DIY Front Door Makeover – Make a Good First Impression for Your Home

 

If you follow my blog, you know I love me some DIY.  DIYing is a great way to have nicer things without breaking the bank.  However, there are some things you shouldn’t DIY…

 

 

When we first moved into our house four years ago, it was filled with stock, builder-grade fixtures.  Everything was cheap gold/bronze and very basic. I discovered that a few coats of spray paint could make for a quick and lovely makeover for many of the bronze fixtures, and saved me the money of replacing everything completely.  That being said… there are some things that aren’t suited for the quick spray paint fix.  Case in point, my front door knob and door handle in the photo above.  Something with this much handling won’t stay looking good for long, as the paint will wear off.  See how the original bronze poke through in several spots (some really badly)?  Not a good first impression for our home!

 

Thank goodness Unhinge Hardware reached out to me to help me make this right!  They reminded me that it was easy to do a DIY front door makeover by changing out the hardware yourself.  Door hardware and nice knobs are like jewelry for your door.  They are a detail that really helps to set the tone for your décor style.  Unhinge invited me to check out their site to see all of the DIY tips (including easy-to-follow quick-reference guides to help you determine what type of hardware you need for your doors depending on the way they open, what side the lock is on, etc.) to make it easy for someone to do this themselves.  They also have an inspiration board to inspire you on the style of hardware that suits the home décor look you are going for.  Are you more of a Brooklyn Charmer, or Downtown Delight?  London Townhome, Boho Charm, or South Beach Bliss?  They sell hardware for other doors, walls, and cabinetry too – not just front doors.

 

I chose oil-rubbed bronze for the finish so it would match my other external hardware (my outdoor light fixtures and planter pots).  I decided on the Mayfair style handleset (which Unhinge describes as simplicity to blend into your décor) since it goes with the classic, minimalist chic look of my home décor.  When you build your set on the Unhinge website, you customize it for your door based on their buying guides and the kind of knob you want on the inside.  There are several combination options for each handleset.  Oh, and did I mention the price is great?  The cost was about $50 less than the average retail price at stores like Home Depot.  More than a can of spray paint, but way more durable, and still much less than buying a new doorknob handleset at full retail price.

 

The shipping was super quick, and the handleset arrived with two keys.  My husband was able to switch out the full doorknob, handle and lock set in about 30 minutes.  It was a very intuitive DIY process, especially considering that Unhinge has an Entrance Handleset Installation Guide linked right on the product page that includes instructions and pictures.  The door and lock feel solid and secure, and of course look much nicer than my finagled DIY option from before.

 

Here is my new and improved front door, from the inside and the outside:

 

 

So that you can see the transformation, here are the before and after pictures:

 

 

Get your new “door jewelry” from Unhinge Hardware here!  What are some easy DIYs that you have done to give your décor a quick update?