In this renovation update, take a look at one of our first before and after moments. See what our front door looked like when we bought the house and after it was returned completely restored.
Note: Sorry! TikTok doesn’t allow me to embed photo slideshows on the website without a third-party tool that I don’t have. So, for this update, click on the photo below and another tab will open to see the photos.
What You See in the Video
- See the front door as it was when we bought the house.
- Take a look at the transformation after it was restored!
The Story Behind-the-Scenes
We didn’t think it was possible to restore the front door. Even our Italian friends in the village (who always try to restore before buying new) agreed.
The door was coated in an orange-brown dust that just never seemed to wipe clean. It had been painted on both sides repeatedly. And there were places where the wood was splintering, mostly from the floor inside not being level and the door being forced over these sections.
But the window and door maker we are working with was confident he could restore it. I was not overly confident it would look great but we also didn’t need to spend the money on a brand new front door if this one could be saved for now.
It was also tricky timing it right. Even though work was still happening inside, the builder and window-door maker agreed it was the right time. They could continue inside without doing any further damage to the door and then wrap it to keep it safe later on.
Plus, it would make the house more secure overall. After parting ways with the first builder, he never returned the keys. So, with the help of a friend, I swiped a dead bolt from another door in the house and fit it into the front door as a temporary measure. It worked but it looked terrible because the hole in the door wasn’t an exact match for the lock. With the door restored, we’d have the right lock in the door.
I got a message one morning while staying at a nearby Airbnb that the window-door guy was coming to install the front door. I wasn’t expecting it but it was a relief since the house had only been secured with plywood.
When I saw the door, I couldn’t believe what my eyes were telling me. There was NO way this was the same door…which is also what I tried to say to the guy as he was refitting it to the door frame. He laughed probably because of my broken Italian and shock, but assured me it was really the same door. He’d also put a “new” handle with hardware that he found on an old door but that he thought matched the rustic vibe we were going for.
With the paint stripped and the door sanded and stained with new hardware, it was stunning. Our Italian friends were shocked, too, when they first saw it.
It’s funny because in small villages you don’t always see a lot of people, but things like this get noticed (somehow) and news travels fast. I got compliments at the local bar and when out walking!
More than anything, though, it was a tiny beacon of hope that our house was truly starting to come back to life. And when you’re in the midst of an epic renovation like this, it’s exactly the light you need to see to reassure you that you’re on the right path.
Where To Next?
See all the renovation updates in order by heading back to this renovation journey page.
Or watch more now using the navigation links below.
Previous update: Renovation Update Part 10: Plaster & Subfloor Starts
Next update: Courtyard Gate Before & After
