Updating boring slab doors with paint

I don't know what's harder to believe: that I'm sharing these embarrassing pictures of our entryway on the internet, or that I've waited two years to start fixing up this space. Better not to dwell, right?

{the blurry before}

{still lots to do, but...doors!}

The 'before' picture was taken after we painted the walls (Sico's 'Clouds of Volcanic Ash') and trim (Sico's 'Cotton Rag Paper') and removed the beat-up looking slab doors. They looked like this:

Well, I added the wood filler.

I gave both doors a quick once-over with a sanding block and applied a coat of Kilz Premium primer with a mini foam roller. After the primer was dry, I applied two light coats of Sico's furniture and cabinet paint in 'Grand Piano'. I also bought a new track and hardware set for less than $40, which was quick and easy to install (the hardest part was trimming the metal track to size with a hacksaw).

Once the doors were up, I set about cleaning the paint off the door pulls (the track and hardware set came with new pulls, but I preferred the shape of the old pulls). I should have tackled this step in my prep phase, but...um...oops. A little baking soda and hot water worked wonders. It took some scrubbing with a Q-tip, but if you soaked your hardware in baking soda and boiling water, I think you could cut out that step.

I'm waiting for new floors to add the floor guide for the doors. We've done some tile shopping (just looking) and I'm sure we'll pick something out soon; now that the doors are done, we're both motivated to finish fixing up this space.

{next up: new floors!}

Inside the closet, I did some de-cluttering and organizing. I bagged up the coats we don't wear to donate and relocated all the odds and ends that had been stuffed into the closet at one point or another (full disclosure: some of them just got stuffed into the basement storage room). I also added a wooden shoe rack, which may be the best $5 I've spent in awhile.

And for a little bit of pretty, I bought these cute chevron bins to store our hats, mitts and scarves. We each have our own bin, plus one for dog toys. They make me smile every time I open the closet doors.

You can check out my mood board for the entryway here and here's what's left on my to do list for the space:

-Paint and install hooks near the door.
-Caulk and paint the trim around the door (not sure why we didn't do this when we moved in).
-Paint and re-hang the closet doors (they're just sitting in our garage right now). I'm thinking black.
-Clean and organize the closet.
-Replace the light fixture.
-Buy or build a bench that I can sit on while putting on shoes, especially boots
-Buy a colourful rug. 

-Tile the floor and buy a new cover for the heating vent.