Dramatic Entry Door Window Makeover

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My entry door window was in dire need of a makeover. I wish I had a picture of it as it was when we bought this house. It had some kind of shade over the window, which was very dilapidated and no longer attached to the door at the bottom of the window. And it was squared off at the top, completely hiding the lovely arch. It had to go.

Enter phase 2 of the front door window redo. First, I removed the shade and saw that there were several holes that were going to need to be filled, which meant I had to paint the door.

Then, I first washed the door, window and window frame really well and let it dry. I then sanded the area around the holes then used Dap Crack Shot Spackling Paste to fill them. I let it dry then sanded it smooth. It was a bit of a job to sand it, but it turned out nicely.

I sanded the window frame a bit to give the paint something to hold onto. Then I had to wipe the door down again. Had I thought ahead, I would have done this step before washing the door, but no biggie.

I decided to paint the door first. I left it hanging while I painted it and just matched the white that it already had on it. Just one coat was plenty.

Then the big daunting task. And I questioned my sanity at this point. After the door was thoroughly dry I used painter’s tape and plastic drop cloth to completely mask off the door, the walls and the floor using a wide margin in case of overspray. I used newspaper and more painter’s tape to cover the glass.

Very gingerly and timidly at first, I sprayed the window frame with black spray paint. I used Krylon Fusion. To my surprise, it was really nothing to be afraid of, so long as I was careful. I made sure to have a lot of ventilation for this step. And I had to make sure that I spray every angle of the frame. The result is very pleasing.

After it was dry, then I made a paper template of the window panes. I used the templates to cut the film pieces. I used Artscape Window Film, the etched leaf pattern. It applies very easily with only water and a squeegie, no adhesives involved.

I just love how it turned out and what a difference it makes. This amazing film allows for privacy, but also lets the light in while blocking UV rays. And they have lots of patterns to choose from.

I think this entry door window makeover has made a huge difference in the look of the door and foyer, but it also provides much needed privacy while still letting the light in. And, it was a relatively inexpensive project, my favorite kind. When I get more gumption, I will remove the door hinges and paint those black to match.