Hello Lovely Fixer Upper: Alder Front Door
March 12, 2017 |
| Before and After - Front Door Upgrade |
It may have taken a little while to address
the front door here at the Chicagoland fixer upper,
but good gracious, this baby was
definitely worth the wait.
It's rustic,
it's chocolate-y,
it's solid alder,
it's knotty yet nice,
it's lovely,
and it's by Pacific Entries.
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| Pacific Entries Rustic V-groove 2 Panel Knotty Alder Exterior Door |
We chose rustic v-groove doors for our prior home's
front entrance, and learned the value one would
add here, both in terms of enhanced daily living
and also for resale when that time comes.
Here's the rustic knotty alder wood door we chose:
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| Pacific Entries Rustic V-groove 2 Panel Knotty Alder Exterior Door |
kind of a no-brainer since the existing door was
dented, old, and not helping the curb appeal
or our pretty neighborhood at all.
If you're on the fence about whether it makes
sense for you to invest in a new front door,
here is some food for thought.
(Speaking of food...just try to not
think of chocolate as you peruse the
3 thousand pics posted of our new door...ha!)
Why invest in a new front door?
1.
To be energy efficient and reduce our energy bills.
2.
To increase our home's value and protect our investment.
3.
To add architectural interest, charm, and style.
4.
To catch a buyer's eye and make a good first impression.
5.
To welcome guests warmly.
According to the National Association of Realtors, window and door projects mostly pay for themselves: homeowners can expect an 81 to 88 percent return on window upgrades at closing. Increased energy efficiency provides additional monthly savings. (NAR)
 |
| Before |
The old door was painted the color of a bruise
and kept the rain out...so it DID have that going for it.
After all the attention every inch of the interiors
have received and are receiving, it was time
for love where you enter.
A new front door instantly enhances your home's appearance, and what's more, it can greatly increase resale value. A recent study by door manufacturer Therma-Tru found that upgrading the front door of a house increased the perceived value of a $190,000 home by almost $8,000. Estimates for new entry doors start around $2,500, so you could actually make back triple the money you spend. (BHG)
(Our door costs about $1,200, so if you do the math...
that's a pretty lovely return.)
 |
| Before |
The new door truly gives the entry presence.
It's still a little ugly outside with the trees being bare
and the courtyard in front not quite ready for its closeup,
so in this post I'm showing you lots of up-close shots
so you can appreciate the construction, finish, and
luxuriant features.
So long, neglected weedy house with multiple personalities.
Hello, Lovely.
I'm so grateful to Pacific Entries who made this front door upgrade
possible with a beautiful alder door and bronze handleset.
To read all the fixer upper stories, go here.
Here are more posts related to our knotty alder doors:
Knotty and Nice Alder Wood
Choosing Doors for the Fixer Upper
Beautiful Wood Plank Doors
Fixer Upper: Master Bedroom Reveal
Peace to you right where you are.
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| Pacific Entries Rustic V-groove 2 Panel Knotty Alder Exterior Door We love the operable speakeasy, and it's at a very human height so I can actually use it. The clavos are beautiful as well. |
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| Knotty Alder Wood Door with Walnut Finish The door came pre-finished (Hallelujah, thank you, Lord) and has almost a glass-smooth feel which made me very happy since it just begs to be touched.  |
The handleset is also from Pacific Entries and is called
San Jose Bronze, and even though it looks like a
million bucks, if you have shopped for these,
you will recognize it comes with a friendly price tag!
It's still a little ugly outside with the trees being bare
and the courtyard in front not quite ready for its closeup,
so in this post I'm showing you lots of up-close shots
so you can appreciate the construction, finish, and
luxuriant features.
 |
| Before |
 |
| San Jose Bronze Handleset |
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| Pacific Entries Rustic V-groove 2 Panel Knotty Alder Exterior Door |
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| Knotty Alder Wood Door with Speakeasy |
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| Knotty Alder Wood Exterior Door with Walnut Finish |
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| Pacific Entries Rustic V-groove 2 Panel Knotty Alder Exterior Door |
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| Knotty Alder Wood Door with Speakeasy |
 |
| Pacific Entries Rustic V-groove 2 Panel Knotty Alder Exterior Door |
 |
| Before |
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| San Jose Bronze Handleset |
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| Operable Speakeasy |
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| Pacific Entries Knotty Alder Rustic Door |
| I dug out this "before" picture, but do bear in mind, we were pretty darn happy when we got the place to this stage of the "before" since it was way nastier in this entry with its bruise-hued tile to match the exterior door color.  |
| Before |
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| Pacific Entries Rustic V-groove 2 Panel Knotty Alder Exterior Door |
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| Pacific Entries Handleset |
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| Pacific Entries Exterior Door |
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| Pacific Entries Rustic V-groove 2 Panel Knotty Alder Exterior Door |
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| Walnut Finish |
A few things left to do this spring to spruce up the porch,
but what a world of difference it makes to not have
to draw the eye away from the door anymore!
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| Hello Lovely Studio |
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| Hello Lovely Studio |
possible with a beautiful alder door and bronze handleset.
To read all the fixer upper stories, go here.
Here are more posts related to our knotty alder doors:
Knotty and Nice Alder Wood
Choosing Doors for the Fixer Upper
Beautiful Wood Plank Doors
Fixer Upper: Master Bedroom Reveal
Peace to you right where you are.
Thanks, Pacific Entries, for partnering with me
and providing beautiful wood doors for the fixer upper.
8 comments
Gosh I love love love that door!! You have vision girl! It totally changed the exterior, and it beckons one to enter to find not your average interior!!
ReplyDeletethanks for the support, amy--coming from you that means so much. xox
DeleteBeautiful door. I am especially interested in how you finish the courtyard since we have a similar space we plan to pave with bluestone and brick edging. Not sure what outdoor furniture style to select.
ReplyDeletewe pretty much finished it, but you know i'm a minimalist so it's just a French peace garden with gravel, concrete stepping stones, lavender, box, some big pots of herbs, and of course a stenciled mirror for my birds! the furniture is castoffs from a friend that i gave the greiege treatment. sure hope my plants come back! xox
DeleteI love the door but not sure the style goes with the existing half round and sidelights. Have you thought about staining them to match the new door?
ReplyDeletehi phyllis! the door CAN be ordered with sidelights but it's not the look i was after. i like seeing natural wood paired with white trim even though it's not a conventional pairing. yep. i'm still breaking rules all over the place! xox
Deleteoh.my.god. That door!!! Ya know Michele, I'm pretty much amazed every time i come here lately. Not only on your consistent progress on the fixers (both) but the steady stream of blog content that you manage to put out. Wow, I feel like the world's biggest slacker when it comes to my blog and you are such a wonderful inspiration. I read your post about 'growing your blog' and I'm right there with you. i'm following you in all the ways i can...at least i think so. You have to realize I'm somebody who regularly forgets to post on IG and to check my own FB page. But my heart is with you that's for sure!
ReplyDeletehugs to you,
Leslie
hahahaha...thanks for your heart. you're not at all a slacker. you consistently create quality, evergreen content that can keep getting discovered and utilized. it's not a small thing. i'll remain a busy blogger as long as it stays enjoyable and profitable. i have always preached it has to be about making your blog work for you and not the other way around or you'll be miserable. here i am in my 8th year blogging and loving it for new reasons! thanks for so much support and encouragement. xox
DeleteYour comments add to the beauty...thanks in advance for your kindness.