Paint Your Front Door For a Punch of Color
Modern Masters gave me some free paint to try out for this project! All opinions are my own!
This weekend, I painted my front door! It started off as a boring brown:
BEFORE
And now, it’s a fearless red!!!
AFTER
When you buy a house, you tend to rank the order of importance of your DIY projects. Usually, you start on the inside, starting with the ugliest eyesore, right?
But the eye-sore called my front door, I lived with that for 4 years!
Part of the reason is because the color of my brick is a bit “blah.” It’s this orange brick color that is limited in colors that can match it well. So I stuck with the brown. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?
I mean, turquoise is my favorite color, but could you see this house with a turquoise door??
Ummm…no.
Another reason is because I could barely take care of the projects inside much less focus on the outside. (I still struggle with this).
5 Tips For Painting Your Front Door
Painting the front door, it turns out, was such an easy update, even the most uncrafty person could do it! Here are a few tips to help you out.
TIP #1 Get Your Hands On the Good Stuff
Probably one of the reasons I never painted my front door is because I didn’t know what paint to use. Recently, however, I had been offered an opportunity to try Modern Masters’ Front Door Paint. As a blogger, I love to try new products for my home (gotta love the perks!) :). So I figured I would give it a whirl. I mean, they claim it never fades. Probably won’t peel either. AND, I don’t think you need a primer. Now that I know it’s as easy as that, let’s get to it!
And although I was a little nervous about the color I chose, I knew I could just paint over it again if I didn’t like it. After all, it is just paint.
I just finished my kids’ bathroom makeover last week, and there’s this phenomenon in DIY: when you’re not working on a project, you go through DIY withdraw. It’s a real thing! Just check the DSM V…. 😉 LOL.
So working on giving my door a punch of color was just what I needed this weekend.
TIP #2 DIY All the Other Stuff, Too!
I can’t just paint my front door and call it a day. I’ve got to make sure the gutters are functioning (they were clogged). I’ve got to fix the lamps (I painted them, although I didn’t post pics of it). I wanted to make sure the whole surrounding area was taken care of, too. A front door is only going to look as good as its surrounding area!
Covered in Slop!
Let’s first back up to how my Sunday started this past weekend….
I just have to throw this in there because I was sooo proud of myself: I cleaned my own gutters!! When it rains, the water was just pouring down into the step below. I didn’t want any water to ruin my new paint job.
Okay–I just the front section of this itty bitty lower level. But I’d never done it before. It feels good to take your home maintenance into your own hands, doesn’t it?? Plus, I’m too cheap to pay someone to do my gutters right now. The 30-Day August Upgrade Room Challenge literally broke the bank (can we say “nonsufficient funds”??).
So now that this section of gutters were cleared, I was ready to make the door pretty.
(Does someone have $8,000 for new gutters? Plllleeease??) #FakeGutterGuards
TIP#3 Don’t Go Into It Blindly!
Even though it’s “just paint” and you can paint over it if it doesn’t look right, you owe it to yourself to at least “try it out” before you get started so that you’re less likely to waste your time if you’re unhappy.
Is This Going To Look Right?!
I was skeptical, though, about how the Modern Masters Front Door Paint would look in Passionate, the color I chose. When I first received it, I offered to “send it back” because it looked like “eggplant.” I’m sure the marketing reps thought I was crazy!! LOL
I had tried their app (free in both iPhone and Android) that lets you sample their 24 colors on your door just by taking a pic. I just had to snap and then drag the lines to crop it….
The red was a little….bright. But then, I figured it was just the screen resolution. It was fun testing out all the colors, though!
I’m not trying to be funny! Even my yougest made a comment about it!
But the blood red wasn’t going to stop me. I knew it wasn’t going to look that bright once it started to dry….
TIP #4 Plan on Two Coats When You Paint Your Front Door
In the DIY world, it seems like two coats is the standard coverage for ANYTHING. You can see why. Here with just one coat, the coverage is spotty. Looks like my youngest son painted it. Trust me, two coats will look perfect!
And please don’t laugh at (what my friend called) my “Nipple Lamp.” It, too, will get a makeover/upgrade when the budget is right! 🙂
After 2 wet coats, it was looking pretty good!
Tip #5 Don’t Forget Your Shutters!
The question here is, “Should You Match Your Shutters To Your Door?” when you paint your front door or makeover your shutters?
You don’t have to. I’ve seen many of red doors with black shutters (which looks GREAT on a white or gray house!) But in my case, because my house was already a couple shades of orange brick and off-white vinyl, I figured I would keep the shutters the same as the door. They badly needed paint. But I was just hoping that all that red wasn’t “too” much.
It’s okay to do a sample to see if you like it. If not, pick another color that compliments your new door and house color. There are not rules here :).
BEFORE
Worn….desperately in need of paint! Why had I never looked this closely at my shutters? I had no idea they were so scratched up….
No turning back now!!
AFTER!
Okay, I think this may work….I’m digging this deep red!
TIP #6 Safety First!
I had to go back and edit this post because of a reader/friend that told me about her dad that fell off a ladder 20 feet high with terrible outcomes. Yikes….that scared me straight! Be careful when using a ladder to paint your shudders (or doing anything with ladder work). I didn’t have a spotter, but probably should have.
The Challenging Part
I still haven’t done the upper shudders. I guess I’ll get to them some day….when I have a ladder…..
Buy Front Door Paint on Amazon
If you’ve ever wanted to add a punch of color to your exterior, painting your door (and maybe your shutters!) will be the easiest way (aside from adding pretty flowers!) :). This makeover didn’t cost me anything because Modern Masters supplied the paint. But for a normal quart of this stuff, you’ll pay $34.95 on Amazon
. It went a long way! I used two coats on (basically) two doors and 4 shutters, and I still had some left in one quart, which was impressive!
Okay, so what do you think??? Big improvement over the yuck brown??!! And what do you think– do you have to match your shutters to your house, or can you mix them up? Leave a comment below to tell me!
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Thrift Diving inspires women to decorate, improve, and maintain their home themselves...using paint, power tools, and thrift stores! Use these 5 printables, checklists, and ebooks to get started!
Another great job Serena. Love the color on the door and shutters.
Thanks, Lonnie! 🙂
Looks great! We have the same color on our front door, but ours is a gray vinyl with black shutters. Brick is actually surprisingly fogiving on what color you choose, even if it is orange.
Coming from a family of electricians, I’m more than waiting to see what you’ll do with the lights. Those are some seriously 70’s vintage pieces! Let me know if you need any advice on rewiring or even if you plan on a different design style.
I had no idea you had electrician skillz. I should have been emailing you with my questions!! 🙂 So are you saying I should keep the lights? Yes, they are definitely 70’s vintage! I tried to paint them. I guess they look better (although I didn’t really show that part). One problem I am having is that I can’t get the screws to budge–the ones that are suppose to hold the glass in place. Thus, the glass is sitting **on** the screws, which is why they’re crooked. You think WD-40 would loosen them?
Those screws have thwarted many a light fixture project, especially if it was an outdoor fixture. Since the metal is often thin, you can’t go at it too rough. Try WD40 and a good pair of pliers, then possibly move to drilling them out if need be. Since you’re painting, you can even try a bit of heat from a torch, but it will discolor the metal. Let me know how it turns out and feel free to e-mail me any electrical questions.
How do I drill them out? Ohhh….could I just use a lighter as my torch, too? 😉 I need you as my DIY Adviser. LOL
Sounds like a cushy gig. Do I get dental with that?
A lighter would probably not be enough heat to remove the screws, but after spraying them with WD40, it might make for a really funny DIY story!
OH NO!!!! HAHAHA, yeah, that’s nothing something I should do TOGETHER, huh? lol
Sorry, no dental…! You’d have to just remove all your teeth in this position. LOL!
It looks great and really gives things a fresh look, so the red was the perfect choice. Usually the “seems too loud colors” are ideal for front doors. We had the same issues last year with a boring primer white front doors & crazy old black shutters. One shutter got ripped off thanks to a bad storm and one refused to stay up so we lived with it off for years (ghetto looking I know). We had to get new shutters, but chose a Wedgewood blue and painted the doors the same. It’s a major update to our late 60’s house. We had to spend a small fortune repainting the rest of the house, fixing gutters and siding eaves too, but no one notices all that – just the doors & shutters. Definitely a big bang for buck change!
I know, don’t you hate spending money on all the things no one will notice?!?! LOL How much was it to fix the gutters? Did you replace them or just repair? I once got a quote, and for all new gutters, it was like $8,000! I said, “No way…..”.
Awesome on the blue! I bet it was a big upgrade to your exterior!
Those sorts of fixes drive me crazy – no one appreciates the $1500 roof repair, or $1400 soffit replacements, but me! And despite the costs, repainting our siding, doors & trims cost a lot less then replacing them all together. The gutter repairs were just a few hundred. They’d looked so rough and warped I’d been sure we’d have to replace them, but we didn’t. We had a contractor modify a leaky downspout and install screw mounted hidden gutter hangers. That trick really keeps the gutters from pulling away from the house or warping when hit with a lot of rain or ice. No more icicles hanging down in winter and they are doing a great job. Now when we pull up the drive I like what I see instead of sigh at how dilapidated things look:)
Yikes!!! At least you had an honest person tell you you didn’t have to replace the gutters. I feel that, because we may not know things, contractors can take advantage of us. I love sounding like I know what I’m talking about so we don’t get swindled. LOL. When we moved in, I knew we needed something for our basement–some sort of airflow or dehumidifier, etc. Well, wouldn’t you know, some company came ‘a calling and sold us this $1,500 piece of craft Air breeze thing that was nothing but a joke. I was too stupid to know what we really needed, and too scared to NOT buy it. I should have taken them to court!!!!
Anyhow, glad you like your exterior now! It sucks being the most outdated or worn house on the block!! Been there–done that! LOL
We’ve had plenty of those moments too. Doing a lot of online research & getting an Angie’s List membership has really made a huge difference for us in finding good services and having an idea of what we should need/how much to pay. Now that the outside is fixing up & looking good, it’s time to get the inside shaped up – which is why I’m so glad to have found your blog!
Yes, I love me some Angie’s List! I have been a member for a couple years, and I have had good service with each company I have found on there.
I’m glad you found me, too! 🙂
Great job! The red door looks great!
Thank you, Shelly!!
I love it! We moved into a new house earlier this year, and painted our front door red too! A new project for you next year should be pulling out all those shrubs around your house and planting flowers!
Helen, can you come help me do it? LOL I have never pulled shrubs, and I have never planted flowers. I have a black thumb–every plant I touch dies! LOL. Any tips on getting all those shrubs out?
I absolutely love your doors and shutters. I am going to get that paint for no matter what grade we get, our doors fade front and back…so I may as well not choose my paint color! It fades into a totally new color!!!!
You want new lights? Well you may. But I think they are so cool. I’ve never seen any like them before. And if spray paint would freshen them, I’m sure you have some. But I honestly thought you’d found these ultra modern unique lights!!! It is perspective!!!
Then I was admiring your yard. Yes. It is so lush. Simple manicured yard. Green. Bright. AND then you kept apologizing!! I went back and looked. Nope. Looking good to me from out here in parched CA where trees are dying and I’ve got a pest that sends a spider so I have dying trees and cobwebs all over. And redwoods all over town are crisp RED not the pretty forest green. My flowers died though planted with mulch. So I once again think Perspective!!!!
You said Old fashioned door. But I find its style very eye catching. I love brick homes. Yes, it won’t be easy to do the top shutters and if they stay brown its like they are a different level. Like your top part is not all brick. Don’t sweat it. I feel like it looks complete how you’ve done it and red and brown are similar. After all people are doing upper and lower cabinets different colors so…..why not upper and bottom floor shutters different complimentary colors???!!!
Great job!!!
Oh wow, Gwen, you just put it into perspective indeed!!! I’m so sorry you guys are having that drought. I’ll look at my grass much differently now!!! Oh, and the lights, too. I do need to get some black spray paint. I tried painting them with the Graphite Annie Sloan, but that’s more dark gray. I need black spray paint. So cool that you like those lamps! Maybe I DO need to keep them, then! 🙂
Funny you mention about people doing upper and lower cabinets in different colors. I thought about the same thing when I looked at the house the other day. I was like, “Hmmm…well, people are doing upper and lower cabinets different colors. So maybe I can do that with shutters, too. ” HA! 🙂 Thank you. I may just keep them brown. I think I may paint them anyhow, but with a fresh coat of brown! 🙂
Man, I love you guys….always giving me ideas and letting me know something doesn’t look as warped as I first thought! 🙂 Thanks, Gwen!
Oh and didn’t we say we are looking for little ways to save $ to be debt free and also to spend a bit for the biggest WOW factor? That’s when I analyzed and decided my builder grade tiny brass hard to change lights were being replaced ( a few yeas down the road) but I did not get my new shutters I really wanted to go with the Spanish influence style in every tract home neighborhood. Brick homes are rich people’s homes out here!!! 🙂
I usually try to have a pot of flowers ( mums now) by the front door and think outside the box for your container. Tall, we actually put a pot on an unturned pot and glued. But these are inexpensive in the fake now. I get inexpensive. You have snow and all. That’s when in fall I’d switch to sticks ( for your boys to have instant toys?!) for height (free) a couple 99€ little white pumpkins then in winter spray those sticks white or silver and its good!! I also look at Home Depot for a nice mat for the front door to catch the guests dry, water, wet leaves plus it adds sparkle. Their prices and durability are the best. All that I’ve told you is a one time investment that lasts for years. Yet adds curb appeal. Gardening was my passion. Over summer all died of my planted pony packs so I will get a few to add sparkle. But you don’t need it. Just a little something classy at your door!!! Enjoy your weekend!!!
Ps. You don’t have time for flowers. I think your shrubs are in proportion to your house and to me, make your home look sophisticated. They are not overgrown type. It is not a cottage garden feel. So when it snows you’d have a mud pit??? No. I think your mind can start small. Plant a pot. I went to Stanford hospital weekly for over two years. Across is an upscale outdoor mall with the most beautiful flowers and trees for every season. Their trick? Pull out flowers that look bad and plop new in. Copy them with your pot. Stay simple. Use good potting soil. Go to a real nursery. Their flowers are just better and bigger. And then stop. Take a break!!!!
Love your blog – and love your projects! The door and shutters are fab!
Awww…..I love having you here, too, Laurel! 🙂
Love it, so bright and cheerful!
Thanks so much, Kim! I agree. That brown door was doing my exterior no justice. LOL
Love it, girlfriend! That red matches your orange brick beautifully, and will be a great background color for whatever kind of wreath you hang on your door. BTW, I love your doors – of course the new sassy color, but I mean the doors themselves. Love vintage! Great job 🙂
I love the way you think of them that way–vintage. Hubby and I have complained for years about needing new doors. I mean, I’m sure we probably do, but these appear to be the original 70’s doors, and they’re still in decent condition. I think it gives the house a bit of character now, to go along with their vintage flair! 🙂 Thank you for helping me to see them that way instead of just “Let’s get rid of those old doors!” LOL 🙂
Great Job! We’ve been in our house for two years and I’ve often thought of painting the front and back doors. Ours is also red brick and the doors are this brownish red “dried blood” (I know gross) color. I’ve been thinking charcoal gray (to match the trim) or dark green. Now you’ve given me inspiration!
Yes, do it!! The Modern Masters Front Door Paint has a gray color. Not sure it’s what you want, but I imagine you could mix the gray and the black to get a darker charcoal color. Here’s the app. Try it with the gray they have listed there and see what you think!
http://www.modernmasters.com/products.asp?mode=lp_palette&lid=19&gid=162
Thanks, Jill!
okay, piggy-backing here in your conversation, but my house is also that red brick with the reddish brown “dried blood” front door (my shutters are white). I was thinking of going yellow “happiness” with the Modern Masters door paint — and lately I have really been wanting to paint the front door so this post comes at the perfect time. Thanks for the intro to this brand of door paint, I’ll check it out at the N. Hagerstown Lowe’. And the red looks great by the way!