Alternate post title: Paint Me Like One Of Your French Girls. Much like Rose asked Jack in that famous scene, the dusty blue back of our front door was seriously begging for a fresh coat of paint. We chose the same cheerful teal that’s on the outside of the door to bring continuity and a bit of surprise into the foyer.
There’s no rule that says the interior side of a front door must match the exterior—at the houses before this one we often used bright colors outside and left the interior side white. But because this house has sidelights, we wanted to emphasize that little door-and-window combo and make it a focal point in a mostly neutral, classic entry. Bringing the teal inside achieves that without overwhelming the space.
Inspiration for the look included several doors that balance bold color with simple surroundings: a painted door paired with white trim and sidelights, dark floors with light walls, and subtle patterned doors that still feel welcoming. The common thread is contrast: white sidelights plus a colored door equals personality and curb—or foyer—appeal.
Here are the practical painting tips we used, useful for anyone planning to refresh a door:
- If your door has a glossy surface (sealed wood or high-sheen paint), use a liquid deglosser or sand lightly before priming and painting. Our door was matte and chalky, so we could skip that step and use a self-priming paint instead.
- Start painting early in the day so the door can remain slightly ajar and dry during the day. That helps avoid needing to close a tacky door at night.
- An angled brush gives you control for detailed areas and raised panels. A foam roller can be faster for flatter sections, and some people prefer that method—choose what works for you.
- Work in a consistent order: paint the frames of each raised rectangle first, then the inside of those rectangles. Next, paint the flat planks, always going with the grain or direction of the plank—for example, top-to-bottom on vertical planks and left-to-right on horizontal ones. Finish by touching up the vertical edges last.
- Allow the first coat to dry an hour or two (longer if humidity is high), then apply a second coat in the same sequence. Let the door finish drying for the rest of the day before closing it.
- Removing door hardware is ideal to avoid tedious taping, but if time is tight or you’re balancing childcare and painting, taping off hardware is an acceptable compromise.
After the paint dried, the back of the door looked transformed. It plays nicely with the white sidelights and dark hardware, and though the yellow walls and brass light fixture still make for a lively mixture, this entry is a work in progress. We expect the whole foyer to come together as other elements are completed—wall color, hardware finishes, and an updated runner or rug will help unify the space.
The updated view is a definite improvement over the “before” photo: the painted back of the door makes the ceiling feel taller and the whole entry more welcoming. One of my favorite shots is an after photo that happens to include two people I love in the background—the dark doorknobs and hinges look sleek against the teal, and the painted door feels like a small but meaningful upgrade.
Next on the to-do list: choosing the wall color for the foyer (we’re sampling swatches now), finishing a small vanity in the half bath, and painting the stair spindles a coordinating blue. There are plenty of other rooms that will get blue-trim accents and wallpaper treatments in time, so the painting will continue for a while. It’s a lot of work, but every little improvement makes the house feel more like our home.
As strange as it sounds, the more effort we invest in this house, the more emotionally connected we feel to it. Painting and renovating can be tiring, but it also brings a sense of progress and shared accomplishment.
Psst — want to know where we sourced something from our house? Check our shop or resources page on the blog for details.