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Sorry it’s been so quiet around here, I took some much needed time off to spend with my family.
I can’t wait to tell you about our trip to Sand Hollow! That post will be coming Thursday, but for now I wanted to share a little something special from a few months back…

If you follow on Instagram, you probably remember on old door I got the privilege to work on.
The cutest client, Jessica, was building a new home and wanted to add a little history. Her family had an old homestead, that if I remember right was from around 1910, where they picked through to find just the right piece for their home.

This door was so beat up, but Jessica could see the beauty in it which is such an awesome quality in a client! That is exactly who I want to help, the ones who see character, history, and a untold stories instead of junk.
And, oh glory, did this door have character!

Jess has fantastic taste and knew exactly what she wanted to do with it, which is where I came in… giving this old door a makeover and new life so she could give it a new home.

As you can see, this poor thing had seen better days.
It was rusted, rotting away, and had spider mites and bird poop all over it. Just think of the things this door has seen and the stories it could tell!

My favorite part of the door was the original rusty hinges, door knob, and key hole, which she wanted to keep, which is why I knew we’d make great friends! Ha!

After an eternity of cleaning, pulling out rusty nails, and an insane amount of sanding, I found the raw wood.
Cleaning out the little key whole was definitely the most difficult part as a little family of rodents had packed it full of seeds and nuts for who knows how many generations. Once the whole door was cleaned up, I vacuumed really good then wiped it all down with a tack cloth.

I made a stain with vinegar and steel wool and applied it heavy with a brush. This gave it that grayed, weathered look that Jessica was after. I then tried to add a top coat to seal it, but the old door was so dry that it sucked it in which kept changing the grey to brown. I sealed the back of the door to keep it from falling apart (that was the side that had the most damage) but kept the front side of the door unsealed to keep the gorgeous gray.

The top photo is the grey on the front and the bottom photo is of the back.
Sealing that side gave it a beautiful greyish-brown Restoration Hardware type look. I LOVED the way it highlighted the wood grain!
After I had finished with the woodwork, I reattached the front door knob and then added a chalkboard panel to the hole that the original glass had been in.

Once I had it complete, I dropped it off and it waited in her garage for her contractor to hang.

I was dying to see it so I was incredibly excited that she invited me over once they got it up!
Jessica has a GORGEOUS home. I was drooling all over her wood floors.
I’m talking swoon worthy, people.

How cool is she to let me take photos and then even share her own with me to share with you?

SQUEAL!

Can you believe what a difference a lot of love and sandpaper can make?
It has character, history, and tons of charm.
The perfect happy pantry door!

Just for fun, look at her killer chalkboard art that was on it last time I talked to her. So fun!

And, yes, I seriously love this door to the moon and back!
By far my favorite project in the history of ever.

What I learned from this door:

1. There are some amazing people out there who have faith and vision… that’s who I want to work with and surround myself with.
2. Steel wool and vinegar stain is dang finicky so do some test pieces first before sealing.
3. The best homes have character: a mix of new and old.
4. Elbow grease can make amazing things happen!
5. 100 year old wood slivers hurt.

Thank you, Jessica for the opportunity to work on this project, for allowing me to share your photos, and for your friendship!

What is your dream pantry door?