Our Exterior Side Entry - Before and After

Can you even believe that it's the middle of January?!?!?!? Sorry if I'm late to the party but Happy New Year and yay and let's make 20 resolutions together that we will try our best to keep but will probably forget about in three weeks' time.

;)

We had a fabulous Christmas (we were all super duper spoiled by friends and family) and had a nice, quiet week afterward to relax and putter around the house with lots of coffee and the playing of toddler board games. I am very good at Operation, btw. Who would've thought!?! 

Before the holidays I was able to make the last few changes to our exterior side entry. I thought I would document it here today that I actually, for once in the last four years, finished a project from start to finish with the exception of a mailbox. 

In my original post in 2013 (cough, cough) I shared how our side entry was the royal pits and was in dire need of a makeover. 

Our Exterior Side Entry is the Royal Pits and Needs a Makeover

With a little bit of elbow grease (sanding, primer, paint) it was starting to look a tad better.

We had a bit of trouble finding a light fixture that would still leave clearance for an outward swinging storm or screen door if we decided to replace our old one. We eventually found one for a great price at a local lighting store. We also replaced the exterior door with an inexpensive, off-the-shelf option from Home Depot. I wasn't sure whether to leave it white or paint it a dark grey. 

A Light Fixture for the Exterior Side Entry
A New-Door-Paint-Colour-Dilemma

After weighing in with my dearest readers I painted it charcoal!

Charcoal Painted Door Love

Once the door was painted I was left with the fun stuff. I was on the hunt for house numbers, a welcome mat, a wreath, a black planter, some greenery, and a mailbox. 

With the exception of the mailbox (there isn't much of a selection in the middle of winter!) I pretty much found everything I was looking for. 

I dragged a planter from the backyard and filled it up with pine and cedar boughs, birch sticks, and faux berries. 

I went to eight, yes EIGHT different stores trying to find the perfect welcome mat. I had all but given up when I found this adorable one with the exact colour of grey that I painted the door! I'm so glad I held out on that one. 

I dug around in my stash and found a wreath that I already had. I adhered it to the window with a single command hook. 

In order to save some $$$ I decided against the slate address plaque and got a set of simple, black house numbers from Lowe's. I love how big they are!

And lastly, I gave the side window box a coat of matching paint and filled it with simple greenery.

I'm so happy with the way it turned out! Now all I need is a little black mailbox. I certainly won't mind shopping around for that in the spring.

Door Colour - Iron Mountain by Benjamin Moore

Black Planter - Real Canadian Superstore

Wreath - Local Home Decor Store

Welcome Mat - Local Home Decor Store

Light Fixture - Local Lighting Store

Exterior Door Hardware - Weiser Ashfield Handle-Set - Lowe's

House Numbers - The Hillman Group 5-in House Numbers - Lowe's

Thanks for reading my first post of 2016. One of my 20 resolutions is to be more on top of my junk and, you know, post more. We'll see how long it lasts.......

Byeeeeeee!