Doors to Adore/Front Door Welcome


I discovered yet another meme! Today, Kari and Kijsa from Kari and Kijsa and Darlene from Jade Creative are hosting Doors to Adore. This is my contribution.

When I was a young newlywed, I stumbled upon a book from the public library titled Welcome Home and authored by Emilie Barnes. I fell in love with this book! So many creative ideas to make one's house a warm and happy home. One idea that struck me was Emilie's suggestion that you paint your front door a glossy black. In her opinion, glossy black was actually a warm and inviting color that spoke to visitors saying, "Welcome to our home, we are glad you are here!" I never forgot that image and vowed that someday I would have that glossy, black front door.

Fast forward thirteen-years later, my husband and I are living in our present home and I am heavily pregnant with our 2nd child. In a moment of sheer madness (or perhaps intense nesting) I decided that I no longer liked our forest green front door and wanted to paint it a "glossy black". The year that we built the home and moved in, we were experiencing a major heat wave and couldn't put down sod until the cooler fall months arrived. Thus, we lived in a giant dustbowl and, I kid you not, my green front door was invaded by GRASSHOPPERS! They literally ate the painted framework around the sidelights. Opening the front door was quite an experience that summer!

Off to Home Depot I went, 7-months pregnant with toddler in tow, to purchase some paint brushes and a gallon of paint! Did I fail to mention that this was August...in Kansas? Also, I had no idea how challenging of a project this would be...an exterior painter I am not. Needless to say, standing on a wooden dining room chair, in the heat, while supervising a two-year old, did not make for ideal painting conditions, but in the end I was pleased with the effect (just don't examine my front door close up; thank goodness my house sits atop a hill).

Welcome to our home!


View from the street.


Black glossy paint...Home Depot; Springtime wreath...The Flower Petaler of St. Charles, Missouri; Rocking chair...Cracker Barrel; Welcoming front door....priceless!


Hurry up Spring! This front porch is getting "impatient" waiting for impatiens, pansies, and geraniums!

Comments

  1. I always love a black front door! So classic! I can only imagine a front door being attacked by grasshoppers! Wow!

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  2. Beautiful home and your Front door is perfect. I love the wreath..

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  3. Beautiful home and beautiful door!

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  4. I'm loving all the black doors, how classy.
    The weather here in Toronto is still cold and snowy. I'm longing for the warm weather as well.
    Thanks for joining the party.
    Have a wonderful day!
    Darlene

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  5. From one glossy black door to another, yours looks fabulous! I was about to get off the computer, and read your comment on my blog so came over to say hi. Yes, I have moved around, got married in Garden City, Kansas many moves ago! We are still happily married as of 11:49 am EST today! I am also a Virgo and like many of the same movies as you! Steel Magnolias is a favorite. I was living in the Pacific Northwest when Sleepless in Seattle came out. Well I need to scoot and get to work. Take care and have a wonderful day.! ~Cathy~

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  6. I just love your blog! So pretty. You have quite a lovely large porch. I just moved into a home with a front porch and I am enjoying it so much. Love the wreath on your door. Very, very nice. Amy

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  7. You have a beautiful blog and a beautiful black front door! Hope you have a wonderful day! Nancy

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  8. Your door is beautiful!!! I love the pretty spring wreath! I hope all is well! Glad to be home here! Hugs and Blessings,

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  9. I love your header! I loved it with the the polka dots and the other background too! Great Blog and Family!

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  10. Oh, how cute! I can just see you all pooched out standing up there painting with one hand pulling at your little one's hand! I'm so glad you didn't fall! Your black front door is lovely and so is your home. It's so funny - I've just ordered that same book from Amazon and it should be here today!
    bE a sweetie,
    Shelia :)

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  11. I´ve never thought of glossy black as welcomming! Depends on what colour the house it self has I think. When the house is light in colour as Yours it´s perfect with a black door!
    Christer.

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  12. Your front porch looks so inviting! I heard a comment the other day that our blogging with each other is todays "front porch visits". Don't know if I completely agree but still made me ponder..
    Blessings
    Roxanne

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  13. There's something so sophisticated about black enamel paint on a door with a white house. Thanks for visiting my blog to see my front door.

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  14. That's a great look for your door. Perfect with your big porch.

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  15. Your home is beautiful and the door just gorgeous. I can just see you pregnant and a toddler in tow.
    "Nesting" on a big scale.

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  16. Dear Valerie, Your door is beautiful and I just love your wreath. It's so pretty.
    I also like your blog design. It's just lovely. Thank you for your offer of help when I try to begin to design my own backgrounds. Blessings to you and your family. Happy Easter!

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  17. hee hee hee!! I remeber when I was 7 months pregnant, standing on a ladder and painting our porch rails.....! This takes me back - glad you did it - it looks fabulous!

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  18. Couldn't resist the beauty of your front door ... so I've stopped by for a quick visit. Not to worry, I brought a thermos of lemonade and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies!

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  19. From a fellow Kansan -- I empathize with you and the grasshoppers! The glossy black looks amazing and really makes your wreath pop!

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  20. Valerie.. LOL at your comment on my WW post.. I'm currently the only Irish Catholic dancing the Polish Polka at weddings and the like in my little Polish town... Thank goodness they don't make me wear the traditional Polish costume to dance... I think it may be the only thing worse than the Irish dancing costume! Thanks for stopping by French Lique... come back any time!

    blessings and warm wishes for a joyous Easter.
    hugs. Dixie

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  21. Thank you, Valerie.
    I wanted to leave the comments and I read through. I missed you too! What do yall have planned for Easter?
    Hugs and Blessings,

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  22. What a story! It turned out great. I would love to paint our front door black but it faces west and it gets SO HOT you can barely touch the knob to open it. I know the black would really soak up the sun. Love your wreath.

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  23. What a beautiful home, front door, & goodness, what a gorgeous setting!

    Hugs,
    Stephanie
    Angelic Accents

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. Your kind words are appreciated! As Mother Teresa said, "Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love."

Valerie

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