Backdoor Glow Up

We recently gave our back porch a well needed face lift, and we couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. This historic doorway needed some significant TLC.

When we first moved in, the original skeleton key lock lock was still in use. It was a wiggle to the left, wiggle to the right, listen for the click, and turn situation. Pregnant at the time, I knew this wouldn’t be very practical with groceries and infant in toe. We made the switch to a beautiful Baldwin lock that gave a nod at the character of the original piece.

The back porch is covered and faces due North. The slightest snow or frost makes the back steps treacherous as the sunlight is never quite able to melt what froze overnight. To help with this, we mixed sand in with the paint to add some traction to the back steps.

Back Door painted with Benjamin Moore’s Tavern Gray (CW-40)

We settled on Benjamin Moore’s Tavern Gray from their Colonial Williamsburg collection and brought the color to the side window panels that flank the door. This gave the back doorway an elegant widening effect.

Just as the back steps never thawed given that they face due North, finding the right plant for the porch was a challenge too. I wanted something that would bloom and wouldn’t be too fussy. I settled on these Astilbe plants that I’ve grouped together in one large pot. Other than wanting plenty of water, they seem pretty happy. My plan is to move them to the garden bed by the porch, if they start to seem overcrowded.

The Laurel Wreath detail of this doormat caught my eye as I was scrolling through options. Laurel symbolize victory, honor, and peace in ancient times, and I thought that was a detail to add to our backdoor. We layered the doormat with this gorgeous outdoor rug which has been a game changer in leaving outdoor muck outdoors.

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