A trend started about 10 years ago that I took note of then, but didn’t do and that trend was painting interior doors black (yes, both sides!). Have you noticed that one? It’s one of those subtle little changes that can make a huge impact and I’m loving this one.
I have never painted all my doors black, but I have some friends who have done it (like my friend, Renae here in Atlanta) and the more I see it, the more I likey. And I’m about to do that in my new/old house. Paint every interior door black.
(via Habitually Chic)
Let me show you a few inspiration pics to show you how great it looks. The one above is a good example of a normal 6 paneled door painted black. Note that only the door and not the trim is painted.
(Via Shelterness)
This dramatic double black doors shows the impact they can make, especially with lighter walls.
(via Shelterness)
More black doors and wood floors. Beautiful!
(via Decorpad)
This dramatic black kitchen French doors along with that stunning lantern makes this kitchen swoon-worthy.
Not sure where this photo originated from, but it’s been all over blogland and I still love this foyer. It is perfection in my book and look, a black interior door.
(via WoolAcorn)
Black inside the front doors and painted black stair railing adds an extra wow factor in this pretty foyer.
Just to show you that everyday homeowners can get away with this one too, check out Sarah’s breakfast nook. I’ve highlighted Sarah’s house before on Feature Friday and love the impact this black door has with the wide striped curtain panels at the windows.
Joni, at Cote de Texas, covered this back in 2010, when she posted about updating your decor and stated that all of her builder’s grade interior doors were painted black.
Now this one, this one, really got my inspiration going. Let me tell you about Emily’s (A Well Dressed Home) black doors. I came across her post doing a Google search and got so excited when I saw what she started with.
Look at these smooth as a baby’s butt doors! These are white and mine are stained brown, but smooth, very smooth, with no architectural details AT ALL. Boring! I had contemplated changing out these doors, but that will be awhile down the road. I’ve got hardwoods and a kitchen to install first, so anything like this will just be on the back burner for now.
But once I saw how gorge Emily’s doors turned out by adding molding. Wow, oh wow! I can just do this and keep my doors for the long haul. Save myself some bucks.
Molding was added. Love how she did 3 panels of different sizes (she got inspiration from some fancy door place online). She had a handy man come in and install them. I can do this using liquid nails and my nail gun. And the miter saw.
Here’s another peek at how great Emily’s doors look now. Are you as amazed as I am? I am SO doing this. I’ll keep my plain ole’ smooth doors and just buy the trim for them. I am already painting my doors black. Now I will add the molding too which will really up their presence. I’ll paint mine with Black satin paint instead of semi-gloss. I think I’ll like that better.
It might be awhile before I can get to the molding, but painting them black will happen from the get-go. When I mentioned it to my dad, he looked at me with the usual, “what in the world is she going to dream up now?” look. 🙂
So, do you like the whole paint your interior doors black trend?
Or not?!
Me, yes, yes, yes, I’m loving it and you will see black interior doors in my house!
Pam Clark says
I think you just may have convinced me to go black too! Besides the visual impact, I think they’ll show less wear and tear. So, just to be clear, both sides of the doors are black? thanks and I love reading about your house and your sweet parents! My daddy would have looked at me the same way.
Rhoda says
Hey, Pam, yep both sides black!
Dear Helen Hartman says
You know I hadn’t thought of this before but I HAVE seen this in fav magazines. It does lend an image of sophistication, doesn’t it? We’re all white doors in here but then the walls are wild colors, so…
Kim says
I do love the idea. I didn’t do black, but a very dark brown in my house. They look black in pictures. Great idea adding the trim.
marie says
i love black interior doors! i painted the interior side of my front door black and i LOVE it. now i want to paint every door in my house black, but a) that’s a LOT of doors and b) i don’t want to regret it and paint them all back to white anytime soon. :o)
Dianne says
I love the look…and I am planning on putting black doors in my new house. I was thinking that they would show less but some of my readers have said that they actually show more. I hope that isn’t true but oh well…they can always be painted back…Nothing ventured nothing gained..http://www.theinspiredhousewife.com/2012/05/pondering-doors/
nancy says
I think it matters on the decore and how dark the house is inside to begin with. If there isn’t much light then it might be too gloomy. I do like the richness it gives to foyer though.
Beth Bartlett says
This would never be the case, if the home or office was professionally decorated – (give the professional is fully trained), as the “3 -rule” in decor extends to include- 1/3 of any project is Lighting (1/3 the general home decor of style/color, texture) and the final 1/3 is landscaping, which also includes exterior lighting.
Even a room with no natural light may be done in black, the walls can be black – it simply requires detail highlights and lighting to make the eye see the elements of design and effect. Black can be the most powerful Canvas producing an elegant outcome, be it modern in design style or traditional. (Lighting is what 99% of homes are missing – there’s natural light/direction of room matters; then the artifical lighting must have the necessary elements of – recessed, spot, shaded, overhead (This and desk lighting are for cleaning and sight – not for effects!) also the type and color of light – led, fluorescent, bulbs, streaming, etc) Lighting, by itself, is a profession within design, as is landscaping, however – a truly good interior decorator knows to address this as part of their decor completed project. Artists address it in their paintings – ever decor project should be seen as if it was to appear on canvas – “it is art” –
Jane @ Cottage at the Crossroads says
Your black doors with the added molding will look stunning in your house. Right now I’m looking at my kitchen door thinking….hmmm, maybe.
Nana Diana says
Oh- I DO like it. In the beginning I wasn’t so sure that I did but it has grown on me. Plus, I think it give a real rich look to old doors. I don’t think I would like it nearly as much if the mouldings were painted though.
Can’t wait to see your own home done this way. It should be pretty dramatic. Blessings- xo Diana
Dar says
I love them. Great solution for your existing doors. I have black furniture/accessories throughout my house but have yet to get that creative with color on walls, doors or anything else. Cant wait to see your update!
Limezinnias says
I love black doors and have. I have know I was going to paint the inside of my front door and my back porch door black. I haven’t quite committed to every door black yet, but I love them!!
Michelle@Life on the Funny Farm says
I am just so excited for you and this home you’re making. I can’t wait to see it all “done-up”. And the black doors, oh yes! Just beautiful.
Amy says
Love it, but is it necessary to do every door? Trying to figure that one out!
Emily@A Well Dressed Home says
Amy, I wondered the same thing myself…I found that it was VERY necessary on every door.
Emily Hewett
A Well Dressed Home
awelldressedhome.com/blog
Sarah Gunn says
I love the black doors. I was going to paint the inside of my front door in a brighter colour but now that I see these, I am torn! Can’t wait to see yours when you are done.
kathy says
I really love this! It is so dramatic!
Phyllis says
I think your doors would look great black. Do you still have to prime them first?My friend Connie just painted her doors and they look fantastic. I might paint a few of mine black too.
Rhoda says
Yes, Phyllis, I will definitely prime them all first.
Arlene Grimm@Nanaland says
My town house is a “shotgun” style and I think that the door going to my garage would look great painted black. I have black appliances in my kitchen as well as a black hutch. It would add some interest to my narrow hallway. Thanks for your inspiration Rhoda. And BTW, those stained interior doors drive me crazy too…I lived in several houses that featured them and they could only be improved by painting them black!!
Tonia says
I love the the idea of black doors, like you said they make a statement. I’ve thought about painting my interior doors black but I have too many doors too close together in a narrow hallway that’s not very long at all.
Emily@A Well Dressed Home says
Tonia, I actually have 4 doors clustered in a hallway and they all look great! They are definitely not too dark…
Stephanie says
I want to paint my doors black too… I saw it on HGTV I think then saw this blog.. What about closet doors? Should they be black too? We bought this hous & realized after we moved in the doors have never been painted (just the white from the store, Lowes or wherever) Do you take your’s off the hinges or just paint them hainging, in the house?
Thanks for the input!
Rhoda says
HI, Stephanie, I think the closet doors depends on what you have. I have a set of smaller bifolds in my master closet & I am going to paint those the same deep chocolate brown as my other doors. In one guestroom, I’m replacing the louvered bifolds with flat panel doors and I’m going to paint those white like the trim. Don’t want those to stand out so much.
Cheryl says
I painted my double French doors black and I love the look. I’ve thought about doing all the interior doors black, but it’s tons of time involved, and if this is a short lived trend, think about the work to get them back to white. That being said, I am going to do the interior of the front door. We will see what happens after that! Rhoda, looking forward to seeing your updates in your new home!
Kate says
Not loving the black trend, no. It would be more helpful to see a TRUE ‘after’ at Emily’s site of the hallway of doors. That same pic with the doors black would show me what my hallway would look like.
I guess a door here and there, mostly exterior doors I think, would look okay, but I don’t think I would like them for bedroom doors.
The moulding, however, is brilliant!
Edith says
I love the dramatic look of the black doors provided that there is enough light and that there are other black things in the room. It would add a bit more to the weekly chores though, to wipe a dust rag across the trim. Dust on black shows really quick.
Edith