A Door Revolution Begins

Instead of finishing, say, removing the last vestiges of wallpaper from the upstairs hallway, or beginning some other project that would be a logical progression from the things I’ve already started, this weekend I began a revolution against the boring, white hollow-core interior doors that have taken over my house.

You guys, they are everywhere.

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I can only assume they staged a hostile takeover when I was distracted by, you know, painting the entire exterior of the addition and residing a barn, which just goes to show that you have to have CONSTANT VIGILANCE. (Applies to both Death Eaters and cheap building materials, apparently.) But now that I’m on to them, things are going to change around here, starting with this hallway.

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Actually, let’s have a little chat about what’s been going on in this 6×8 space in my house, and how I’m incapable of remembering to take pictures of it before it gets dark.

Last weekend my big plan was to paint the trim in the upstairs hallway, and, no shit, this is what happened to me… I put my lunch in the microwave for 5 minutes and told myself to grab the trim paint and brush and take it upstairs while the food was heating up. I picked up the can of paint, looked around the little hallway (right next to the microwave) and decided that since I was standing there waiting for lunch anyway, I might as well just put a quick coat of paint on the trim.

I mean… I don’t know what the hell I’m thinking sometimes, but I do know that “putting a quick coat of paint on the trim” turned into:

  • 3 coats of paint on the trim
  • the removal of the large awkward cabinet from the corner of hallway
  • subsequent removal of wallpaper from behind cabinet
  • swapping out the old light switch
  • patching the holes in the walls
  • fixing the new light so that no one would hit their head on it (speaking of which, good idea guys… next time I tell you I can’t do it, please tell me to shut up and give it a try because it wasn’t that hard)
  • painting the walls (the same Roycroft Mist Gray that the upstairs hallway will be)

Soooo… the ADD got the best of me there, apparently. And now what is arguably the least important space in the house is now the most “finished”, which has had an oddly polarizing effect on my emotions about the hallway. On one hand, I love the clean trim and the color on the walls. On the other? I can’t effing stand the pink floor and those bifold doors that lead to the laundry room.

I’d hoped to be able to make the doorway to the laundry room a bit smaller and put in a sliding barn door there, but it just isn’t going to work given the spacing, so this weekend I did the next best thing…
IMG_2262Aren’t they pretty?

Okay, no, but they are solid wood, and I’ve got plans for them that include a lot of sawdust, frosted glass, and red paint. And since I hadn’t given up on the idea of having a little barn-wood in that hallway, I also bought another door…

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I know it’s not a bad looking door as is (that’s because you can’t see the back) but it was actually the cheapest 30″ wood door in the store, and I had plans that included paint, some old barn wood, and spending a lot of quality time in the shop.

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Here’s a sneak peek at the progress…

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As I’m feeling out the style of Liberty House, I’m really loving the whole white-with-barn-wood look which is also part of my plans for the kitchen (once the wood paneling is painted and I figure out how to get some of my old barn beams affixed to the ceiling.)

I can’t wait to get this door installed but I’ve got a few more coats of paint to put on it and everything needs to be assembled before I attempt to hang it, which is going to be a… um, what’s the phrase I’m looking for? Oh, right, pain in the ass.

It will be so worth it though.

Even better? That’s not the only project I used old barn wood for this weekend, and the other one I actually finished. Yep, I’m totally going to leave you hanging on that one until tomorrow…

 

12 Responses

  1. Awesome! I am normally so good at doing just what you described and just starting a project for no reason, with 100 other projects already started.

    My boyfriend’s house and my house are full of half-started projects. We have now put our “foot down”. And keep each other in check to try to get at least ONE PROJECT FINISHED! I don’t know how many times this weekend one of us said, “NO! Finish something first before we start that!”

    Can’t wait to see the finished project on your door!

  2. Oooh – cool! I can’t wait to see it all put together. And high five on fixing the light! It belonged in that space!

  3. Love the vintage doors. It’s a challenge to manage project ADD, but I am actually pretty good about sticking to my list. (And not to be picky, but thought you might want to know you’re missing a ‘t’ in your title).

  4. Hey, kristin! I’m seeking a construction consult. Definitely not a diydiva, I’m looking for a contractor to re-do a tiny bath in a 900 sq.ft. House. Before I go to the construction contractor link can you recommend anyone who would be willing to do a gut and tile it all bath? 5×8 floor needs tub surround,new toilet,vanity. ans since it is the only bath, a 2day project max. this is a Ypsilanti tract house (1963) ranch over crawl 3 bd/1ba about to close for cash on Wed 9-26-12 . No urgency, everything functions, but wood paneling and stick down vinyl tiles don’t handle water well. Email text to 810-287-3105,or call if you prefer. (does anyone call anymore?). Love reading all about endless projects/ cringing @ the very idea for myself.
    aunt Kim. Aka Ooie’s sister# 2.

  5. I love what you’re doing. I believe we spend a lot more time looking at smaller details like doors and hardware than we’d even suspect, so I am not all surprised that you launched into this, even if it seems like sideways. I have half original doors, and half those exact same hollow core doors. I’ve found some of the removed originals pitched around the property in places like the garage attic, covered in bat turds (fun times). Have you found anything in your outbuildings? It seems like in all that trove of discarded stuff some archeology from the house would show up.

  6. I love reading about your adventures! The new doors look amazing! Sometimes, putting a smaller project at the top of the list, let’s you see a glimpse of the end result. I’m guessing you have lots of laundry to do, and every time you need to do a load, you will be able to smile being in a fabulous room.

  7. So could you do something to make the knotty pine paneling in the kitchen look like barnwood?? A dark gray transparent stain instead of painting it? Or a faux finish?

    1. You know, faux finish just isn’t personally my thing. It’s the texture, uneven weathering, and splintering of actual old wood that really works for me.

      I definitely see the faux look in other peoples houses and it works fine, it just doesn’t fit with my taste. Plus I feel like it should be the accent and not the main focus… that would be way too much in the kitchen.

      So the kitchen wood is definitely going white, but I am thinking about doing another big barn-wood piece (or vintage metal sign, if I can find one) for the large wall by the table. I’m hoping to have just a little bit of barn wood in every room.

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