A $60 Door Makeover Makes This Entire Entryway Look Better (It’s So Dreamy!)
Even though they’re not a centerpiece, interior doors can really elevate (or have the opposite effect on) a room. There are easy upgrades you can do to your doors to get them looking ship-shape, like swapping out hardware, adding molding, adding a pediment overhead, or simply giving the door a fresh coat of paint.
DIYer and homeowner Sal Riley (@beyondtheblankcanvas) gave her door a whole new look for £47, or about $60 USD, and it improves the whole hallway.
“I decided to make a change, as it’s the first space you see as you enter the house,” Sal says. (The door goes to the garage.) “It felt so cold and wasn’t in-keeping with the house.”
Molding adds architectural detail.
Sal first researched door designs she liked, then she went to her local timber merchant. She spent about $50 on molding for the door and about $10 on glue. “I drew a template on paper to make sure all the measurements were right,” she explains. “Once I was happy with it, I drew it out onto the door. I cut the molding and stuck this onto the door using wood glue.”
Sal says it’s the best part of the transformation and “makes entering the house so much more inviting.”
Tan paint makes the hallway feel less sterile.
Another upgrade that makes the hallway feel warmer is the new paint, which is a creamier tan than the white before. Sal used Rustoleum’s Half Light for the project, which was gifted, and she painted the doors, walls, ceiling, and trim.
“Consider color drenching, as it creates a more cohesive look,” she advises. Don’t forget that fifth wall! Painting the ceiling the same color makes the space feel bigger. It blurs the lines where the ceiling and the wall meet, creating an illusion of a larger space.”
Charming checkered flooring completes the project.
Finally, Sal had new black and white tile flooring professionally installed to match the vestibule that the hallway leads to. “It instantly created a cohesive space,” she says. “I couldn’t have the border in the smaller space due to the size.”
Also of note on the floor: The recessed door mat. Sal says lifting the mat every time she vacuumed the heavily trafficked space was annoying, and this little luxury saves her the step.
Lastly, Sal added a thrifted bench and thrifted artwork. “Don’t ignore the small spaces,” she says. “Our entrance is now a lot more welcoming.” Specifically, she says the entryway “offers visitors a glimpse of the style and warmth they can expect inside.”
Inspired? Submit your own project here.