Tackling the Back Entry

And in the beginning.....there were really ugly back entryways. There is a thing about this house...maybe I've missed the sign somewhere that says "please come to the backdoor ONLY". Nearly every person that comes to our house enters through the backdoor. This is weird to me. I've always thought FRONT doors were for greeting guests....however, our driveway leads right to this door...so...if you're in a car, pull into our drive, this is the first door you would come to. This also happens to be our least attractive entry. The faux wood grain paneling, stickyback vinyl tiles, the beat to death back door....it all adds up to UGLY. Our front door is so pretty, beveled oval glass window (original to the house....swooning....) wrap around porch, beautiful foyer.....and then there is the ugly step sister, the back door.

The above photo depicts the ugliness well, although it was far uglier...this is after I had removed a good portion of the paneling, stripped the wallpaper, fixed the GIGANTO holes in the wall, etc. This has been the project that has lasted into infinity. Ignore the man behind the curtain...yes, that is SUMMER outside the backdoor. I am FINALLY finishing up...with more photos to come after the paint dries....but I thought I'd share a tidbit of this project.

This one I couldn't help with spackle....just kidding, just kidding. This is the access hole (that's the technical term) for our shower...yes it's in the entryway...it's all geography. Previously there was a frame with a faux wood paneling insert...it was lovely, and is now in the landfill. This photo is the after...isn't that blue pretty? I love it....it reminds me of a robin's egg. Okay, it's not the AFTER after...it's the" before I put my pretty back on the hole, after I painted the entryway".

Here's the after! A MAGNETIC, CHALKBOARD!! I love it. And I did this with my own two hands....bleeding, chopped to bits hands after using tin snips to cut the metal very inefficiently...but I did it! After cleaning off the "residue" on the metal I primed and painted with chalkboard paint, inserted it into the frame, backed it with some thin plywood (thanks Dad, it worked) then screwed it on the wall (that was a comedy routine...that involved swearing...it's okay my little one was taking a nap and the other was safely at school).

I love that this is what everyone will see now when they enter through the back door (FORMERLY known as the ugliest back entry in Cedar County).

More photos soon!! The project is nearly complete...it only took half a year! Next....on to the master closet.