Dishfunctional Designs: The Upcycled Garden: Spring 2023

I love old folk art style painted doors, especially when they're used as bright, colorful accents indoors or out.

Like an old portal to a secret garden, they work magic in a garden or simply leaning up against a wall in a roomy indoor space.

You can get the same effect as an antique folk art painted door yourself by using these designs as inspiration and not being afraid to test out uncommon color combinations.

Avoid removing the paint on old doors that show signs of lead paint; the main one being alligatoring, which is a pattern of cracking and peeling of paint that looks similar to reptile or alligator skin.

Sometimes moving a bit out of your comfort zone to try out unusual color combinations can be scary, but when you hit upon that certain combination that wows you then you will find it is all worth the effort!

Not too handy with a paintbrush? Try tracing designs, using stencils, or even decoupage with old papers or old wallpaper. Just be sure to seal it all up once you are finished to preserve your artwork and extend the life of all that work!

Where to find old doors? Try thrift stores, salvage yards, and online resources like Facebook marketplace. Yard sales and flea markets are great places to search too.

In my area we have a Habitat for Humanity thrift store that specializes in used and like new household hardware such as light fixtures, windows, and doors.

Find your style! What do you gravitate towards? Art Nouveau? Art Deco? Old fashioned florals? Caribbean brights? Use your favorites as a springboard for where to begin.