Brighten a room with painted sliding doors
Sliding closet doors are a simple thing, but if you paint them in rich colors or add a touch of texture, they can be a stylish addition your room's decor. With all of the innovations in faux finishes, paint textures and color variations, painted sliding doors could end up being a lot more interesting than you ever expected. Does this Spark an idea?
Bedroom Closet
Dress up your bedroom by painting your sliding closet doors in a color that contrasts, yet complements your room. For example, if your room has neutral brown tones, brighten things up by painting your closet doors a muted brick red. Add a matching decorative element elsewhere in the room, such as throw pillows with a hint of the same color, so the bright doors aren't too stark in the neutral space.
Hall Closet
Paint your hall closet sliding doors in colors that suit the colors on your hallway walls and floors. Consider a tone-on-tone faux texturing technique. If your walls are white, paint the doors in a creamy off-white, and apply a sponging-on technique in the same color white as your walls. To make the sponging-on glaze, mix one part white paint with four parts glaze. Apply it to the dry base coat with a sea sponge. Dip the sea sponge into the glaze, rub off the excess and dab it on.
Teen Bedroom
If you have a set of wood sliding doors in a teenager's bedroom, apply a faux denim finish to the doors. Paint the doors white or light blue, and let them dry. Make a blue-jean color glaze with blue paint and clear glaze, one part paint to four parts glaze. Use a roller to apply the glaze to the base coat, and run a wall brush vertically over the wet glaze, creating thread-like lines in the glaze. Repeat the process with the wall brush, moving horizontally with the brush while the glaze is still wet. Always keep a wet edge when applying this finish. See Resources for more information.
Child's Bedroom
Consider painting the exterior sliding door in your child's bedroom with a coat of chalkboard paint. Your sliding doors don't have to be made of wood for this paint to adhere to the surface. Ask your child to help you paint it, for some family fun. Purchase a set of wet-chalk or dry chalk markers, and tell him to create some art on his closet doors, once the paint is dry.
Staining and Stenciling
If you have unfinished wood sliding doors, find a stencil pattern you like and apply it to the wood. Consider a botanical theme. Spray the backs of the stencils with an adhesive to keep them from moving while you apply the stain around them. When you're finished staining, let the stain dry and remove the stencil to reveal the pattern underneath. Coat the whole surface with a clear polyurethane, to seal both the unstained and unstained areas.
Tags: sliding doors, closet doors, your room, base coat, four parts, four parts glaze, glaze part
