Black Interior Doors
Black interior doors are an eye-catching upgrade for your home. However, choosing the right paint is so important! We sold our house for $10K above asking price and I credit our paint upgrades as the key to our success.
About two years before we sold our house, I had a realtor visit to provide us with feedback (or a cost-market analysis). We like to know what features are selling in our area, and emulate that to make our house more marketable.
The realtor offered some valuable feedback and added that black doors are favorable in our market. So I jumped at the chance to make a change…after all, it’s just paint, right?
She suggested we transform our gloss black into a a matte finish. Here is what we had before:
Tip! Don’t Use Latex Paint
The latex paint claimed to be suitable for interior doors the paint started to chip over time. Any little thing that touched or brushed past the door would result in chipping.
So I primed them all white with the intention of starting all over again.
Black Interior Doors: The BEST Paint
- Rustoleum Flat Black Oil Based Paint
- Heirloom Traditions “Iron Gate” (this is my personal favorite)
I highly recommend either paint for black interior doors. You can purchase Heirloom Traditions here on Amazon. Or head to the hardware store for some Rustoleum matte oil based paint. You won’t be disappointed in either.
Freshly painted doors are like having the perfect accessory for your wardrobe.
If you’re still not convinced on black doors, here are eleven more reasons, as seen on Houzz.
Love the black doors!!! My home is the same floorplan as yours (a Ryan home…the Esquire) and I want to paint my front door black. I see that you also have the half bath door painted black, and the basement door primed. Do you also have the doors to your office, front closet, laundry room and master bedroom? Trying to gauge the size of the project before I start with one door. Curious to know if you did every door in the house…
Hi Maureen! Thanks for the feedback! We weren’t sure if glossy was the right way to go, but we love them now. :) Yes, in that picture I had started priming them (I was pondering & taking one last look trying to decide if I liked the white vs black). Black doors won. All of the doors facing the open living area will be black, but they may be white on the interior (like my son & daughter wanted white in their rooms).
I am planning on the same. Some doors will be white on one side and back on the other. In that case, what color is the edge painted?!?!
I have been trying to talk myself into black doors for a couple years now–and I do believe your post is going to be the tipping point! Glossy is winning now too! :)
What is your wall color? I have been with the same color for at least 14 years –still love it but maybe a change is good!
love your blog!
gina
Gina, that’s great…I’m still not sure about the glossy so I’m glad someone else likes them! It feels more dressy to me. My suggestion would be to paint a swatch (cardboard?) of both and hold them up and then make your decision. Here is a post that outlines the paint colors I’ve used in my main living area so far. Thanks for stopping by! https://www.snazzylittlethings.com/paint-colors-in-living-area/
I prefer the low-lustre Iron Gate (black) paint from Heirloom Traditions over the gloss. You sure can’t beat the durability and HTP has a coupon code “DIY” where once signed up, you can get a free 8-ounce sample of their paint- paying shipping only. That covers 35 square feet – just enough to do a door!
Yes, lesson learned for me! I used this paint everywhere once I discovered it. Great tip, thank you!
Hi there – have any of your doors gotten hairspray on them and then it doesn’t come off! That’s gone on in one of our bathrooms with the black, and wondering if a different paint will help. As much as I’d love to impose a no hair spray rule, once the kids get older I suspect that would be hard to uphold!
I do an annual “clean up” and touch up paint in my home where there are scuffs or marks, but I haven’t noticed hairspray. This paint is a matte finish but it is easy to wash. I’m so happy this paint doesn’t chip or peel.
Hi. Is your front door color “iron ore”or is it “iron gate” ? You mentioned both. I’ve been looking for a black paint for my doors and yours looks nice. Thanks. Debbie
Sorry it’s called Iron Gate, I will correct that!
Hi Jeanette
This article has been just what we are looking for we were undecided betwee. Gloss and matte black but this has just swung the day!
Out of interest in the pictures of the stairs whats the cour of the walls? Its stunning and really contrasts well with the black and white
Hi, love the black doors, especially the Matt! When you used iron gate did you paint it over the oil based gloss? I have exterior doors to do and can’t find any information on how it applies to oil based paints!
What did you prime your doors with? The last time I painted the doors I used latex🥺🥺
Are you speaking of the HT All in One Paint or just their standard paint line? Also, did you use brush or roller application? Thanks!
this is totally off topic, (although the doors look FANTASTIC…) but in one of your pics it looks like there are slipcovers on your living room furniture- did you sew those yourself or purchase? And if you sewed them, do you have a tutorial? If you did not sew them do you have the website of where you purchased them? Many thanks and the home looks very elegant!
Hi Jozie, thank you so much! Those are Ikea’s Ektorp slipcovered couches, that style is discontinued but they do make similar couches with slipcovers as well!