Like Moth to the Flame

If you'll recall our post about a door color (from before we even got the house!), it was always our intention to paint the front door. The original color kind of blended in with the house itself and wasn't really the BAM that I was looking for.

So after looking at a couple of color samples, checking out some paint chips, and paying attention to other Bedford stone homes in the area, we decided on a nice red. Not a pink red or a really dark classic red, but a pop-bam-wow-burnt-orange-tinge red. Some people would call it a 'terracotta red', but that doesn't seem like as much fun.

To start the process, I picked up a quart of Martha Stewart's color Saffron in the Glidden exterior semi-gloss from Home Depot. I then took the door knobs and dead bolt off the door so it was looking something like this,

You'll also notice that the windows on the door are blue. That is painters tape that I covered them in, making sure to really push it into the corners of the windows. I then took a razor and cut the excess off to give a really crisp line. I wouldn't recommend using the Home Depot brand tape for this step. Buying the real Blue Painter's Tape will save you a bit of hassle, but I'll go into that later.

Next, I took a sanding sponge and really gave the entire door a good rub down. This resulted in a very odd color change that made the door look a little radioactive. This step was just to rough up the door and give the new paint something to adhere to, so be sure that you wipe down the entire door with a damp cloth when you've finished sanding.

Then, following the 10,000 tutorials on Pinterest, I then proceeded putting on the first coat. As always, begin with an even, thin coat. I would also recommend using an edging brush for painting doors because it will allow you to get into the nooks. It also addresses the crannies pretty well, too.

1. Paint the frames of the door panels,

2. Paint inside the frames

3. Paint the rest of the flat-panel portion of the door.

4. Repeat.

I would give at least two coats, but that depends on the color you're applying and what color you're trying to cover. Since I was going from a lighter color to a darker one, it was a little easier to cover, but sometimes the worst case scenario can leave you with ten coats to complete. If you are a little worried, I would recommend a good primer to bring you back to neutral, then applying your selected door color over that.

After my second coat, I was then able to pull my tape and let it dry. I had allowed an hour between coats, so I gave the door a good 3-4 hours to dry after the final one, just to be sure that it wouldn't stick to the door frame once it was closed.

When I pulled off the tape, I discovered that the paint had run underneath it onto the window panels. Once again, I have to admit that the Home Depot painters tape isn't the best, but at least with the bleeding on the window, I was able to take a scraper to it to clean it up.

When the door was back together, scraped, and ready to close, it really made a huge impact on our curb appeal.

I think it really pops against the orange-tan colors of the house itself.

While I was painting the house, Scott was putting together our new house numbers (that post will be coming up soon!). Together, they really help bring the front of the house to life!

Loooooooove it! What do you think? Does this make you want to turn your front door into a beacon of welcome?