Sprucing Up The Doors

Ever since we found that fabulous salvage store in Greenville, SC this summer, doors have been on the brain!

(Some shots I took of my favorite Charleston, SC entryways.  Thank you to the kind homeowners who indulged me while I endlessly snapped shots of their front doors.  I'm sure these fine Southerners must get fed up with us tourists.  Hopefully they're more flattered than bothered. Maybe??)

Around here, it is, without a doubt, high time to replace our exterior doors (along with painting our entire house, replacing the windows, new shutters, window boxes, and oh. my. goodness.  I need to stop with the list)  So you get the idea - lots of OUTSIDE projects on the way!

For now, we're talkin' DOORS!

Way back in June, we bought a brand new front door.  {And by brand new I mean very old}
Ours was begging for retirement....it has welcomed so many memories and friends over the years, but poor thing was worn out:

And, though it was made with love by the previous owner, the stained glass wasn't letting enough light in and blocking that gorgeous water view.

So I blog-hopped a bit to find the perfect shade.  I fell in love with so many:

{images via apartment therapy}

I ended up going with blue.  There's just something about a blue door that seems so stately yet so inviting and cheery!

A quick trip to Home Depot and they color matched a favorite BM color of mine:  Stratton Blue (HC-142)  with Behr Ultra Exterior.

LOVE this color.  It's similar to the 2012 color of the year:  BM Wythe Blue, but just a tad darker.

So at 8:30 one night, I began painting.  Things like this always go unplanned at our house!  But, for some reason, I couldn't paint the front door just yet.  I need to sit with the weathered wood look for a while to see if it can stay as is.  I know it's completely untraditional and even unfinished looking, but I love the weathered and rustic charm of it.  I've got to get more gumption before I paint that one.  What do you guys think?  Paint or leave her be?

But don't you worry, I got to put my color to good use.   I started with our kitchen door.
Here it is before paint but AFTER a good sanding.  It had LOADS of poly on it!

A few hours later and. . . we've got color:

But back to the front door.  This is why I never get any projects finished- I write like I work.  Completely distracted.  All the time.

So after leaving the weathered look, painting the trim, removing the stained glass, and adding a vintage doorbell, and sprucing up the entryway:

... it is Huck approved!  

Here's a quick before/after for you:

Nothing life-changing and still needs lots of TLC, but it makes me feel like I'm truly home when I see this gorgeous view from the moment I turn the key:

And if you're in the market for a vitnage doorbell, check out:

House of Antique Hardware

They have lots of brass options, but we painted ours with Oil Rubbed Bronze once it arrived!