When something you look at every day is actually hideous, it is time to take action!
Our bathroom door had seen better days for sure! In my never-ending quest to improve our small and high traffic bathroom, one of the biggest eyesores was actually found in the very thing I probably touched the most. The DOOR! Of course! And I realized that I felt just a little depressed every time I noticed the faded and dirty paint, as well as the painted hinges and lackluster doorknob. Not to mention the ugly hook my husband always uses, which he insists that I cannot take down!
For a quick and easy “Saturday Afternoon” makeover, I started with paint. I did not want to add any new and fancy hardware and then get paint on it! I used an ultra white paint with a satin finish, and went over the door (carefully to avoid drip marks) once as well as the trim. This brightened the doorway so much already, I almost stopped right there.
But then, powered by the desire to truly enhance the space, I headed to Lowes for 3 new hinges in a simple black. The trick with replacing door hinges is to only remove and replace one at a time, so that the door stays attached and hangs properly while you work. I replaced one hinge to bring to Lowes with me for comparison. The black hinges I purchased were basic black 3 1/2 inch hinges in a 3-pack, costing me about $10.00. One additional trick for replacing hinges is to bend the hinge the way the door swings once before you install it, as I have put a hinge on backwards on more than a few occasions!
What an update! From gross to greatly improved in no time!
The update was not to be complete without the new door knob. For this one, I did have to plan ahead because I wanted a fancier door knob so as to make a statement on this basic and lackluster door. I had in my head that I would use a vintage-style crystal door knob with a black finish to match the hinges. I was thrilled to find the CLCTK Glass Door Knob on Amazon for just over $30. While this is a bit pricy for a door knob, I am doing my upgrades as I go so this was very much a standalone one-time purchase. Considering the vast difference it made in the small project, it was worth the splurge! Remember that for a bedroom or bathroom, a privacy knob with a locking mechanism is probably a good idea!
As a final touch, and one I did not enjoy, I added an improved hook for my husband’s clothes hanging pleasure. I did it begrudgingly because I think it distracts from the beauty of the entryway, but sometimes to keep the peace we have to pick our battles. But overall, the door makeover was a fun means of decorator-therapy and I am pleased with the results! Since I had the paint, this whole update cost me about $45.00
What I used:
- Screwdriver – for replacing hinges I have found a semi-powerful electric screwdriver to be the way to go!
- Ultra White Paint in Satin and paintbrush
- A basic 3-Pack of black matte hinges from Lowes – similar to this: Reliabilt Interior Door Hinge
- CLCTK Glass Door Knob
And that is it! Add on just a little time and some elbow grease, and your experience walking of into and out of your bathroom just got better! I will admit that I asked my husband to install the door knob simply because I had never done it before, and it was just going to be quicker this way. Other than that, this is an update requiring no special skills. If you can use a screwdriver and a paintbrush, you are in business!
OK so what’s next? It is so fun to have a project, and even better to enjoy the rewards of your hard work! Go back to Home and see some other fun ideas!
