Doors are often overlooked as a place to add a creative touch, so here are some ideas and tips you can use to incorporate your doors into your room design.
When decorating rooms, doors are often overlooked as a place to add a creative touch. Instead of ignoring the door as if it does not exist, why not include it into your design and make it an inviting introduction to the room. Here are some ideas you can use to incorporate your doors into your room design.
1. Distress a new door for an antique look. This is an excellent project for a beginner. There are several ways to distress a door:
A. Paint the door a color that coordinates with the room. Once the paint has dried, paint a second in coat white. Once the second coat has dried, sand it lightly to allow the first color, and a bit of bare wood to show through.
B. Purchase a crackle kit from the craft or hardware store. This will give the door the look of having layers and layers of paint built up over time.
C. Add a bit of varnish to a painted door using a dry brush. Make sure the varnish gets into all of the cracks and crevices. Wipe off the excess varnish with a rag.
2. Add details to an otherwise plain door.
A. Tromploi simply means to "fool the eye". You do not have to be an artist to mimic this technique. The materials you will need are Painters tape, a level, a pencil, and a shade of paint a little darker than your door color. You can use the technique to create panels to your door by taping off two squares, one within the other, and painting the area in between the darker color. It is very simple to do, and if you need extra help, you can find tutorials online or in "how to" books.
B. There are also kits you can purchase that will allow you to add wood grain to an otherwise plain door, thereby making it look more expensive.
3. Turn your door into a canvas for a mural.
A. To prepare your door for a mural, paint it first with a primer-sealer. Next, add several coats of gesso to prepare it for painting. Let each layer dry before painting the next.
B. Choose a design for your door. An obvious idea for your door design would be a barnyard door with a horse or rooster looking through an opening. A fun and easy idea would be to stencil a decorative floral design on the door. For a children's room, you can paint a fantasy scene on the door to coordinate with the room décor.
C. Create your mural: Once your design is chosen, all you need to do is draw the design on the door and paint it. If you need some assistance drawing the design, you can use an overhead projector to project your design onto the door and then trace it. If you are not an experienced artist, just paint between the lines in the same way as you would color in a coloring book. Do not worry that your door may not look professional. The primitive look is very popular.
D. Finally protect your painted door with a clear gloss coat.
