Front Door Makeover for $17

A great way to spruce up your entry way is to give it a pop of color. I chose to make this stark white area (1) a little more dramatic by painting the back of our front door black. Well, technically called “satin black” because plain black was too dark.

What I thought would be a 2-hour task turned into a 6-hour task as I had to use 5 coats of paint. Let me explain. The gal at the paint counter recommended a satin sheen. I cut in around the edges then rolled the rest. As with any dark color, you need 2 coats. However after 2 coats, I could see imperfections in the two layers of paint. I thought one more coat would even out the brush marks, but I was wrong. (2)

So what do I do now? In my frustration, I bought a quart of flat paint in the same color. I used a flat paint on the surrounding walls, so I knew that it would hide the brush and roller mark imperfections. I went ahead and painted 2 coats of the flat paint to ensure I covered the satin sheen, and it turned out great. The flat paint may not have the endurance of the satin sheen, but I was much happier with the overall appearance. (3)

So, long story long, you CAN spend $17 and create a dramatic look and feel to your entry way. Hopefully my mishaps with be a helpful hint for your next project.  😉