About a month ago, I asked for your help deciding what color to paint my front door. I was really stumped! Thanks to all of you for your input! We collected over 400 responses! Best.Readers.Ever!
Here's what you all suggested...
Red was clearly the winner with 52% of the vote and I agree that red would look fabulous on this house... if someone else owned it. For me, it's just too typical. I'm not the type that has to be different just for the sake of being different, but I do want my house to reflect me inside and out, and I just wasn't feeling the red.
So after staring at my house and this picture for what seemed like an eternity, I made my decision...
Tips for How to Paint Your Front Door
1. Clean the door well and let it dry (clearly this picture was pre-cleaning). Doors get really dingy and you want your paint on the door, not the dirt!
2. Tape your hardware Some people might suggest that taping is for a bad painter, but for me, I paid a pretty penny for this hardware and I don't want to be scraping paint off. Put your painter's pride aside and tape that baby nice and tightly!
3. Use Steel wool on any imperfections. Have any old drips or sticky spots? Steel wool will take care of that and make it nice and smooth. I had used some Zots on my door and had some sticky residue... not anymore!
4. Choose an Exterior Paint that you LOVE!
Drumroll please......
Introducing...
Valspar's Allen & Roth: Spritz of Lime!
I love it because it keeps me wondering... Yellow or Green? Depends on the light and that's perfect with me. Gives me two colors to love!
I really am happy. I was a tad nervous... well, after the ombre door fiasco, who wouldn't be! But, it in the end she's a real beauty!
I'm not showing you the whole front of the house because there's some major landscaping DIY going on and you'll have to wait and see!
I will show you my To Do list...
-House Numbers (finished and tutorial for adding numbers to a metal door coming this week)
-Must find the perfect rug
-Make planters
So, be honest... what do you think? Would you have gone with Red or is Spritz of Lime workin' for ya?
What color is your front door?
LOOOOOOOOOVE the color, it's fun and unexpected!!
ReplyDeleteLove it!! much better than red! I agree with you, red is too typical... Can't wait to see the whole front of the house to see how it looks!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat have you done with the ombre from the inside... did you paint the other side yellow too? white? just curioussss....
It looks wonderful and inviting. My house is Tuscan gold and I am thinking deep teal- it's scary but you give me courage.
ReplyDeleteOh that sounds awesome! I love gold and deep teal together!! You need to send us a picture when you do it!!
DeleteMonica
Awesome Exterior Painting work and great color combination for our all like door House in other then looking so beautiful amazing work.
ReplyDeleteExterior Painting
Love it!! I painted my door last summer and everyone kept recommending red and I just couldn't do it! I have a brick house and a red door just seemed too expected! I went with an aqua blue and I LOVE it! Your door looks fabulous and I love the numbers too!
ReplyDeleteThe color is very pretty. I would like to know if a quart was enough? and if you did the inside as well. Can't wait to see it all.
ReplyDeleteHey Tiffany!
DeleteYes, the quart was MORE than enough. We did two solid coats and I have about 3/4 of the can left still. Looks like I'm going to have to paint something else Spritz of Lime!! :) I did paint the inside, but not that color. I'll post about that next week because I added a fabulous rug in the foyer too!
Monica
I'd recommend removing the hardware - it makes the painting job easier since you don't have to go around handles/locks and removing/replacing hardware is quite easy to do. Love the color!
ReplyDeleteHey Heather!
DeleteYes, I was originally going to remove it, but for the life of me it was being a real pain. I was going to have to wait for the hubs to take it off and he wasn't thrilled with the idea of possibly putting it back together and it not working as smoothly etc... I guess the tape was our compromise :)
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Monica
I like the yellow...green. :) I wouldn't have went with the red because I agree that it's just not "me". I actually just painted our new front door purple. A very purty purple. :) The only problem is the new door is sitting in the laundry room and not actually gracing the front of my house yet so I can't tell people "It's the house with the purple door" yet. ;)
ReplyDeleteRed is typical but the color you chose is very trendy....I would have loved to have seen a reddish orange but as handy as you are with that paint brush this may not be the only color we see on your door! I love the way the door looks up close on your porch.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good color for your house. Different, but not too out there.
ReplyDeleteI'm about to paint my metal front door, and try to make it look like wood.
Wish me luck.
Can't wait to see the landscaping.
I love it!! I think it's perfect and different. Can't wait to see what sort of planters you do. I need something next to my doors but we only have a window on one side so it's frustrating to try and balance it.
ReplyDeleteI Love It!!! I am a Red Door lover, but this is such a fun color without being obnoxious. Great choice--and love the numbers too....
ReplyDeleteSpritz of Lime totally rocks my socks! You're right, red is too predictable!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the lime! I am doing robins egg blue on my front door... just waiting on the ok from the HOA :(. We have red brick so I wanted something that would pop in the sea of red. I hope I get that apporval before it gets too hot outside!
ReplyDeleteSo fun Kelli! We used to have a HOA and I hated waiting for approval. Now that we live in the woods, I can do whatever I want :) But, I don't have anyone nearby to borrow eggs etc from. I do miss that!
DeleteSend us a pic when it's done!
Monica
Absolutely love your choice of Spritz of Lime... it would have actually been my choice. That or the blue!! Love it! Love you guys. Have seen you on Nate. You guys are really great!!
ReplyDeleteI would love to see a pic of the whole house now with your new fancy color. I live in a traditional B and W colonial with a red door (wah! wah!) Red's been done!
ReplyDeleteI originally voted "red", but seeing the door with your house (inside and out), I'm glad you went with "spritz of lime"! It does seem to reflect more of your style (from what I've seen on the blog), and it look great with the other exterior colors.
ReplyDeleteWhat did you use to paint the door with (sprayer, paint brush, roller)? I'm going to be painting our soon and hope to get as nice a finish as you did! Thanks in advance!
ReplyDeleteI really, really love it!! Red is predictable.. but that awesome 2'fer color is ahhmazing!! Nice call!! :)
ReplyDeleteYay! for Spritz of Lime!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSuper cool! On my phone, it looks yellow, on my computer, it looks green! Awesome!!!
ReplyDeleteJust be sure not to put any strong magents (e.g., a wreath hook) on your front door. I painted my front door red and used the magnets to hang my door decorations. Well, when I moved the magnets, they ripped some of my paint right off! Now, I have to repaint the door again. Ugh!!
ReplyDeleteHey! You didn't strip the black paint? I am curious. My door is red, but the paint that is on it is peeling off. Your door is beautiful, BTW!
ReplyDelete