This is what I call a small weekend project. The whole look of the hallway is changed just by painting the woodwork. These pictures show the hallway before. It’s your typical 1970s pre-fab hollow core doors in a disgusting shade of walnut brown. Nothing like it to make the area feel like a cave.

The only door I actually removed was the linen closet bi-fold. Much easier to paint the edges and this was one where the back might show. On all the other doors, I removed the doorknobs. I’m a big fan of levers, so I’d replaced all the old knobs right after moving in 7 years ago.

The new color is a warm putty in a satin finish. It lightens up the space and looks ever so slightly less cheesy.

Don’t be afraid to paint wood in your house. Unless it’s got a rich warm finish with a beautiful grain, there’s no reason not to paint it.