Painting Front Door- Interior

Painting the interior of your front door is a great way to brighten, freshen-up, create a new look and make a bold statement in your entryway. The color you choose all depends on the look you're going for, your decor and your homes lighting. I prefer a white or black door, to me it looks classic, crisp and sophisticated. It will also go with most decor. While black is more bold and will hide dirt, white will brighten the space and even make it appear larger giving you that airy-feel. For my home I choose white because my house tends to be dark (due to the large trees surrounding our home) and it's quite small cozy.

This is what I started with:

The door was dirty...

it had a nail in it...

old nail holes...

old caulk...

bare wood around the door knob...

chipped and rusted hinges...

...and peeling paint!

Step 1: Choose a color (I used Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore, it's a bright yet not stark white).
Step 2: Clean door and trim (use a damp cloth).
Step 3: Fix caulk and fill-in any holes (if necessary).
Step 4: Tape-off or cover windows, door knobs, hardware, floor, door sweep, etc. (anything you don't want to get paint on).
Step 5: You're ready to paint!

Note: Preparation can be tedious and time consuming but don't get discouraged, once you're ready to paint it goes on quickly!

Tips: Use a semi-gloss sheen, it will be more durable, easier to clean and look more crisp. Paint from top to bottom. For flush doors, roll paint on in the direction of the grain. For doors with inset panels, paint in the order of recesses, panels, horizontal rails then vertical stiles.

You may debate whether or not to take the time to tape, but the clean lines and not having to scrape are well worth it.

Make sure to tape around the bottom if you're also painting the trim.

To keep your door knob free of paint, simply wrap it with aluminum foil.

Before

After

I love how Benjamin Moore describes Chantilly Lace... "As delicate and refined as the lace it was named after, this crisp, clean white evokes images of pure silk, soft linen and simpler times." ...Now that's what I want on my walls!

What color is the interior of your front door painted?