Before and After: A $0 Entryway Redo Cruella De Vil Would Go Wild Over

Everyone has a favorite first project when they move into a new home: changing out the kitchen cabinet hardware, putting fresh curtains on the windows, or maybe planting a few new flowers.

The very first thing Amanda Nicole Sinnott did when she moved into her home was paint her front door hot pink. She was left with a blank wall next to it, and she realized she also craved a defined entryway.

“I wanted it to have some wow factor, as well as some functionality,” she explains. “I have guests visiting from all over the world—I host on Airbnb—and wanted them to know they were walking into a fun and funky home right away. Before, there was nowhere to hang coats, put dog leashes, or drop bags and keys, so I wanted to make sure all those bases were covered too!”

For a major style upgrade, Amanda added Dalmatian spots on the walls. She hand-painted them over the course of three evenings, and without using a stencil because she was going for a natural and eclectic look. “It was easy to just sip on a glass of wine, listen to some records, and just paint some dots on the wall,” she says. “I wasn’t entirely sure how it was going to turn out while I was in the middle of putting dots on my wall, but I’m so happy with the results!”

And maybe the best part: Amanda spent absolutely zilch on the project because she used leftover exterior paint and already had all of the decor and furniture items elsewhere in her house, including that IKEA table she hacked by replacing the knobs with boho ones from Cost Plus World Market.

Ready to spot up your own walls? “I recommend if you’re doing your spots over a few days to move around the wall as you’re making them so that you don’t get trapped in a certain pattern,” says Amanda. “Don’t overthink it—the messiness is what makes things beautiful!”

Inspired? Submit your own project here.