I need help with this space! Should I paint the doors a color, stain them a darker color or leave them alone?

Doreen S
by Doreen S
I know I need a runner :), but what color would you think would be best? The door straight ahead leads to the back, and the other doors lead to bedrooms. The back door has way too much 'yellow' in it. It just doesn't work with anything. Thanks for your help!
Here are pics of the rooms, since whatever the door color ends up will ultimately be on the inside doors as well I figured they would be helpful. You can't see the door, but it's on the right.
My initial thought was to paint the doors black to pick up the color of the appliances, but now I'm not so sure.
  15 answers
  • Hometipster.com Hometipster.com on Jul 09, 2012
    In my very humble opinion there is nothing more beautiful than natural wood. I would just rub them down lightly and give them a nice coat of varnish. You could apply a stain if you like. Here's a guide you might find useful - http://hometipster.com/how-to-stain-and-finish-wood/ Hope that helps - have a great day :) Graham
  • Amanda H Amanda H on Jul 09, 2012
    Don't paint the wood! you'll never be able to go back. Even then doors, if they're wood leave them alone! On the drywall and metal door you can do a dark red or woodsy green to try "de-yellowing" the rooms.
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Jul 09, 2012
    I agree with the others....do not paint this wood! Wood can be wiped down with Murphy's Soap and water or whatever type of treatment you use, but painting ties you into constant repainting! If that back door is already painted, coordinated your repaint with a color that is in your spectrum of "likes". Then accent with the same colors in a runner. It can actually be whimsical...after all, it is in the private part of the house!
  • Dee W Dee W on Jul 09, 2012
    Oh my, I love all your wood! I can't imagine why you would want to paint. Like you said a foor runner in hall would add some color, maybe a sage green or if you are bold a design with some bold reds? Your home is beautiful.
  • Lori J Lori J on Jul 09, 2012
    What would opinions be without variance. I love a door that pops with color. I even collect images of them on pinterest. http://pinterest.com/negardengirl/front-doors-that-rock/
  • Doreen S Doreen S on Jul 09, 2012
    I'm so sorry! I should have mentioned that the doors are NOT wood. I agree that if they were, I shouldn't paint them. They're inexpensive hollow doors that I stained to look like wood. Not sure if that changes anyone's opinion but thought I'd put it out there. Thank you!
  • Dee W Dee W on Jul 09, 2012
    Wow-fooled me. My opinion still stands-unless you are totally tired of the "look." Then I say pick out your runner and choose a color from it for the doors.
  • Lori Lori on Sep 19, 2014
    I am going to go way out on a limb here, but I'm just thinking off the top of my head so what the heck. Paint the doors in the hallway, 3 or 4 I think, all a satin black. And make the runner full of colour but either be bound in black or contain enough black to pull the door colour in. Make the runner come all the way out to the edge of the sawed off wall and possibly put a matching rug, round or oval in the kitchen. I have to think more about the other doors but I love this house.
  • Rita Robbie Rita Robbie on Mar 28, 2015
    I love the look of wood too but my impression of the look is too much yellow. The "oak" color of the wood has a natural yellowish color, the walls yellow, doors yellow, too much of same hue. I would change the wall colors, then paint the doors darker contrasting color. I like the other comments of using bolder colors in the rug. Pick one you like and pull colors from it. (Medium to Lighter hues for the walls, deeper colors for the doors. If you cant decide on which colors, I would suggest taking a scrap of the wood with you to a paint store, look at their paint chips, color idea booklets, etc. Also use a color wheel to help you decide which colors compliment what you already have in the rooms. And ask for help from the store associate. Also bring home several paint chips in several shades of the colors you like. What looks good in the store may look totally different at home. Cut up small pieces of the chips you want to use and make a "story board" of the colors already in the room (green, yellow, biege of bedspread, curtain colors, painted furniture or chair pad or pillows, etc.). When you are happy with the shades, glue the paint chips onto the board in groupings and label (bedspread, chair, rug, etc). It helps you decide and if your board is small enough for notebook or large index cards, you can take with you when shopping for other items to go in that room in the future. Saves you from making mistakes in color choices and having to return items that didn't work. One last tip, collect pictures in a file of rooms you love in magazines etc. Then start with color combinations you like from those pictures. Always take photos with cell phone or camera while shopping so you can remember those ideas when at home. Good luck and have fun!
  • Blu1810324 Blu1810324 on Jun 12, 2015
    I think a light to medium grey would be a perfect color to paint the door. Yellow and grey go well together. It would be a great backdrop for the kitchen with the black fridge. The colors would not compete against each other. It would also be easy to find a runner that coordinates or contrast with the grey. I think if you paint the door black, like the fridge, it would be too heavy looking. I would not paint the walls any other color. I think if you change the door color and add a runner it will give you the change you need without painting those hall walls. If you paint them, you may have to continue the painting throughout to give it a balanced look. That may upset the integrity of the wood-log look. I think the walls are lovely as they are. Also, on the front "wall" of the snack bar, have you considered making that a sort of accent wall, maybe repurposed wood as a covering? Your home is beautiful!! Once you've made the changes please post "after" pictures.
    • Doreen S Doreen S on Jun 12, 2015
      Thank you for your suggestions. Regarding the kitchen island, we actually used airstone to cover it and it came out great! I like your idea about the grey and I'll consider it.
  • Leslie Leslie on Jun 13, 2015
    Think black is the way to go. It will help 'ground' the surroundings.
  • Susan Bechamp Susan Bechamp on Jul 09, 2015
    Looks like you have high ceilings in your hall and kitchen area. Add some artwork on the walls, or a tapestry for texture to warm it visually. (Won't eat up floor space.) Then pick your runner and door color.
  • Pgl Pgl on Apr 29, 2016
    The hallway is already narrow so instead of painting the doors...paint or frost the glass in the outside door,the light threw it will take away the monotone feel. I lived with oak and there are ways to diffuse the yellow. Have a quilt? hang it on the wall above the back door..... as for the floor make the runner multi colored [any combination it will draw you attention.. Put up several small shelves in an off set pattern. Your wood appears to have a polyurethane coat on it very difficult to paint over plus it will still look monotheistic. Have fun with it if you put something up and don't like it all you have to do is take it down, keep changing things around to give you a fresh feel when ever you want....... oh don't forget you can doors decorate the doors too.
  • Kristine ParkGross Kristine ParkGross on May 07, 2016
    When you find that runner you mentioned, I'd use a color from that(as long as it's not a solid color) and instead of painting the entire door, accent paint! Start with the trim around the window, then try highlighting the panels at the bottom with a framing style (just paint the outer edges of the panels) or go all out and paint the entire panels at the bottom to accent a color that's in the runner you choose. In my opinion, if you were to painting the whole door black, it would definitely pick up your appliances (but they're all the way up the hall, in the kitchen) but it might look outta place and a black door is an outside door, so get that runner you mentioned and as long as it's not a solid color...I'd choose a color that's "hidden in the pattern" and draw it out by using it on the door. Good luck and either way you have a beautiful home!!
  • NancyMaria NancyMaria on Jul 17, 2016
    Design for interest a faux stained glass (colored tissue paper and water) on the door and/or round window. Test run colors on the door with paper or fabric and leave for a few days. Another option is to run a 2 or 3 inch colored strip around the existing door and re-frame it to draw eye. I would suggest a warm dark barn red. Red would lend to gray and brown. GOOD LUCK, otherwise I love your place and I’m so jealous!