Help I have a foyer from 1979, not much $,
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That is a nice looking door. I'm into a project right now where I am painting solid maple white because it is essential to the continuity of the décor.
When you install a cheap steel door you have to paint it. Someone spent a tidy sum on that door and it looks like it has been well maintained. Also the color matches well with the brick. If you lived close by and insisted on a painted door I would install a new door for you just so I could have your varnished door on my house.
If I were to change anything on your entryway I would be looking at that iron railing. THAT looks like 1979.
Yes you can paint the door. I would also paint the foyer to bring it up to date with todays color choices.
A very nice looking door. Not sure I would paint it unless I could take it off and sand it and take time painting it. Consider a wreath on the outside to add some color and break up the color of the door and on the inside, take down the metal railing as it really dates the style.
You can sand and strip the door then repaint or stain it. Or you could rough up the finish with course sandpaper then spray paint it and apply clear coat.
Leave the door as is. Take out, or change up the railing there. [don't get rid of it, would make a cool ladder for towels, quilts, hanging plants] Keep an eye out for lumber, pallets, used fence boards. Make a wooden cover and shelf to go over the railing, if you leave it, giving you a place for the plant and ??, maybe your keys, in a bowl? Make it like a 'floating' shelf, only vertical. Paint it, or stain it the door color. Maybe even stain the door side, and paint the room side differently. Add a runner rug to add color.
Look through Craigslist, local Facebook buy/sell/trade, Habitat for Humanity. Maybe even your local dump has a re-sell store! Lumber yards often have a bin of scraps, they also might have a sale bin for 'good' scraps.
Agree with everyone who said don't paint the door, but change the railing and remove the unstable looking plant stand. Doors like that with the half circle glass inset are not inexpensive. It would be a mistake to risk cheapening its quality with paint. In fact, when I first saw the photo of the door, I thought that it looked quite timeless.
My suggestion for a instant update that packs a lot of punch for the $ spent is to change the light fixtures. Replace the 1979 ones with those that either take LED bulbs, or straight LED fixtures on dimmer switches.
go bold! Claret burgundy, purple or even black!
I would paint the floor and change the railing into something floor to ceiling. 1x1s maybe.
thanks everyone for suggestions
Wow! Your entryway set-up looks exactly like ours (did)!
The door is new this year and looks just like yours! I hated removing the old door, but it was finally warping after 40+-years. I've been thinking about getting colorful glass paint and making it look like a stained glass window.
The railing was removed decades ago. We put up a moveable room divider to keep extreme weather from blowing right in. The reason, kept the entryway from being too "tight" for entering guests.
A couple of years ago, we had a complete life change (the hubster was "voluntarily retired" in his 50s!), so converted the formal living room into an office by installing french doors across the entire opening. The glass in the french doors keeps the hallway light and feeling open, yet still gives privacy to the office allowing him to hold his conference calls and do his programming without peering eyes.
The wall, looks almost exactly like yours with the chair railing. That is a classic look that never goes out of style. Keep the wall light colored so it doesn't feel entombing or cave-like. We don't have a high ceiling in our entryway, only 7-feet high, so I HAVE to keep it light colored. I changed out the wall sconce to something modern (actually hung-it upside down, but it looks GREAT!) and bright.
The linoleum flooring we removed decades ago and put down parquet flooring. It buckled after a pipe broke on the other side of the wall, so we put down light colored ceramic 12" x 12" tile. I hated it, but left it for about 10-years. Now I've put down light colored cork flooring (planks) and the entry is so inviting and warm, without feeling enclosing or tiny. Downside to wood flooring in entryway...shows all dirt, dust, and pet hair within seconds of sweeping. Upside to cork, it rids the area of echo, and the floor stays cool in summer and warm in winter without having any subfloor temp regulators.