June Monthly Challenge: We Painted the Front Door!

I am taking this challenge pretty seriously this month!  It's on like donkey kong!

For those wondering what I am talking about, this month I challenged myself {and y'all}, to take back my outdoor spaces.  They have been feeling neglected this past couple of years and also feeling the pain of our six month winter season.

First up, the front door!

I wanted to start with a project that would have a nice, quick impact.  Something to really set the tone and the mood for the rest of the projects I want to tackle.  The front door has been a topic of conversation for a couple of years now, so it was finally time to do something about it!

White and gray and white and gray.  A little dash of black and some more white and gray.  That is the story of the front exterior.  But not the story of our colorful family.  It was time to bring in something a little more bold and happy.

Late last year I had painted some wooden planters a pretty light sea blue.  I looooved the color but ultimately decided it was a bit too light for the front door.  So, we held up oodles of swatches from a few of my paint decks, I chatted about yellows, blues and greens, but the hubby wanted to stick with a shade of blue, or nothing at all.  He was a little worried about adding color to the door, so something simple and a color that we tend to use frequently in our other decor was a must and the compromise to gettin' things done.

I ultimately decided on Behr's Harbor.  It is a pretty deep teally blue with a little bit of gray undertone. 

Just like painting a wall, it's really hard to know what a color will look like on a large surface, when just looking at a small swatch from a book.  But, I stared and stared at it and stared some more, looking at it from different angles and light, and ultimately knew it was the right color for us.  I couldn't wait to get started!

The first step was to wipe down the door with a soft rag, to remove dust and dirt and grime.

 
I also removed the door handle and washed away the rings of dirt.  Gross.

I had read a couple of tutorials that you should get your door ready for paint with a liquid deglosser, so that is just what I did.

I just applied it as directed, on a rag and in circular motions over the entire door.  One coat later and I read the back of the bottle for dry time, and saw that it wasn't intended for fiberglass doors.  Gee, Jen.  Read those things first!  Moving on.

So, I decided to dive right in with the painting.  For the door, I went with an exterior paint and primer in one paint.  I figured this would help the paint adhere better and also require a few less coats.

I used a super smooth roller for cabinets and doors to roll the paint onto the door.

And one coat later, I had really great coverage!!  I used a soft angled brush to get into the grooves of the door.

I let the door open and drying for about an hour.  It was a cooler day with a nice breeze, so it dried nice and quickly.

Second coat went on...

And after the third, it was time to start pulling tape!

When I stood in the front yard and looked at the door, I didn't love the white trim.  It didn't feel cohesive or like it made sense.  I googled a bunch of painted front doors and it appeared that majority of folks painted the window trim the same color as the door.  I liked that look better.  So I taped it off and painted the trim quick too. 

I was really happy with how nice and smooth it turned out.  I was a bit terrified we would have something blotchy or with brush strokes, which was part of the reason it took me so long to just do it already, but the roller and paint combo worked wonderful!

I have to say, I really love it!

The planters stayed the same color for now, but I have a bunch of other front yard projects up my sleeve, and they might get a little treatment to add a little more interest.

The blue is a nice match with the gray.  It's bold enough for me, to make a difference and to add a little drama to the house, but subtle enough for the hubby who didn't want anything too crazy and out of place for our neighborhood.

Painting the door went really quick.  About 15-20 minutes to wash it down, remove the handles and add the unnecessary deglosser.  Another 15 for the first coat, and each following, with an hour wait in-between.  And done!  We have a great start to our outdoor projects this month!  Now for the super fab before and after of the quick update!

I only painted the front of the door, the back is still white, but I might just leave it wide open all the time, because I really love the color it adds to the entry too!

OK friends!  Wish us luck for more progress this weekend and beg the rain gods to let up for a couple of days so I have some content next week.  Ha!  

Let's chat front doors!  Have you taken the plunge to paint yours, and what color did you go with?  What other ways have you added a little love and personality to the entry of your home?