DIY Entry Hall Makeover Project: Brightening Up an 1850 Farmhouse

Brightening up my 1850 farmhouse with this DIY entry hall makeover project! Discover painting tips and transformation ideas to create a light and airy space. Wait until you see this before and after transformation.

Transforming our 1850 farmhouse entry hall was a game-changer! The once dark and dated space, with its heavy faux finishes and red walls, has been brightened up with a fresh coat of paint.

Using Benjamin Moore Linen White for the walls and spindles and Carbon Copy for the newel posts, we achieved a light and airy feel.

This DIY entry hall makeover project highlights how powerful paint can be in completely revitalizing a room, making it more welcoming and spacious. Join me on this journey from dark to dazzling!

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Another week, another room makeover. There is so much to do before the spring gardening season kicks into gear in my gardening zone 6b garden.

Since moving into our new-to-us 1850 farmhouse, we’ve been bringing several rooms to a more neutral color palette on the first floor. Truth be told, there are three full floors to tackle, but our goal for winter 2022 was to get a few of the rooms lightened up on the main floor.

To see what our home looked like before all the renovations started, you can head over to this post. So far, we cleaned up and painted the following rooms:

• Sunroom
• Dining Room – Part 1 and Part 2
• Family Room

And today, we are wrapping up the indoor room makeover projects so I can focus on the outdoor living spaces and garden rooms. Cause you know how much I love my gardens and there is ALOT here to work with that I need to get started on.

But I digress. Wait until you see how much better the front entry hall looks!!!!

Before the Transformation: Our Dark and Dated Front Entry Hall

That red walls and heavy faux finish design on the stair railing was a lot to take in. Since we lightened up the adjacent dining room, the front entry hall needed a makeover – and it got one.

Wait until you see how AMAZING it looks now! And all we did was paint it!

Revamping the Stair Railing: A Fresh Coat of Paint

Before painting the walls in the front entry halls, I knew we needed to tackle the stair railing first. Ultimately, we want to install a different stair railing, but that is not in the budget right now.

So instead, we opted to paint over the red and remove the faux finish designs. There was so much going on in this room with the painted inlays on the wood floor, the red walls, and the faux finish.

It felt really dark in here. Since we weren’t sure whether oil-based or latex paint was used, we did a quick test on the railings.

Do you know how to tell the difference?

Grab some rubbing alcohol on a clean paper towel and rub it on a spot. If the paint color comes off, it is latex. And if the cloth comes out clean, it was oil-based. Luckily, these railings were all painted with latex.

There was a high gloss finish on the newel post but each ballister in the upstairs floors was done with a semi-gloss finish. So we chose the same finishes but toned down the colors.

For the spindles, we went with Benjamin Moore Linen White in a semi-gloss finish. Linen White is a warm white that pulls a little more yellow and beige.

For the newel posts, we used Benjamin Moore Carbon Copy in a high gloss finish. Carbon Copy is a soft black that pulls a more gray tone.

In order to update the stair railing, we lightly sanded the existing faux finish so the new paint would have a better grip. We sanded the surface with a 100 grit sandpaper and covered all the spindles with Binz Primer and then painted 2 coats of color after.

The railing looks so much better now doesn’t it?

Transforming Red Walls: Achieving a Light and Airy Entryway

Although the red was really dark, I actually liked the color. I used to have it in my former dining room before I lightened that room up with Benjamin Moore’s Manchester Tan.

But just because I like the color, doesn’t mean it should stay.

This home has lots of character with great big windows to bring the outdoor gardens inside and these walls were just too dark making the space feel more closed in.

Having rooms that are weighed down with dark colors or designs distracts the eye from looking beyond the windows. Not to mention, less light reflects off the walls.

So much like the dining room and family room makeover projects, we painted the walls in the front entry hall with Benjamin Moore Linen White in a matte finish.

The walls needed two coats of paint too. We used a primer and that covered a lot with just two coats of paint. But there were a few spots that needed a third coat, so we just did a full third coat.

And holy wow does the room look SO GOOD now! Here’s how I did it.

What You Need to Paint the Walls

To transform your entry hall walls from dark to light, gather the following supplies:

• Paint: Choose a high-quality paint like Benjamin Moore Linen White.
• Primer: Essential for covering dark colors and ensuring paint adhesion.
• Paint Brushes and Rollers: Use a high-quality brush for cutting in and rollers for larger areas.
• Painter’s Tape: For clean edges and protecting trim.
• Drop Cloths: Protect floors and furniture.
• Sandpaper: Smooth out any imperfections.
• Paint Tray and Liners: For easy application and cleanup.

Step-by-Step Directions for Painting Over Dark Red Walls

• Prepare the Room: Remove or cover furniture and use drop cloths to protect floors.
• Clean the Walls: Wipe down walls to remove dust and grease.
• Repair and Sand: Fill any holes or cracks, then sand smooth.
• Apply Painter’s Tape: Protect trim, windows, and other non-paint surfaces. I have to admit I skipped this step because I was painting everything white.
• Prime the Walls: Use a high-quality primer to cover the dark red color completely.
• Paint the Walls: Use Benjamin Moore Linen White, applying the paint with a roller in a W pattern for even coverage. Cut in with a brush around edges and corners.
• Second Coat: After the first coat dries, apply a second coat for a uniform finish.
• Remove Painter’s Tape: Carefully peel off the tape before the paint fully dries to ensure clean edges.
• Clean Up: Clean brushes, rollers, and trays immediately after painting.

Following these steps will help achieve a bright and flawless finish over dark red walls.

The Stunning After: Front Entry Hall Makeover Project Revealed

Now that the entire room is painted, I appreciate the floors so much more than before. That red did nothing for the painted floor inlays.

The front entry hall feels larger, brighter, and more spacious.

As far as decor goes, this room is not done and will take a while to furnish because we are going to thrift the whole room.

I am looking for storage pieces that can hold my table decor and want to find the right wall decor. All good things take time – but for now? It looks better than I imagined it would!

What do you think?

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear! And feel free to share this post with anyone you think would find it helpful.

Thank you so much for following along.

Enjoy a beautiful day! xo