Giving Your Front Door a Rustic Look

A rustic front door will give you a warm welcome when you come home, as well as to friends and family when they visit. Having an eye-catching door also adds curb appeal to your home by adding interest. It makes everyone wonder what’s on the other side. To give your exterior this rustic appeal, follow these simple steps. You can purchase all of the supplies you will need at a home improvement store.

Step 1 - Trim

You can add more of a rustic look to your door by adding a wood frame. Install wood beams around your door. Measure around the door and write these measurements down. At the home improvement store, choose the wood beams that you like, and ask them to cut the beams to your measurements. Install around your door, and apply the finish of your choosing—paint or stain to match the exterior of your house as described in the next step.

Step 2 - Paint

This is a quick fix-up for an old door or a new door that needs some character, and you can complete it in just a few hours. Be sure that you tape off all of the hardware on the door before you paint. First, you will need to rough up the finish on your door with some sandpaper to help the paint stick. Paint your door in a dark color such as dark green, red, or navy.

After it dries, add a coat of light-colored crackle paint and let dry. This will give your door the popular shabby chic look because the crackle paint will start to crack, allowing the dark color underneath to show through. Since the door will be exposed to the elements, you can get some spray-clear coat to protect it. When deciding on paint colors, what you choose will depend on your siding, shutters, and trim. you can find all of the supplies for this project at a home improvement store.

Step 3 - Hardware

By changing out the hardware on your door, you can give it a rustic look. Replace the shiny hardware with a rubbed nickel or antique bronze finish. Adding a doorknocker, if you do not already have one in one of these finishes, will boost the effect. Replacing the hardware on your front door is very easy. Follow the manufacturer's instructions. It varies slightly depending on what type of hardware you choose.

Step 4 - Decorate

Finish the rustic look to your door by adding a wreath or swag. For a wreath, try a twig wreath with berries or dried herbs. A swag, which hangs above your door, can be used along with a wreath, or alone. They come in many materials. Just remember for either a wreath or a swag, you will want to use natural materials to get a rustic feel. If you are crafty, you can make a wreath out of things you find in your yard. Use grapevine or twigs to form into the desired shape, and add pinecones, nuts, or berries.