Wednesday 20 November 2013

Country cottage door reveal...

Well isn't it just like 'Homes under the Hammer' around here? Except instead of fixing up a whole house in 6 weeks, it takes me that amount of time to change some doors.



Let's remind ourselves of the unpleasant doors that were on the cupboard in my daughters room...


             They were so ugly that I allowed the sticking of picures on them to try and hide them.
                       They were hollow and shoddy. But the frame is solid wood and well built.


               Hoorah! Much more yummy. Because I clad both sides in timber the doors feel very solid.

                                                                    And those edges?


                                                    They all got filled, sanded and painted...


                                         ...and look just like the edge of a door should.


            The door cladding and hanging process was a LONG one that you can read about here and here. 






                                                               Let's see the inside before...


                                                                        A junky old mess.

I thought it would be a really nice surprise for my daughter if I painted the inside in one of her favourite colours.
                 This decision may have been influenced by finding an ''Oops'' paint for £1 a litre.
                                                                        She hates it.


I had to saw off some shelves and add a rail, which would've been fine if I hadn't mislaid a screw for 45 minutes.


I like the pink. It makes me think of a boutique.

I added hooks to the interior where my cross pieces were between the layers of tongue and groove so that madams handbag collection is out of sight...


                                         They used to hang on the wall and it looked messy.

I used Blackfriars problem solving primer all over the bare wood twice. It's pefect to seal knots and will happily work with waterbased paints unlike knotting solution.
For the top coat I used Dulux waterbased Diamond hard satinwood in TRADE paint. I wasted nine quid on their regular paint earlier this year and it was so poor, I couldn't use it. It was so thin and watery. But the Trade paint version was 10 times better and I was very happy with it. Always go for trade paints!

 

The hinges and handles were just bog standard ones from Wilkinsons. You can find hand forged wrought iron jobbies all over ebay but we don't live in a sixteenth century cottage so I couldn't see the point. I'm all about getting the look without spending the money.

I still need to add catches so the doors shut nicely and do a little sorting of this area...


at the side of the cupboard...


...but it's getting there.

99% done is good enough for me.  I'm off for a lie down.
I'm over the moon with how this has all turned out. I've really not done much of this sort of thing before. I've mended furniture, put up some cladding, and stuffed up a table top but never attempted anything of this magnitude. There'll be no stopping me now! And if I can do it, anyone can.

Link


Furniture Feature FridaysTreasure Hunt Thursday
The Shabby Nest
Link

Family Home and Life
Ivy and Elephants

40 comments:

  1. Hats off to you young lady! They are fab-u-lous :)

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    1. Thank you! And thank you for calling me 'young lady' that made me grin! x

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  2. WOW! What a job - you really made a huge difference in those doors. Love them!

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  3. You are such a perfectionist, but your 6 weeks has been well spent as they look very professional.

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    1. Thanks Fiona, I'm so pleased! SOOO glad I didn't get them custom made! x

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  4. Brilliant. Looks very professional and pretty and I love the pink inside. Cute tiger! ♥

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    1. Thanks Teri, that tiger was 20p from a boot sale when my daughter was a baby and she loves it! x

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  5. Wow, what a difference those hinges make.

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  6. That looks fantastic emma-kate, worth every minute of work, and screw searching!
    So, whats your next project to be?

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    1. Thanks Max. I have no idea but I accidentally bought a table this morning that needs a little work...;)

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  7. We did something almost identical to this in our old house , in the spare room, although it did not fit into an alcove , we turned it into a home office space when the door was open it had room for the computer, files etc , hoping to do something like it here now x

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  8. That looks so much better, I absolutely love the pink innards. I want some in my wardrobe! Loving the tiger, too. Your makeover talent is awesome. x

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    1. Thank you Vix, I've been racking my brain to think where I've seen that colour and why it makes me think of a shop. I think that Miss Selfridge in York had that colour changing rooms in the eighties!

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  9. I think your amazing you have done a fabulous job I love the pink inside. Your husband must be so proud of you as you must be of yourself, Can't wait to see what you make next, dee x

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    1. Thanks Dee. Ah I wish that were true. Being male he couldn't see what was wrong with the doors before and he hates living in the chaos I create when I'm working on a project, and the fact that I don't clean the house. Can't do everything! xx

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  10. Looks amazing Emma Kate! I bet your daughter will love the pink! Fantastic, well done.

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  11. Thanks Anne, hopefully it'll grow on her! x

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  12. Brilliant job, EK, I am in awe! The cupboard looks really good, and I like the vibrant pink paint, even if C doesn't...
    So - what's next? xxxx

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    1. Thanks Curtise! I really have no clue what's next. Probably some housework as I've been on strike for the past few weeks! xxxx

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  13. You've made a fabulous job of those! I love the pink inside ( and I don't usually like pink!).

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    1. Thank you Scarlet. It felt very odd to paint with such a strong colour!

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  14. The doors look great, you've done an amazing job. Thanks for the heads up on the primer, I was just about to put some knotting on some tongue and groove in my bathroom but will probably use water based paint, so I'll look for the Blackfriars primer now. I love the Dulux Diamond paint but it's so expensive, I might use something else.

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    1. Thank you Fiona. I wasn't happy with the finish at first as it looked brush-strokey but I painted the grooves with a brush and the flat bits with a gloss mini roller and it looked fine. It only took 2 coats over 2 coats of primer so I thought it was worth the money over cheaper paints. Can't wait to see yours!

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  15. Wow! Great job on the doors! They look like antiques.
    We lived near Valley Forge, PA. Our farmhouse had doors like that.
    Are you sure you didn't buy them from our old house? ...giggle ...giggle...

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    1. Thanks Debbie, it would have been a damn sight faster to have them shipped from the USA than to build them! ;)

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  16. Good job, Emma Kate! I honestly would not know where to begin with a project like that, so very well done, they look lovely xx

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  17. Wow, you've done an amazing job! the doors look like they've always been there x

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  18. I love the paint job on the closet--it does make it look like a boutique! Sorry your daughter didn't like it, but I'll bet she'll change her mind.

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    1. Thanks Sabina, I hope she will too because I'm not doing it again!

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  19. What an awesome makeover. Thanx for sharing at THT!

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  20. Wow! Move over Handy Andy ... I love the transformation and the pink looks great! M x

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  21. LOVE this closet makeover! Soooo stylish and well organized. It doesn't look like the same place?!
    Amazing, you do great work. I'd love to have you share with us at our link party.
    New follower,
    Patti

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