeover! (On a Budget!)

 FINALLY! I've been wanting to get this little project done for the past 5 years. Almost the minute we moved in, I wanted to paint our front door. I couldn't decide on a color, so I just never did bring this project off of the back burner.

Link to the blog containing this photo is available on my "The Honeymoon Cottage" board on Pinterest.

Until I found this photo on Pinterest. I fell in love with the look of this, because, mainly, it's almost the exact same color brick as our house. I loved the color of the blur against the color of the brick, and the galvanized buckets (still working on that one!) and the chalk board... I adored it. I showed it to Aaron, he loved it. My father in law loved it. My mom loved it. My best friend in Alabama loved it and bugged the crap out of me asking me if I'd gotten it done yet....


And then the wheels started turning at warp speed. This was another instance of, I can do this project but it has to be on a super tight budget. Aaron and I decided that I could do it only if I did it for less than $70.

I did my research, which included a planning trip to Lowe's one Saturday afternoon with my Mom. I knew I needed new hardware, so I found a great oil rubbed bronze set (knob and deadbolt) from GateHouse for $21.97, I also decided I wanted to add our house number to the door.  So I found the oil rubbed bronze GateHouse numbers for around $3.95 (I think) a piece (they were a few cents shy of $4). And finally I needed the paint. No need to buy a gallon to paint a front door, I purchased a quart of Valspar Duramax at Lowe's for $18, after about an hour of looking at every aqua blue they offered, I decided on the color "Crystal Aqua."

All together, that brought my estimated total, pre-tax to $55.89, I rounded it up to $60, told Aaron, and he gave me the ok. In the end, the total, plus tax, was $59.20. Score!

Because of Memorial Day and the fact that we had a big day planned with my in-laws, I ended up finally painting on Tuesday. I think I drove my sisters in law crazy talking about how excited I was to get to finally paint my front door!


It was an all day job. Because I can't do anything the easy way. NOTHING.

First I had to sand the door down. Just a titch. I used 180 grit sand paper(just whatever I had on hand) and gave both sides of the door a quick once over. Next I cleaned the door off with a vinegar and water mix. I let that dry while I mixed up my paint and my Floetrol. It's supposed to help eliminate brush strokes, however, in this instance, it didn't, and, in this instance, I like it. So I left it.

I turned on the TV - Space Jam was on VH1 and, because I'm 12 years old at heart, I watched it, and then some of.... wait for it.... The Borgias - and got to work.

I got to work taking the old, nasty hardware off.... and that was a task, let me just tell ya.

As you can see, the hardware was in BAD shape. The doorknob was plain embarrassing. Or at least it was to me.  Taking the plate out of the wall for the deadbolt took me, literally, all day off and on. The heads in the screws were stripped out, badly, so finally I had to get the drill out and drill the heads out. Always my last resort. And then once it came off, the new deadbolt wouldn't go into the hole... I had to widen the hole with my drill... it was a hassle. But, in the end, the door closes, and the deadbolt latches! So yay for that! I only broke one screwdriver head and one drill bit.... that's not too bad.... right? 


So I got to work painting once all the old ugly gold hardware was gone. I painted 3 coats on the front door after the first two were horribly brush strokey. Glad I did too, the three coats really makes the paint solid looking, like it was made that way. And I only did 2 coats on the interior or the door. And by the time Aaron came home, it looked like this! (However, I do believe it's time for a different wreath on the door.... hmmmm....let me put that on my shopping list! For now, this works.) I painted the window trim, some wouldn't have, but I did, because with the blue door and the stark white trim... it kinda looked like a baby blanket. No... not good.

The new hardware REALLY pops against the aqua! (The best news, to us, is that we now only have 1 front door key instead of 2!)

I think adding the number to the door just makes this project! I'd wanted to have our house number actually on our house for a while, and the way the exterior of our house is set up, putting it on the door makes more sense than anything. I absolutely LOVE this! 


I still have a few things to get for out front. I've been on the hunt for a milk jug for the longest time, but can't find one I like, that's a reasonable price. I need to get some new flowers for the bucket (I'm thinking hydrangeas and peonies, they're my all time favorites) and I'm toying with doing the chalkboard, like my inspiration picture showed. But idk, I'm attached to my star (they're like my favorite things ever) and my pineapple welcome sign. When my Mom and I were in Charleston, SC, the summer before I got married, they told us all about the history of the pineapple as a welcome thing and ever since she and I have made it a point to have a pineapple welcome at our front door. Plus, the one in the picture below was a gift from a very special lady to me and so I don't think I'll ever be able to part with it!

I also used to have a garden flag waving there at the door, but during our last set of storms it blew off into the abyss and I haven't managed to remember to purchase a new one.

I'm excited to see how the blue does with fall and winter decor! The possibilities are endless, folks!

Excuse the glare on the door, it's a bright, beautiful day here in KY!

My home isn't one of those Pinterest Perfect homes, but it's my home. It's where my heart is! And the blue front door just makes it seem so much more homey, in my opinion!