Welcome to Step 2 of adding “Old House”

character and charm to your newer home.

(If you missed Step 1, click HERE to read it.)

I am really enjoying writing this series!  I cannot get enough of older homes.

It is so much fun to look through pictures online and dream about how I can make my 1970’s ranch feel like an old farmhouse.

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The picture above just makes my heart go all a flutter!  I believe it is a newly built farmhouse, and I just love the character is possesses!

So here is the second step in creating that “old house” feel in your own home…

Step 2:

Replace your builder’s grade doors

with paneled doors.

Most of our homes have basic builder-grade (hollow core) doors in every room.

This is what all of the doors in my current home look like…

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But I want my home to have charm and character, so I want my doors to look like this…

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Or this…

Beautiful, solid wood, 5 panel doors…

Look how much character this 5 panel door adds to this new home…

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(I believe that is actually a new solid wood door.  But why would you buy a new one when  you can get the same look by buying a used one?!)

If you buy new, solid wood panel doors, they can be very expensive.

But you may be able to find a panel door at a Habitat for Humanity store, thrift store, or architectural salvage place, you might score a good deal.

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We got these 5 panel, solid wood doors for FREE! You can read about that story HERE.

I am planning on using these in the boys’ new rooms upstairs in our addition.

We built the door frames upstairs to accommodate these tall doors.  I’m not sure if I am going to repaint them, or sand them down and leave them natural, but we are planning on keeping the original hardware on them.

(If you buy on old painted door and decide to sand it, please be sure to take the necessary precautions to protect yourself from lead paint.)

I also wanted to share with you a few other bloggers who replaced doors in their home as well.

Look how my friend, Ashley, from The Handmade Home replace her builder’s grade door with an old screen door for her pantry.

Small change, but a totally different feel.

I love the way Layla, from The Lettered Cottage, replaced one of her doors with this beautiful, old, solid wood door.

Older doors are so beautiful to me!

It feels like I am walking back through time whenever I place my hand on the knob and walk through the doorway. 

It really is a pretty easy and inexpensive way to add a ton of character and charm to your home!

Do you have any doors in your home that you would like to replace?

Be sure to stop back by tomorrow as

I share with you Step 3!!

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