So I’ve decided to do my own one month, less than $100, room makeover challenge during August. I really enjoyed participating in the group one and working on my bathroom back in March, and hope to participate in the group one next month with a different room if things can fall into place. But I need to keep moving ahead on tackling spaces in this house and some motivation/accountability to actually get it done so that’s where you come in. 
This summer sort of threw me for a loop just staying busy with life/vacation/Haven/ and a busy toddler 
and I am slowly trying to get back into doing projects and blogging. So expect an update/project post every Wednesday this month on this hallway/mudroom I will be working on. And I also have quite a few posts to share to catch you up on projects we worked on in the spring/May and then I want to do a big before/after post of our house after living here for a year. Can’t believe it has been that long already!
So here’s the next space I am tackling – it is small but sort of just what I need to get me working on projects again and also is in a pretty central area of the house so will be nice to have a pretty/more functioning space to serve our family better.
This small hallway that connects much of our home – it is right off the kitchen and we enter from the garage into this space, go to the bonus room, enter the laundry room, and a bedroom door is in this space.
I don’t have a great before picture of this space when we bought the house but here’s a zoomed in shot I have where you can see it off the kitchen. Sometimes I really do forget how much we have done – that green paint is gone, the flooring has been changed and that made a huge difference! More on those updates later.
So not to bore you with a bunch of pictures of doors but as you can see that is pretty much what this space consists of.
There are 4 doors and one open doorway.
So here’s what I need to work on in this space and what I hope to accomplish. The walls have been painted but none of the trim and none of the doors have been painted and they are in rough shape. So that’s the first project – paint all the trim and all 4 doors.
I also need to decide what color to paint them. I am pretty sure I want to paint the door to the garage (the one straight ahead in the below photo) black to give some contrast and also to match with the interiors of my front and back door. But with 4 doors in this space will it look odd to paint 1 black and the other 3 white? Should I paint any other ones black? Or leave all of them white? I would love to know your thoughts because the paint brushes are coming out either tomorrow or Saturday
The other thing I want to accomplish is to fix up this small little wall as a mini-mudroom. I will be making a bigger mudroom type area for jackets/bookbags/shoes in our laundry room but I want to have this area for keys/mail/things that need to go to the car/my purse – that kind of things. So some kind of small hooks on the wall, a bench and some decor on the walls.
I picked up this storage bench complete with baskets and cushion at a yard sale for $15 a few months back and haven’t touched it except to wash the fabric and move it in place. If I decide to keep this bench here it needs some paint, and some new cushion fabric. It fits perfectly lengthwise but does jut out a bit in front of one of the doors – but pretty much anything will in this space. But we really do need some kind of small bench for a drop zone/putting on shoes.
And I need to find a rug for in front of this door.
And lastly, I need to replace this light fixture. There was just a very builder basic flush mount fixture here before but the glass globe fell and broke soon after we moved in leaving a bare bulb. So I switched it out with this thrift store one I had in my stash… but didn’t realize that the one door hits the light fixture if you open the door all the way. Eeek! So we need something more flush mount. Anyone have a less than $50 farmhouse style flush mount fixture they love that I can pick up at Home Depot, Lowes, or Amazon? I need to find one we both like and that fits the budget.
So it’s a small space but I have quite a lot to do! I’d love to know what you think about the door colors, light fixture ideas, and any mini mudroom ideas for that one wall too. Let me know here in the comments, on facebook, or email me!
Personally, I would leave all the doors and trim white (paint over with white, I should say). I think one black door would look too odd. Painting them all black would make that a dark area. At least your bench with baskets is not in the way of the door opening!
Not knowing the design style of the rest of your home, it’s a little difficult to make bold suggestions. However, since it is a small space, I would not use black on the doors. Imo, it would look odd to have one door black & 3 white, but 4 black doors could make the space too dark & feel smaller. Since it is a small space, it might be a perfect opportunity to do something bold like a less neutral color on the wall. You mentioned farm house style, so what about some framed chicken wire with hooks to hangs keys etc & an old milk can to hold umbrellas. For a light fixture, maybe you could make one out of an old metal egg basket? If it were my space, I would paint the walls barn red to keep with the theme & make a blue jean rag rug. If you keep the bench, reupholster it in denim & gingham. Maybe even make a hanging mail holder out of bib overalls. Just some ideas. Good luck!
Glad to hear you will be blogging more regularly. After seeing many of your previous before and afters I am sure the space will be beautiful. I do not think only painting one door black will look “off”. Good luck with the space! By the way, the nursery reveal was just lovely
I think the one black door would be ok. But definitely, need to change out the material on the bench/basket.
Hi, I feel the opposite, that a black door in this small space would look “heavy”, I’d prefer to see them all white, as well as the bench (it’s cute, just a paint job and new material would make a big difference! That one door is not an “outside” door like the front and back, so wouldn’t need to “match” ….. do what makes you happy!! ann lee s
I can see a hole cut out in the wall above the key pad area on the little flat wall, and you can create a built in nook with shelves for storage and mail, and key hooks for your extra keys, etc. Then below the key pad I think a cool folding bench would a good idea. You can unfold it and use it when necessary then put it back up against the wall when not in use so you keep your walkway open. I also see how you can really utilize the doors as wall space by adding hanging baskets for gloves or necessities, or using a wall to hang a command center with calendar, note area for reminders, etc.It may be a small space but I know you will be super creative with it! I can’t wait to see what you decide!
I miss your posts and am excited to see what you do with this area.
I love black interior doors, on our to do list in our home.
here is a colored door, near a white one
https://www.google.com/search?q=interior++doors+painted+different+colors&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjo8eLFtb7VAhWNdSYKHbEAA3EQsAQIOg&biw=1536&bih=736#imgrc=V876u2cdXCCXSM:
all black in a small area
https://www.google.com/search?biw=1536&bih=736&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=interior+black+doors+in+a+small+hallway&oq=interior+black+doors+in+a+small+hallway&gs_l=psy-ab.3…8302.9342.0.9809.7.7.0.0.0.0.84.477.7.7.0….0…1.1.64.psy-ab..0.0.0.wyBKj6IzRjo#imgrc=sGq7tiYazjni_M:
I agree with Ann Lee. I would keep all the doors white.
I’m not so much of an interior designer, so I don’t really know how to inspire you, but good luck on the challenge! These things are a lot of fun =) oh yeah I saw light fixture with up to 50% off on Lamps Plus, maybe check into that!
How about keeping the external door white with the rest of the doors and decorating it with a rustic style script saying ” exit” or “goodbye” or similar.
The black on your front door and back door say “Exit” in your house. I would paint the door to the garage black because it is an exit. You could cut 1/3 off of the bench and cushion and it wouldn’t block the door. (I use a half round end table between two doors in my hall for the same reason.) If you chose to go that route, you could mount the extra basket on its side or repurpose the wood to build a niche in the wall. Your shelf and bench would be a matching set! Whatever you decide, I can’t wait to see it.
I would keep all the doors and woodwork white. If you want some color, do a light color on the walls, such as sky blue. Your mudroom wall would be great for a door or shutter to hang with wire baskets and some hooks for all your keys, purses, backpacks, etc. and make an interesting bit of decor. Maybe you could get another wire basket for the light fixture to coordinate with the wire baskets on the mudroom wall. Weaving some ribbon or vinyl strips thru the bottom of the baskets that match the wall color would look great.
Hey Christina … how did this project went?
For what is worth I would’ve gone for all doors the same colour … just because as so many others have said already, it’s because the space it’s small and it would look awkward I believe!