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!
I can’t wait to see your doors painted. I love the look! But, I also think that the black/look is best suited for those using whites, grays, and, cool taupes. I have those old orangey wood stained doors in my house too. I hate them, but white is not the answer and I don’t think black is either considering I have a rich earthy green going down my hallway which is stunning with the wood floors. I’d love to hear some thoughts on successes with rich colored walls and door colors.
I agree that white probably would not be the best, BUT if you have no adversion to painting woodworks, you could do a creamy white/buttermilk color or a light, light beige (and, I mean…light). I have seen this done with rich colored walls and wood floors, and it is pretty…classic. Cut and paste the following into your browser, and it should bring up Benjamin Moore’s historic colors which has some fabulous whites/beiges you can use as an alternative to plain, flat, bright white.
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/for-your-home/color-gallery;jsessionid=RGh0PTkLpPggXQJh61HHqTTLKHP6sG1nplWnVv166nPPb52n2PNY!1904494074!NONE#&ce_vm=2&ce_col=HC
I love the contrast of the black doors!! I can’t wait to see your transformation!
I am liking it too! I just haven’t bit the bullet to do it. But my home doesn’t have much architecture – it not an older home. I am adding moldings and things like that but it is a new, builder home. Might have to save the black door idea for the craftsman style house I want to own one day!
So my question is, once you start painting the doors – would every door need to be painted black?? 🙂
Christina, I’m planning to paint every one of my interior doors, yes. I have my upper hallway with 6 doors coming off it, and I’m still painting all of those. Because I’m doing white board and batten up there with a light wall color, I do think the black doors will be fine.
I have a question. I want to paint my white interior doors black, however, I have some doors with plantation shutters on them. All of my windows have white plantation shutters. My shutters need to show white to the street. Would it look ok to paint all interior doors black, except for those with shutters on them?
I have been reading for awhile, but I have not commented on anything…yet…until now.
Not sure about the black door thing on interior doors. Like others, I think it would have to depend on the overall decor and feel of the house. I prefer stained doors/trim with raised panels and trim, along with historic colors on interior doors and trimwork if it is painted. I know that ups the price of trim work because the quality of wood used for stain-grade trim is more expensive than paint-grade trim. Benjamin Moore has a line of historic paint colors that are to die for. That said, my front door is painted black, and I love the front doors on the buildings in Colonial Williamsburg as well as in Savannah, GA. I also like black/dark green/dark brown/dark red/dark grey or navy for screen doors. For some reason, I just cannot get my head around it for interior doors.
Okay now, I thought that i was up on all the trends, but this is a new one to me. I do like the look and looking forward to seeing yours.
Blessings,
Linda
Are you going to use that browny-black that Emily used? I looooove that color!
I’ve already bought my paint & it is Tricorn Black by Sherwin Williams. They told me it is their most popular black. I’m doing Black Satin!
I just yesterday saw where Tricorn Black is a color that Nashville decorator Rachel Halvorsen uses for doors also.
And I changed my plan in mid-stream and went with a deep chocolate brown, Valspar’s Fired Earth. Love it!
Love the black doors! As for the moulding, I say go for it. We used that trick on some boring, flat, stained interior doors that had been added to our 1930s home sometime in the 1970s. We created a single panel to match the original doors, painted them white and added new hinges and glass doorknobs. Our bedroom had two of these doors side by side, so we mirrored the panels – looks great and really expands the feel of the room. You’d never know these doors are not original to the house and it was much much cheaper than buying new doors!
I love this, and am getting ready to do some of my doors. Who knows…I may end of doing all of them. Sarah ~ TDC mentioned Black Suede from Behr as the perfect black and I have to agree. I can’t wait to see your transformation. The moulding will add so much.
I love a black door. I’m aways painting something black and I alwys love the result.
Love the black and white. I am not sure if I would be brave enough to do it but it sure looks elegant. Good luck with your house transformation.
You are an amazing DIY person, this is the first blog I read each day because I know you will have some great economical ideas for decorating.
I an anxious to see directions and pictures on molding (plan to try this).
Also, want to see what you do about color of hinges and door handle. Thanks again for sharing all the information. From a middle GA. fan
Thanks, Teresa! I’m going to eventually change out my old mismatched door knobs. Right now they are shiny brass and antique brass & I think all my hinges are antique brass, which will be staying.
Love it! I have my interior side of an exterior door in my kitchen painted black and I love it! I didn’t realize that it was a “trendy” thing! I just liked it!
I recently did a post on this very subject. Used many of the same pics. LOL. I do love it but thinking of all the doors in my house and all the work…that project went on the back burner. Do you think black doors would still look good in a room if there is no black in the room? Also wondering if black doors will be outdated anytime soon? Does it make a small room appear smaller with black doors??
Hey, Darlene, I don’t think it will look outdated. To me looking at those pics, it’s a classic look. I always have plenty of black in my house, so that should tie it all in together. I don’t worry about it making rooms smaller either. The only area that it might be iffy is my hallway, with 6 doors coming off it. But, I’m having white board & batten & light walls, so I think it will be fine.
What beautiful inspiration pics, Rhoda! No doubt your doors will look gorgeous painted black. All my woodwork in this house, including doors, is white. Miles and miles of white. But it works well for me with three boys and two dogs–white is so easy to clean and to touch up with paint! Black will be gorgeous in your house, though. I had black stair railings in my last house (which had been ugly oak builder grade before)–the black looked wonderful!
I haven’t left you a comment in awhile. I’ve been so busy with the end of school, volunteer commitments, and getting my eldest off to Rome for the summer that I’ve scarcely been online. But I think of you and am so happy to see the progress on your house! I’ll bet that Haven conference attendees would love to take a field trip to your house! 🙂
Rhoda I have no doubt that your black doors will be charming. In my house, not so much. Too many interior doors off a short hallway and it will look like a march to the gallows.
But I love the idea of French doors painted black.
I do love it when OTHER people are adventurous in decorating..personally myself…not so much. I am too much of a traditionalist. Like other posters here, that much black in my chopped up spaces would be a distraction rather than attraction. Do you fear you might soon tire of it? Remember when we all swooned for pink and turquoise. Yikes! 🙂
Hey, Becky, black is always a part of my decor, so I don’t think I’ll get tired of it, esp. since most of my walls will be lighter.
AND truly my biggest issue would likely be my hubbie. He is my painter extraordinaire…and I know he would buck at painting the interior doors – ’cause if I didn’t like them HE would be the one to have to repaint. 🙂 However, I did persuade him to let me paint our front door black last year. And he did give in to painting the kitchen chocolate brown. I cannot wait to see your final pics of the makeover.
I love it! I have painted two doors in my master ensuite black. I have also recently painted my door to my back yard a tobacco brown. I love them all, and have been considering painting more doors in my home.
Can’t wait to see how yours turn out!
xo-Lisa
I love this look. I’m sitting here racking my brain as to which doors I can paint black now! Thanks for the inspiration and thanks for hosting the link party.
Oh MY!! I do love the black doors….and who knew, with white trim too! Love the molding that was added as well! Can’t wait to see your pics when you’re done!! I’ve been thinking of doing my front doors, inside and out….where’s my paint brush??
I love the trend to paint doors black. Unfortunately, I live in a vintage home, built in 1927 and I would not dare try to paint them anything other than what they are.
I look forward to seeing what you do with yours, I know they will be gorgeous!!!
Hugs, Cindy