When Behr asked me to partner with them to update our front door with BEHR ULTRA® Exterior Paint, I hesitated a bit. Hear me out- The front door makes the first impression of your home, and you only get one chance to make a first impression! That seemed like a lot of pressure and the what-if’s and self-doubt started taking over my mind- what if I do a terrible job and ruin our home’s first impression and curb appeal?! What if everyone walking/driving by will see my mistake?! After I pushed my self-doubt to the side and gave myself a pep talk, I was ready to partner with Behr and re-do our front door! One of my goals for this year was to try new things and cheer myself on in the process. I wanted to cheer myself on like I do every other person! Also, it’s important to me to have my kids see that I am willing to try things that make me stretch and not be afraid to fall. I am happy to report that not only did my painting my front door go smoothly (and easily!) it looks AWESOME! If you are nervous like I was, I’ll share some tips below to help you get it right.
Our Front Door- A Little History
We have captured so many memories in front of our door. It is where we take our first and last day of school pictures. It is also where we make the holidays come to life with décor. Last year, we decorated our door with positive messages by way of rainbow hearts. It was our way to connect and encourage our community. While they left a lasting impression in our neighborhood, they also left a lasting imprint on our door when we removed them. It was time to show our front door a little love with a fresh coat of paint.
Choosing a Color
When it came time to choosing a color to update our front door, it took me 0.0001 seconds to decide that I wanted a black door. For years I have wanted to update the exterior of our home using a black and white color palette. While we still have a ways to go in terms of painting the entire exterior of the house, I was so excited to give our front door a clean and modern update!
I chose Behr Ultra Exterior Stain-Blocking Paint in Limousine Leather (with a satin finish). I was blown away at the coverage and forgiveness Behr Ultra Exterior paint offered this newbie painter!
Tools and Steps
Here is what you need:
Behr Ultra Exterior Stain-Blocking Paint
Painter’s Tape
Paint tray
Angled brush
Mini paint roller
Drip Cloth
The first thing I did was to clean the door using a wet sponge. It was a hot day and the door dried quickly. I then sanded the door lightly and again used a wet sponge to clean the surface. Next, the door hardware was either removed or covered with painter’s tape. A drip cloth was taped down to protect the floor. Then it was time to get painting! I used my angled brush to get into the grooves of the cutouts. I would suggest painting the grooves first before using the roller to paint the rest of the door. Make sure to paint with the grain of your door. My door only required two coats (I was amazed by the coverage of a single coat!).
Styling Time
The update of my front door would not be complete without updating some of the décor accents as well. The front of our house gets full sun for most of the day, so I decided to spruce up the area with olive bushes. I loved the simplicity of these terracotta pots and they mesh well with the brick façade on our home. I added a vintage-Persian-style rug layered with a braided coir mat. It has been so hot here and I wanted to leave out some cold beverages for the kind folks who deliver packages to our home. The gold plant stand is currently a drink stand that we hope will spark a smile and spread a bit of kindness to anyone who comes to our door!
What do you think? What color would you choose for the re-doing of your front door?
With Love,
Shahla
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