As I mentioned in the “inspiration post“, our back entry way has become the main entrance to our home…and thus, our first impression. It was bland and desperately needed an upgrade. Well, it is finally DONE and I’m so excited to share this project with you!
As a reminder, here is what we started with:
And this was the inspiration:
I started the project by painting the back door black. I just love a dramatic door and you don’t get much more dramatic than black! While I didn’t need the entire quart of paint, I am glad I purchase it because now I want to paint everything black! 🙂
Next, I removed all of the items, hooks, and decor from the wall and gave it a good, deep clean. I knew I wanted the horizontal board to be placed under the light switch, so I removed the plate and pulled the alarm box from the wall to make it easier to install the wall paper. As you can see, I was having a hard time choosing between two different Behr paint colors: Midnight Blue or English Channel!
I updated a piece of décor on the opposite wall from a candle sconce to a watercolor of Louisiana by Amanda Klein on Etsy. This photo does not do it justice…the artist is so talented and I just LOVE it! (Don’t stress, I eventually leveled those pieces so it’s more symmetrical!)
Next up was the wall paper! I opted not to line it up perfectly since I would have a lot of photos and pieces placed on top of it. I sort of like the haphazardness of this print so I just rolled with it! I went a little beyond where the horizontal board would be placed to ensure it was seamless. I also updated the outlet plate to black…eventually I’ll update the switches as well but I’m currently a little scared. 🙂
Now the fun part…the boards! I was super nervous about this so I followed a really simple and easy method from Nesting with Grace. I purchased the 1.5″ vertical boards and 2.5″ horizontal board from Home Depot…and, I have to share, I felt super silly at the register when I didn’t realize that the price was per foot. I thought I was knocking out this project for under $10…and it was not! 😉
I decided to leave my baseboards and knew I wanted the horizontal board under the light switch. So far, easy peasy! We used the nail gun to get it placed and then went back and screwed it into the studs…mainly because my purse can be ridiculously heavy! Lastly, I went back and trimmed the overflowing wall paper with a razorblade.
Next up was the vertical “battens” and yep, I had spacing issues! To kick it all off, I attempted some calculations. The wall was 80″ wide and each batten is 1.5″ wide. I was planning for 6 battens which totals to 9″ (6x 1.5″), so for the entire wall that would be a remaining 71″ (80″ – 9″). Because there would be 5 spaces between battens, I think took that 71″ and divided by 5 for 14.2″ between each board. Unfortunately, because of the outlet…that didn’t necessarily work but I got them as close as I could! I used the nail gun to get them into their places!
Also, I don’t suggest cutting all your battens at the same time. I was shocked at how my wall wasn’t necessarily smooth and level all the way across. While one batten would fit perfectly, another would not. So I’m glad I measured and cut each batten separately!
To prep for painting, I used wood putty for the screw holes and caulked each side of each board and batten. This is when I learned I am not great at caulking. I made quite the mess! But, it was an easy clean up with a damp paper towel. Also, the wood putty was nonhardening, which I didn’t love. Next time I tackle a project like this, I’ll get something that can be sanded.
After sanding everything smooth, I began to paint! I opted to not paint the outlet but replaced the plate with a black and, again, will eventually update the outlet as well! Baby steps! I’m still shocked about this, but I am happy to report that I only used the sample of paint…for two coats! Loved that journey! 😉
After adding the hooks back in and adding in a fun new runner rug…it is DONE!
This was a pretty big project for me but I’m so glad it was tackled! I feel like its a much better representation of our home and a much improved welcome for our guests! Plus, I have a little more confidence for the next project! Now, if our puppy will only allow us to keep that rug! 😉
Project Links:
- Behr Black Paint (I bought a quart but didn’t come close to using that much!) (Home Depot) ($25.98)
- Behr Midnight Blue Paint (Even with two coats, I never used the full sample!) (Home Depot) ($4.98)
- 1.5″ MDF Trim (battens) (We picked up enough to have extras, just in case.) (Home Depot) (The price was roughly $3.00 per foot so for the extra it was around $60)
- 2.5″ board (horizontal board) (Again, we purposefully got more than we needed, just to be safe.) (Home Depot) (The price was roughly $2.50 per foot so for the extra is was around $20).
- Caulk & Wood Putty (Home Depot) ($8.36)
- Tempaper Wallpaper (one roll) (Amazon) ($29.99)
- Black Light Switch Plate & Outlet Plate (Amazon) ($7.55)
- Colorful Runner Area Rug (Amazon) ($29.95)
- 11×14 Picture Frame (Amazon) ($19.95)
- Louisiana Print by Amanda Klein (Etsy) ($23.38)
For an approximate total of….$230.14