So we finally FINALLY got some warmer weather this weekend and it actually kinda felt like Spring. Even though there were spells of sun and spells of rain (typical Blighty that), I spent most of my time outdoors but happily undercover thanks to the little entry where my front door resides.
Oh yes, I made a start on my plans for the front garden. I don’t take this good weather lightly – when it makes it’s appearance, I take advantage. So I started something I’ve been wanting to do for probably over a year now – I painted my front door.
I was pretty sure I wanted to go with a dark blue but hadn’t had my mind made up until I saw these beauties.
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| Top Left / Top Right / Bottom |
Notice they are all slightly different depending upon the light. But they are all rather delicious. This, my friends, is Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue – it’s like a very dark peacock blue but sometimes looks almost navy. And this is the colour I decided to paint my front door.
It’s surprisingly easy to paint a front door. First all the hardware was removed. As the door was already painted, all it needed was a rub down with Scotchbright pads which are a rough scrubbing pad to score the surface to take the paint. We filled in some holes with wood filler, sanded them and after that, the door was rubbed down with white spirit and the old paint scraped off the windows.
After that, it was just a matter of taping off the glass and getting two coats of paint on there. I painted the first coat on Saturday and the second coat on Sunday. You don’t have to wait that long for the second coat (drying time is about 6 hours but it’s touch dry after 2) but I didn’t want to take any chances.
The paint goes on like a bright peacock blue (which admittedly scared me to start with) but as it dries, the deep bluey-green colour starts to come through, a hint of what’s to come.
After two coats, the door began to really come into it’s own and the addition of new brass hardware made it all va-va-voom sexy.
I also painted the alcove of the door with some fresh white paint and the door frame in a white gloss. The door really pops off the white now.
And here’s the door…
Before and After? Oh go on then. (No clue why the brick looks so much redder in the ‘after’, must be the change in light?) (Update! I just figured it out – the brick is wet on the picture on the right and dry on the left. Oooh she’s like Columbo!)
It’s not quite done yet – I’m awaiting a rather snazzy door knocker and I’m also waiting on some transfer film for the number on the transom window but it’s looking so much better already! Finally rid of that horrible reddy-orangey-brown colour and it really goes wonderfully with the brick around it. More to come!
What colour is your front door?
This is fab, I love it! Such a simple thing to do really but it has a big impact. I bet it makes you smile when you are arriving home and see it right??<br /><br />I was so looking forward to having a front door to paint (after 6 years in a flat) and then I find out that we are not even allowed to change the paint colour as not only is our new house grade A listed but it's in a conservation
It looks fab! My door was red, but a really horrible plasticky looking red. In the Autumn I painted it black and it looks so much better. I just need to do the garage door now, as it is still the horrible red. I've been waiting all winter to do it.<br />The front of your house is really characterful, I used to love the front of my Victorian house. They are how houses should look.
Fab my dear! You look like 10 Downing Street. :) Our door is FB high gloss as well, in black of course. Love what you've done so far!!
I LOVE IT SO MUCH! what a fabulous entry.<br /><br />michele
Ha ha Columbo :-) Liking your work, it looks great! Being a DIY geek I'm interested to know if you've noticed any differences between F&B and regular Dulux?
It's beautiful! Such a good rich color. I love the brass accents and I'm thrilled for your knocker-there are sooo many good ones out there it's hard to choose!
lovely blue!<br /><br />Trisha x
GORGEOUS paint choice! I love it! I might have to do the same in my future house :-) xxx
How funny I've just used that exact colour in the kitchen of the house I just designed! I used it on the kitchen island doors it's such a lovely colour I based the rest of the scheme on using the blue as an accent colour
Good color choice!<br />The blue contrasts nicely with the red bricks!<br />
What a gorgeous color! I've heard great things about Farrow & Ball paint. It's super-expensive here in the US and no shops around me carry it. I almost mail-ordered it for my coal-colored powder room (which I still need to take photos of) but I went with a different paint brand instead because I was already pushing it budget-wise. (Budget being $0, of course!)
Fresh and gorgeous. Now that door really is Swoon Worthy! :)<br />
Oooh that COLOR! Love it, especially with the bronze fixtures. My front door is red. Do not love it.
SO smart, makes a tonne of difference and looks fantastic. Farrow and Ball wins every time!
Beautiful door! I love English doors! So full of character and details :)<br />My door is white but not a proper entrance door… :(