G’day.
Do you like my door?
I am sounding like some kinda emotional wreck on this blog lately…I am well aware of that…crying in post offices about Aussie passports etc and now getting emotional about a door…I shoulda been a mummy blogger ;-)
Soooo, this my friends is the new door…yep the one I made all the fuss about…and after all of it ended up with probs one of the most budget doors on the market…I have been to more than one salvage yard, to a hundred and one cheapo door shops, I’ve blogged about it here, I’ve been to ludicrously expensive door shops that sell prison cell front doors (& people buy them apparently) and up until recently I was front doorless…I wrote about the situation here…the main problem was that in my head I live in a 150 year old federation cottage, whereas I actually live in a 70 yr old cottage…the old vintage style door of my dreams wouldn’t work here…and really what was needed was fresh, clean and new…it just took me a while to accept that…especially when, right in the middle of it all, I came across two old vintage doors on the side of the road, phoned the lovely (and long-suffering Mr BC ) and forced him to go pick them up for me…
Anyway, thank goodness for a good builder…he helped me by getting me some brochures, giving me his opinion and forcing the issue.
And this arrived…
and oh boy was I not thrilled when I saw it in the garage last week…but it was doable…it was clean and new and didn’t break the bank so didn’t have to last forever….
And then he installed it and I loved it…I kept going out to look, I kept sneaking a peek…I loved it…did I say I loved it…
and then I saw the old door discarded, I feel sorry for that door, it tugs on my heart strings, its like the bathtub that’s soon to be removed, it’s like selling your car….in those things are memories & life and just stuff….that old door…I brought it back to life, I loved opening it after a cr*phole of a day and getting back to this old cottage, I slammed it shut when I was on my broomstick more than a few times, and I’ve opened it to my babies as they get bigger and arrive home after school…that’s why I get emotional over an old, refurbished, used to be amber yellow, with flowers, 70′s door…
It’s starting to look like I envisioned though…still lots to be done….need pots for hydrangeas, to get the steps painted (they will be white in that gritty step paint), new lighting, mat and the hooks…it’s getting there…
But now there’s a question….WHAT THE HECK COLOUR DO I PAINT IT?
First of all I had two options
1. White
2. Black
and then once I saw it on the cottage in that sea greeny/aqua primer and it extended to four
3. Navy Blue
4. sea/french blue mix
Right now I am lurching aimlessly between 2 and 4, and then back to 3 again, but really I think it will probs be 2…
Beach Cottage Lovelies????
What do you think then?
Sea/French blue gets my vote, though I love the Farrow & Ball-y incredibly dark blues and greens which do look black until you get close, so classy. I’m cheap so I mixed ordinary old black and blue until I got the depth I wanted. Not for this house though, that is aqua/sea green, a bit too sweet for my liking now but I have other fish to fry…
Sarah, my pick would be White or French blue, just for a pop of colour. Lizzie
It would be navy for me. I think the contrast between the putty colour and white would be great. Can’t wait to see what you choose…….B:)
I am about to paint my front door in Dulux Waterway, it’s paler version of that primer, I think it would look nice on your door too!
Dark grey that someone else suggested would also look good!
But if you just want to stick to your 4 choices I go with 4.
Definitely French/sea blue although then I guess it gets complicated with different shades. Colour is good. I’m really enjoying your renovation posts.
I think white (could be distressed?) or glossy back – classic and simple? Bring colour in with coloured pots or plants/flowers.
wait! i am confused i thought that was the color on it that it was gonna be!!!! i love it!!!! gave a nice pop of color in a beachy nautical way although knowing me i would paint the rectangles in a white or a white wash looks so beachy cottage to me already!!!!
Sea/French blue mix Sarah. I can almost see it…it will look wonderful.
I tossed between navy and black too but it would be too dark a contrast, I feel…I’m coming from the relaxed feel perspective, obviously.
Best of luck and do let me know what you finally chose :)
I vote for #2 … because I am totally biased and have a black front door. I initially went with a purple – that lasted about a month before I switched it to black which is what I wanted in the first place. The painter had told me that I couldn’t have a black front door because it would fade. Well, it’s been 11 years and I’ve only repainted once, and that was from the scraping of hockey bags across it, not from fading. So there mr. painter!
Must be something about this time of year, the phase of the moon, or perhaps we are just both sentimental gals at heart Sarah.
I have been getting teary about changes and my baby turning three and I too could cry over a door, so you are not alone! ;)
I actually don’t mind the colour it is now, but my vote would be for sea/french blue.
I need a good blue for this house of ours too.
Good luck with your decision and if you are anything like me you will over think it, dream of it, tie yourself up in knots and finally realise that you should have gone with your initial gut feeling.
If all else fails and you don’t like it, then you can always paint it again!! :)
You have posted pics of a lovely back door or shed door … Hello…. use that color on the front of the house ! It is too perfect.
` C
Red doors bring good luck. xxx
Are you putting on a screen door, cause that will change everything again? lg xxxx
In fact it wont be a true aussie cottage until you add one of these. xxx
http://www.outdooraddict.co.uk/multi-coloured-plastic-fly-strip-door-blind.html
We painted our front door red this year.
Yay, good luck sounds good to me Ig!! :)
So the old black door…are you painting it white and turning it into a low coffee table? I hope so!
Sarah,
The colour already on the door does look very sea worthy. But DONT go black, as all your coastal beachy good work on the front patio, will be lost with one black door. I would do something like the existing colour or the frenchy sea blue.
P>S> can you do a blog on seashell decoration, I mean the making of them dangling on a string.
Also if your saw my house it is full of shells from all over the eastern sea board coast, and my finds keep me very busy when I am on holidays.
You portray on your blog what I feel and have always loved with the beach. My parents brought us up going to the beach every weekend when we were little.
Thanks Sarah.
I really like the idea of French blue! But any of your choices would be lovely, can’t wait to see it!
I am on a navy blue kick, so I vote navy blue!
You have 82 comments!! Do you need another one?
When I read the title and saw the door, even before I read the post I was thinking navy – a dark French inky navy that’s almost black. So that would be my suggestion.
Door style looks great by the way.
x
Loving the sea green even in the primer. Look at your blog colours and house colours- white, beige and that heavenly sea green colour. You are, after all, a beach cottage! NB. It’s easy to paint a dark colour over a light one if you change your mind but not so much vice versa.
Ha! I so thought that was the final colour. I’m kinda liking the aqua blue but maybe a blue that matches your steps/deck a bit more… I say beachy blue :) Love it!
beachy blue sounds good to me Marnie! xo
4!
4!!
4!!!
You will bless me for it :D
Well you know what colour I like…I posted a piccy on your FB page a little while back…I’m all for aqua/turqouise shades ;)
The 4th door down is a lovely colour. Appears to be similar to the green on your blog heading.
http://www.houzz.com/blue-front-door
oh yes! thanks Kate it is! that’s the green of the ferry x
Also….here’s a guide for what colour to paint for the best feng shui
http://www.easy-feng-shui.com/feng_shui_door_color.html
thanks Sharon…this is very interesting! x
Hello there :) I just wanted to say that I did indeedy love the colours of the blue/gold door. You have a real gem of a cottage. I would make a good live-in cleaner! LOL Lella x
thanks Lella, yes I need a live-in cleaner…who doubles as a masseur haha!
Hi Sarah,
I would say sea green and white in the ‘rectangle bits’…. Looove the sea green in Waterside Cottages…. it would look super lovely…
Clare :)
Hi Sarah! Lovely door..but deffo NOT black!!!! I think you should go white (of course)..or a nice beachy blue….but then who am I to ask..Im soooooooooooooo indecisive..takes me ages to decide and go back and forth, back and forth….blue…no White..no blue….
Greys a nice choice too…..no white…..no…….xx
Hi Sarah ,
Iam enjoying your blog and pages . Love the door. Looking for ideas & happen to come accross your beautiful pictures.My husband
has owned an old Resort for twenty or more years. Sadly , nothing much had been done with it all those years , till we married a few years ago. Most of it is from the 1930′s. We started working on it five years ago. Quite a job to tackle .But very rewarding .
Thanks for sharing . You al have given me thought.
Louise
I love the idea of french blue on a beach cottage. It definitely gives off more of a beachy vibe than black does, but ultimately, you have to look at it every single day, so it has to be something you won’t get sick of quickly. The good news is if you don’t like it, you can always paint over it!
Definitely sea/french blue! It is a beach cottage after all! And black is just too formal. I think it would make you smile every time you look at it. And I would paint out all the wood on it as well so it’s one colour. Can’t wait to see what you decide! :)
I say #4! The great thing about a door is that you don’t really have to commit. One of the easiest things to repaint if you want a change!
Give yourself a change….I cast my vote for number 4, and then number 1. I have a white door, and it’s really easy and nice to switch out the pots of flowers and plants across the seasons when the door is white. I was going to paint my front door black, but thought it too hot for the So Calif summers. Paint is reasonable in cost so you could also keep one color for a couple of years and then change it. I can’t wait to see you final choice and the front all “foofed up” as you like to say!
I wouldn’t go with black…too formal and not particularly welcoming for a sea cottage, in my opinion. I am in the process of chosing paint for my cottage door and am going with a sea colored aqua. The house is painted a taupe color with white shutters. Good luck.
Being a blue girl, I will say BLUE, BLUE, BLUE!!!! My answeres are always BLUE or white…but for the door, BLUE.. NAVY would be awesome but some beachy or cobalt would be terrific too!!! LOVE!!!
Sea/ french blue gets my vote! I live in a townhome, so I’m not allowed to paint the outside of my front door, but I painted the inside to give my entryway a pop of colour. I used a really lovely, fun gray/blue colour and it gets a lot of compliments. :)
I have to say I love the door.
But then I am into all shades of blues…especially any shade of aqua.:)
I love your blogs and that you share your emotions. Don’t ever say your sorry.
That’s what makes you a HIDDEN GEM!!
As for the door….live with it for awhile and see if it grows on you as you get your porch sorted out.
Have a wonderful Aussie “Thanksgiving”.
hmmm well thank you for the blog love…I tell mr BC I am a hidden gem too ;-) xx
forgot to say sea/french blue gets my vote!
French/sea blue or white are my votes. But I love the door and I’m sure whatever you choose will look great – it always does!
Okay, breaking lurking mode here just to say: Black front door on a beach cottage? Surely you jest. Any of the other three options would be better–although I’ve got to say that that bright aqua primer is amazingly pretty. ;-)
well hello from Lurkdom Rosy…nup I wasn’t jesting haha…I love black from doors…so Notting Hill to me lol!
…but this one will be blue, at least for a while
x
Hi Sarah…just repainted my front door…it is similar to your primer (very bright). I toned it down with a quick swipe of stain. Has a great old world look to it now. You could do a similar process for your front door to give it a been-there-forever-weathered look!
I’ll be posting my new door next week. Good luck!
I love the sea/french blue too. Possibly paint the whole of the door in the same colour without the plain timber outlines? Whatever you end up with will look gorgeous as always:) Enjoy your beautiful new deck!
I have no doubt that whatever colour you choose will rock the socks of your cottage ;)
but french blue get a thumbs up from me :) :)
x
Here’s a thought – paint it a new colour every spring!
I’ve always loved navy doors so that would be my first choice. Black seems very bold, heavy and stark against the white surround and the pale walls. Tone it down with navy but you’re still keeping a dark colour.
Fire engine red would be good too! Or even Hunters or British Racing green.
oooh yes Robyn, I could change my door for the Season…that would go down very well with Mr Beach Cottage …ahem xo
Hi Sarah
Don’t go black, it’s like looking at a hole in the wall, go MOCHA in a high gloss, great beach colour, it would blend beautifully with the exterior colour of your house.
Sarah
Shhh, come over here, I need to whisper something to you. I didn’t realise that your front door wasn’t painted. I thought “Wow!” when I saw it. LOL LOL. But for what it’s worth I’d choose the sea/French blue.
I truly understand your sad feelings for your old front door. The same thing happened to me.
alison
haha I think a lot of other people thought the same Alison x
I’m probably really late with my comments, but I love the aqua that it already is! I know it’s a primer, but it reminds me of those old glass bottles that people collect, or like the colour of the water at the Great Barrier Reef.
#justsayin
x Marnie
Oooh the barrier reef on my door. Nice thought marnie xo
Sea French blue is my vote with white on the indentations. I like the color on the step risers, Is that a primer? It looks to be a nice pale aqua, that would be a nice color on the door. Especially nice with your sand color front walls. Ahhhhh, the colors of sea and sand…I am also very curious as to what you will use the old memory laden door for.
Hi Sarah, sorry I know I’m late to the party but regarding the door colour…I haven’t got a clue…but have you got a nice pot for that hydrangea?? Robx
p.s. I’ve given it some more thought…perhaps navy blue.
I love bright, unexpected colors on doors. Loving the idea of sea blue, etc, but I know whatever you choose will be great.