Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Punch Up Your Porch - Five ways to say "welcome" for under $100

A door in an eye-catching red with attractive hardware and nice plants makes for a charming entry.
With spring having arrived, it’s a good time to put out the welcome mat with a little flair. Your front door and porch area is an invitation to guests and it also says a lot about you.
Here are five ways to add personality to the porch for less than $100.
 
Paint adds pop If there’s one thing that says spring, it’s color. Painting the front door is the easiest and least expensive way to add punch to your entry. But before running to the paint store for a gallon of fuchsia, take stock of your home’s existing color palette.
Dark colors draw more attention but extreme contrasts will detract from details, so it’s important to stay in the same color family. This doesn’t mean if your house is beige, you’re stuck with only browns.
Visit a paint store to see brochures of recommended palettes using your existing colors. Also, most paint companies offer color palettes and advice online.
A good quality exterior semi-gloss enamel costs about $15 a quart. Don’t forget to sand the door before painting, just enough to remove the enamel’s gloss finish, or the paint will eventually peel.