The DIY That Turns Your Basic Closet Doors Into An Eye-Catching Statement Piece

Too many of us have that awkward closet door smack dab in the middle of our entryway or hallways. It's unsightly and, adding to the dilemma, hard to disguise. Most homeowners paint the door something neutral, hoping it will simply blend into the surroundings. If you're one of those people who find the idea of a plain ol' greige closet boring, you're in good company. What's a door, after all, if not an enormous artist's canvas? Instead, add some unique charm to your home with a fun secret door idea. Okay, maybe not totally secret in the hidden bookcase passageway sense, but certainly camouflage. All it takes is a bit of paint and some beginner-level artistic skills — you can lean into the classic tracing and carbon paper combo or even stencils for help — to transform this eyesore into a mural that will have guests gasping as they walk in.

You'll be incorporating patterns and colors taken from nearby features and fixtures, so you need to identify them first. For example, if you have an ornate front door with stained glass paneling or other embellishments, you can transpose part of all of those designs onto the closet door. Likewise, take ornamentation you spot on nearby stairwell banisters, furniture pieces, or family heirloom artwork. You could also get inspiration from period-original fixtures like crown molding, ceiling roses, and fretwork. After all, why buy an old home with intricate wooden design details if you're not inspired by its authentic gingerbread house aesthetic? For something simpler or to channel current trends, theme the closet door pattern based on the palette and decor motifs you've used elsewhere in the home.

If you're already an accomplished artist, freehand your design directly onto the closet door with a carpenter's pencil. If you're more digitally inclined, create your designs on a program like Canva (the best option for beginners) or Adobe Illustrator; print them out on tracing paper and trace them onto the door. Keep in mind you might need to scale these designs up to fit your specific door.

Don't have a creative bone in your body? Don't worry! Thankfully, clever designers have solved that problem for you by crafting paint stencils in an endless array of patterns. This $16 set of 6 large vine leaf stencils for about $16 from yhslmh gives you lots of scope for personalization of the arrangement. STENCILIT's extra large Birdies wall stencil would look just right in an Arts and Crafts home. It's quite a bit more expensive at just over $40; consider where else you could use it in your house to make the most of your investment.

Consider your color palette, too. You'll be color-blocking the door with two hues: a border and a background. Then, each element in your pattern needs its own color. Taking the vine-themed stencil as an example, your branches might be a deep brown while the leaves may be various shades of green. Either acrylic-based latex paints (a durable industry standard) or water-based alkyd paints (gives brighter colors) work best for this project. Go for a paint with a satin or semi-gloss sheen, too. A closet is typically a well-used door, and a shinier surface is easier to wipe clean of sticky fingerprints.

While you're in the paint store — online or in person — pick up a can of clear polyurethane sealer. Walmart sells 1 gallon of water-based Modern Masters MasterClear for almost $125. You'll also need a drill or screwdriver set, painters or masking tape for taping off the border, a paint roller and pan for the base color and sealer, and paint brushes. Tips on painting your own wall mural often suggest using sponges, but for the detailed designs in this project, paint brushes are likely best.

Before that paintbrush even touches any paint, remove the handle from the closet door. It's far easier to work with a flat surface free from bulky fixtures. (It's okay to leave the strike, strike plate, and hinges in place if you're careful, or tape them off with painters tape if you prefer.) Paint your base color first over the entire door — this will also become your border color. Once that's dry to the touch, tape off the border area and paint on your background color. Wait for that to dry, then carefully remove the tape. If you're working with a freehand or traced pattern, do that now. If you're using a single large stencil, lightly mark where it will sit on the door. Carefully paint on the pattern, referring to your plan as you work and, ideally, painting same-color elements all at one time for efficiency. Finish with a few coats of the sealer, and reattach the handles once that's cured, about four days.