Open the Door

This article will be a simple reminder for all of you DIY'ers out there. One of the easiest thing's to update in order to give your home some more curb appeal... is the front door. This can be accomplished in several ways, you can accent your door with a new decorative "Welcome" mat and add a hanging ornament to give it the look you are desiring. These are both items that can be easily rotated out based off the yearly seasons. We all know that wreaths are a very popular front door accent during fall and winter months. While you may want a beachy theme in the Spring and Summer months. But why not go a step further, have you considered changing the front porch light fixture? There are countless options and designs on the market today, no matter your style you can rest assured that you'll find the perfect fit for your home. How about adding a traditional screened porch door, it compliments your house with the rustic ranch style while also offering you full function of keeping those bugs out. This lets you "open the door" and enjoy that summer evening breeze, and a cool breath of fresh air in the fall. 

The last step is to either change your whole front door, maybe it has glass and you want a more Craftsman style door. These are fairly simple changes to make. You will need to use a measuring tape to get your current door dimensions prior to going to pick out your new door. This makes for a seamless transaction with little or no trim needed. Don't forget to bring a friend or the "hubby" for all the heavy lifting. 

While changing the whole door can be an easy way to get "the look" you want, it may not always be in the budget. Door's can range from $200, easily up to $5000. This is not even including the hardware, or additional items you may be seeking. Sidelites are the smaller window openings to the left and right of your door that can give you a larger amount of natural light. This along with the option of adding a double door can quickly add to the price tag. Because if you do not currently have an opening large enough, you will have to hire a contractor to cut a new hole and install it all.

If you do not have that kind of funds, no sweat. There is another alternative that can give you the homey feeling your seeking without the large dent in the wallet. Simply paint your existing door the color of your choice. This will instantly give your home that nice curb appeal you are trying to achieve. It only requires a very small bucket of paint, a brush, and some painters tape or screw-driver. Your can either remove the hardware and paint the door, then reinstall it. This takes some muscle, or you can use painters tape to mark off the hardware so your paint does not drip on it. Either way, the finished product will be Eye Catching!!! Now use a combination of these tips and get busy decorating your home today. 

BTW if you want More Ideas of what to put on your front door or porch, check out our "5 DIY Winter Wreath" blog article and this Farmhouse Resource!