So I've been thinking of painting my front door black. I think the results could be dramatic. This is not my dream door by any means, but replacing it is not in the budget.
What I'd really like is a lovely divided light door in a warm wood tone, no storm door, and much bigger sidelights. When the former owners installed this new door 10 or so years ago, they kept the small sidelights, which is a bummer because our house gets very little light.
Anyway, here's an interior shot of the door. Imagine it and the sidelights and trim black and give me feedback (please!)
The dealbreaker could be the outside of the door. Here's a picture, spiderwebs complimentary.
The ghostlike image of someone in a blue bathrobe hovering in the reflection? Yeah. I'm sick of being home sick.
That's off-white vinyl on the sidelights and bright white on the metal storm door. I'm thinking that while painting the interior of the door and trim would work, trying to paint the exterior would be a nightmare that could end up costing me money down the road because of peeling paint. I don't think I can get rid of the storm door because this area of our home is super drafty.
So please weigh in:
Painting this door black:
Good idea
or
Can of Worms?
YES!!! (And it will match the dog).
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I love the images you linked to of other black doors. And I really think it would be dramatic... and tasteful at the same time.
(My mom went through a kick of painting all of her old country-style wooden furniture black a couple years ago, when my Nana lived with them. My 80 year-old Nana whispered to me one time: "I'm afraid if I sit too long, she'll paint ME black...")
When we moved into our house, it had teal shutters and front door. Hideous. So we painted everything black. Including the screen door (which was teal). Granted - professionals did it - but honestly Anna, I think they just spray painted that screen door...
ReplyDeleteHmm. Do you still have a fever? 'Cause I try to avoid making decorating decisions when I have a fever. That being said, there's no better time to paint your door if you do have a fever, because a fever might actually make painting fun. I believe I totally overused "fever" in this comment. My apologies. I must have a fever.
ReplyDeleteI think black would be ugly...sorry to those that like it...but black would be better on a new sports car than your front door...[IMO] but don't listen to me I am a clutter-nut in the worst way....
ReplyDeleteHey, Anna :) I answered your question over there... the basic gist of my reply was "go for it!". But, of course, you knew I'd say that.
ReplyDeleteOn the front door - I think I'd try it out on a less prominent door first. See if you like living with it. The only black doors I second guess are our double front doors. Every once in a while I'm not sure I want those black. BUT, black they are and black they are going to stay for a while.
The other interior doors I love, love, love.
Warmly,
Jacci
http://homeforthebetter.blogspot.com
I am usually a lurker...but I say - go for it! I just painted our front door black this past weekend and I LOVE it...even with the tacky storm door. Replacing that (or removing it) is next year's project.
ReplyDeleteI am voting AWESOME.
ReplyDeleteYes yes, paint away. I moved into a home with a yellow door (cute, but a little too cute for me) & painted it black just a few weeks ago. Everytime I come home and see it (which is, well, every time) - I LOVE IT!
ReplyDeleteI say YES! I just painted ours black & though there's white trim around the door frame (on the outside) and we have a ratty old screen door, it made such a difference. It really didn't take that long!
ReplyDeleteMy only advice is that b/c a black door can look like a blackhole from a distance, choosing contrasting hardware (like polished nickel) would make the door shine even more.
On the "black hole" effect - if you paint your interior doors, be aware that a closed black door AT NIGHT looks just like an open black door... ouch.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a can of worms, but you do seem to enjoy worms. ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm voting for paint!!! Just tape off the storm door really well, cover the glass with paper and grab the spray paint. Just make sure you sand/prime it first to get a good stick. You probably know that though! :)
ReplyDeleteI'll be the first to admit that I’m a crappy decorator. Our lovely home was done by a professional and my husband. I watched the decision makers, panicked internally, then loved the end results. I never noticed that doors and door frames could be different colors! Wow – what a revelation. Anyway – you don’t necessarily have to paint both sides. Our front door is white on the inside and dark green on the outside. The decorator, painter, and husband agreed, so it must be okay. If you do both sides, from the outside, since the wooden door doesn’t currently match the white trim, I think you could just do the door for now while you figure out how to paint the rest of the trim, if you decide to.
ReplyDeleteI think it’s a fabulous idea and will be spectacularly sharp and crisp. And it will look fabulous just like everything else in the See house!
Anna, I love, love, love the black idea. Go for it, Sister!
ReplyDeleteYes to black! I chose beautiful black doors for the house we were in previously and loved them! Do it, do it!
ReplyDeleteHey Anna,
ReplyDeleteYour post got me thinking about my front door because I know it is black on the outside but I couldn't remember what it was on the inside of the house (sad, but true). So it turns out it is white on the inside and then black outside. I really like the black door and my sidelights are white. I'm not sure I would paint the inside of my door black because it wouldn't really go with the interior decor at the entrance. And I use the term "interior decor" loosely when speaking of the front rooms in my house! ;)
~Kathy
Here is just my opinion:
ReplyDeletePaint the outside side panels bright white so that they match the storm door.
Keep the storm door.
Do NOT paint the front door.
As a compromise, you could do some fancy stencil painting or some artistic... (insert some technique here that I don't know) to the frame of the storm door.
OR get some very large topiaries with black ribbons on the pots and put them in front of the side panels. If you get something tall, it will draw they eye to it.
Another option would be to keep the front door and storm door as it is, but paint the side panels black. I only think this would work, though, if there is something else that can be painted black like shutters or eaves or a fence. But, that's putting a lot more money into it.
One last thing, in the photos that you provided of other black doors, I especially did NOT like the glossy black doors. I like the matte ones better.
I say go for it - I think it would look fabulous.
ReplyDeleteHi- just found your site, love your posts, esp the parenting, too funny.
ReplyDeleteAnyway- whether to paint your door black--that depends on the surrounding colors. If you notice in the inspiration photos, they all have little black accents (dark floors, black bags on the wall, etc). So if you have other black accents around your entry- go for it, if not, maybe choose another muted dark color. i just painted my kitchen door "squirrel" by Behr. I have greenish/teal accents in my kitchen and it really picks up those colors while giving a dark appearance similar to the black.
As for the outside, I think it would look great. I would try to paint the screen door to match. I agree with many of the other posters in that black spray paint should do the trick. If you could add some other black accents around the door, all the better. Maybe a big pot spray painted black with a topiary as suggested by another poster. Good luck! Post after pics if you decide to do it.
absolutely! paint it black! as a side note...I can actually visualize the door black while the sidelights/trim stay white...indoors and/or out (take your pick). I think that would be stunning. either way...definitely paint it...it's such an easy way to update the look :-)
ReplyDeleteHi, just passing through for some late Thanksgiving blog reading - and I had to weigh in on this one. I have a black front door - but I just painted the door black, I left all the trim white, and it looks AWESOME.
ReplyDeleteYou could always try painting the door itself first and then decide about the trim later.
Now that you're in my google reader I got to see your last ten posts so I'm back for more. Definitely beats cleaning up, which is what I'm should to be doing.
ReplyDeleteEvery house that we've lived in I've painted the front door black. Every. Single. One. There's something so sexy about black. Except when it's in panty form and on my body (totally had to use that word after your last post. My word is "snack." EWWWW!!)
Leave the sidelights alone, and you can leave the "outside" of the door as is or paint it another color - it doesn't have to be the same.
Also would look more scrumptious and beefed up if you added some molding/header to the top....just sayin....
p.s I totally take photos in my robe. Rock on.
The doorway looks very nice
ReplyDelete