Front door makeovers can be one of the most satisfying DIY projects, since it takes just a little effort to make a huge impact.
My go-to move for a front door makeover is usually to switch up the color with some paint, but with my latest couple front door makeovers, I wanted to get creative and find some other ways to add character besides just a paint job.
Today I’m sharing 4 simple ideas to uplevel your front door besides just painting it
01 a fun knocker
Coming in hot with my favorite one first: a new door knocker. These come in so many different finishes and so many different styles so you can really use them to change the vibe of your door and showcase your personality.
From woodland creatures to vintage inspired knockers to sleek and modern ones, no matter what style your home is you can find an easy-to-add knocker that’s a perfect fit.
here’s some of my favorite picks
I’ve been seeing bees everywhere lately: as a motif across tons of showrooms at High Point Market, to a carpenter bee situation at mulberry manor and everywhere in between.
This felt like a sign so I decided to lean into this five and get this adorable Bee knocker for both MULBERY MANOR and my own house.
I went with the brass knocker for Mulberry Manor and the silver one to coordinate with the finishes at my house.
02 house numbers
There’s about 110 places you can display your house numbers — like my simple diy address planter — but adding them to the door can be such a fun after.
The little old tile sign on the door when we bought the house inspired me to add numbers to the door by creating a more polished custom-made sign.
You can definitely buy metal numbers, wood numbers, or a custom-cut address sign on Etsy to make this project quick and easy, but I decided to make my own.
I created a template in canva and printed it out on printer paper. Next I applied contact paper to a piece of MDF board. Using spray adhesive I secured the paper template to the contact paper and then cut it out on my scroll saw.
I primed and painted the letters gold, and secured them to my door with some wood, glue and painters tape to hold it in place while it dried.
This door was in rough shape and covered in lead paint, so it’s not in the budget to completely refinish or replace it anytime soon, but I feel like this sign goes so far to making it look fresh.
03 a kickplate
This is such a fun ad that provides function and a little personality. Kick plates are great for protecting your door, especially in Mulberry Manor which is going to become an Airbnb.
I wanted a way to keep the door looking fresh with many people entering and exiting with their suitcases, winter boots, etc. I chose this brass kickplate which comes in different widths and lengths to fit most any door.
Kick plates are a great way to continue the hardware story — getting one in a matching finish to coordinate with your handle and our door knocker.
Plus, they also provide an extra layer of protection, keeping your door from scratches and dings.
04 a new handle / lock
Switching out the door handle could be an easy swap that adds functionality, and completely upgrades the look.
Swapping out the handle can be an easy beginner-friendly project since many locks come with detailed tutorials or full video step-by-step to make this project approachable.
I’m also a huge fan of upgrading to a smart lock — even if you decide to keep your existing handle you can swap out your deadbolt lock for one with smart features.
I love not needing to remember keys and being able to create temporary access codes for guests, and my dog sitter.
But recently I upgraded to a lock that can also be opened with my fingerprint or by holding up my Apple Watch. I love this one because it’s quicker than a code and much easier to unlock the door hands-free if I’m carrying in boxes. I installed the aquara U100 smartlock which you can get on amazon.
door reveals
HARTFORD HOUSE
Here’s a little before and after of my front door — I just added a smart lock and the cutest little bee knocker. A kickplate is on the way, but I bought the wrong size so we’re going to have to wait on that one.
MULBERRY MANOR
And here’s my door makeover at Mulberry Manor. This one was in ROUGH shape so I couldn’t get away with not painting it, plus I wanted to add a fun color to make it pop so I used the same burnt orange color that I added on my statement ceiling in THIS bedroom makeover (screenshot the code HERE)
Painting your door can obviously make the AFTER even more next level, especially if you’re working with an old beat up door like this one.
