Porch To Pantry – Screen Door Holds Court Inside

Ever since we moved into the 1820, I’ve wanted a screen door on an inside door.  Seems only fitting for an old farmhouse like ours to have a screen door take precedence and I had decided that our pantry would be the perfect entry for said door.  And why not?  I had seen a picture in one of the magazines I subscribe to and it was at that moment that I was on a mission.  I went no further than my favorite salvage shop and found a door frame that had the measurements that I needed.  And, at 20 bucks, I couldn’t go wrong.

I brought the door frame home with every intention of getting to work and customizing the screen door.  Truth be told, I brought it home, and it went straight into the barn and sat.  Time passed and we needed a door for our garden and that door frame fit the bill in our pinch.  For three years, that screen door lead the way into our garden, but last winter put the kibosh on the fence and door.

No worries, I thought.  This is my sign that it’s time for this screen door to get a makeover and move inside to the pantry.

First, I removed the garden netting that was stapled on the door, along with the bazillion other staples that were holding on for dear life.  A thorough sanding on both sides,  two coats of primer, and two coats of the same blue paint that I used on our kitchen fireplace mantle.

I used regular aluminum screening, pulling tightly and stapling every few inches.  I had a few pieces of molding that I had decided to use on the door, and rather than pulling out the nail gun, I decided to use my hot glue gun to attach the molding around the perimeter of the screen.  Worked like a charm.  But still, there was something missing.  Needed a little more customizing.  So, I added more molding down the center strip to dress the door up a little bit.

Then, I remembered these embellishments that I had received in the mail a while back.

Taking center stage, it was the perfect final detail this, now fully customized, screen door needed.

Painting the molding with a steady hand was the last step before hanging, and I tell you, by the time I was done with that, I swear I was seeing cross-eyed.  Looking back, I’m thinking I should have painted the trim first before attaching.  Whatevs, hind sight is 20/20.

We did have to shave a little off the sides and the ends of the door to get it to fit properly, but here she is in all her glory.

Fits right in, in our farmhouse kitchen.  Leading the way into the pantry, a classic screen door slam as the door closes is like summer music to my ears.  When my hands are full of ingredients leaving the pantry, all I have to do is push the door and it closes right behind me.  I love it.

Porch to pantry.  An unexpected home for an outside door, it’s a detail this 1820 kitchen was begging for.