Ways To Dress Up Your Doors To Energize Your Los Angeles Home

Nothing says welcome home more than a door that's decorated in distinctive ways, especially those ways that may not immediately come to mind. Los Angeles residents have managed numerous ideas that freshen up their entry ways to the delight of all who cross those thresholds. With that said, to ensure that the negative saying "dead as a doornail" is never used when on the way into your own personal City of Angels residence, consider the following renovation ideas. 

1. Stained Glass: By installing stained-glass windows into your door, you'll not only add more embellishment but you'll also be letting light into your entry room. To execute this unique concept, buy a piece of stained glass in a vintage store, estate sale or at a flea market, and take it to a frame shop. Then have a certified carpenter mount the new piece. An alternative to using stained glass as part of your door is to swap the old door out altogether with one that is made of obscured safety glass (like reed glass), which lets light in but allows privacy at the same time.

2. Color: If you choose to paint your door, be sure to use a color that will pop and ties in well with the overall color scheme of your house. However, this does not mean you need to be all matchy matchy. For instance, you can pick the color from a glazed pot that holds a major plant in your entry way to really give a polished look to the front of your house.

3. Finish: For a more woodsy feel, or just to be in sync with older Los Angeles homes, try adding a wood veneer to your existing door. Any kind will work but oak or mahogany often gives a richer illusion than many other soft woods do not. An alternative to veneer would be to hire a local painting artist who specializes in faux finish to make the surface of the door resemble aged wood. It's a neat trick that works well and is budget friendly.

4. Alter: If your door feels out of scale with the facade of your home, surround the door with a wide moulding frame and paint it the same color as the door to make a bolder statement. Alternatively, if you have an opening that is four feet wide, you can opt to install French doors which will automatically make that entry way look huge.

5. Quick Fix: A large welcome mat or outdoor carpet can help add a grounding look to any front door, especially one you don't want noticed until you can think of another way to make that architectural detail stand on its own. Another way to trick the eye, especially if you are owner to a boring porch light, is to change it up by asking an electrician to install a carriage light. This is a lovely way to dress up your door at night while allowing you to see your key hole easily. Another option is to replace your existing door knob with one that dazzles. 

The following local businesses may be able to help you get started.

Jill's Paint
3534 Larga Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90039
(323) 664-9067
jillspaint.net

Find the perfect color for your doors' new look with the endless options at Jill's Paint.

Liz's Antique Hardware
453 S La Brea Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 939-4403
www.lahardware.com

LIz's Antique Hardware has literally thousands of vintage and antique door knobs at its disposal. You can pick one that matches your home's architecture or you can go eclectic and pick something quite the opposite.

Stock Building Supply   
3250 N San Fernando Road
Los Angeles, CA 90065
(323) 478-2200
www.stockbuildings.com

Stock Building Supply stocks veneers made from all kinds of wood, so there's usually no ordering process at this place of bounty. Bring home a sample before making your final decision.

Related: What To Consider When Recarpeting A Room In Los Angeles
Related: 5 Tips For Cleaning Glass Surfaces

For more great tricks, tips and advice about your home, visit CBSLosAngeles.com/YourHome.

Los Angeles freelance travel writer Jane Lasky, contributes to publications such as Travel + Leisure, Vogue and Esquire. Her weekly sojourning column ran in 40 newspapers for 20 years. Jane is anything but an accidental tourist. Check out her articles on Examiner.com.