DIY: How I Turned an Old Door into a Functional Coat Rack

I finally repurposed a 100-year-old door into a vibrant coat rack with multiple uses. This project not only transformed an old door but also gave it a second life as a paint swatch display for Annie Sloan paints, a staple in my workshop. Here’s the story of this amazing DIY project!

Three Doors, Three Unique Projects

A few years ago, I salvaged three old doors after my in-laws decided to tear down a pig part of their old house . At the time, I didn’t know exactly how I’d use them, but I saw their potential and saved them from trash.

Door One: This one has been painted in ombré, serving as a canvas for testing this painting technique. Later, the blue door became a mirror frame in my creative studio.
Door Two: This one has been converted into an office organizer, painted black and accessorized with functional details. Read more in this article.
Door Three: This final door patiently waited for its transformation since 2017, and has now become my favorite project!

The Challenge of Working with Old Wood

Repurposing old wood takes time and care. Each door had accumulated layers of dirt, dust, and stains. Cleaning involved multiple washes and sanding with different kind of grit paper (starting with 60, then 120 to make the surface smoother) to remove flaking paint and splinters. A long, dirty and exhausting task, believe me! The good news is that the wood was healthy: no critter or woodworm has been found nor harmed during process, as all the spiders have been previously removed.

For this project, a visible crack at the top of the door required extra attention. Initially, I considered leaving it for character, but after the first coat of paint, I filled it with a wood strip and knife putty. Too much character doesn’t help either. 🙂 Anyway, that crack doesn’t look at me from the upper side of the door anymore, and I have no regrets for covering it up.

Choosing the Perfect Colors

One of the biggest hurdles was deciding on the color scheme. Should I stick with a single color or go bold with multiple shades? Finally, I opted for 27 Annie Sloan Chalk Paint colors, covering over half of the available palette. To ensure a cohesive look, I created swatches and organized them into a logical sequence to follow when painting the door.

On an Original White base, I planed to apply 24 colors, reserving two more for side palettes to cover holes left by the old door lock.

Well, this is the paint that I used for this project because it was easy and cheap: I already have a lot of chalk samples in my studio. But don’t stick with my choice if you want to paint your door the way I did. You can use whatever colors and brand of paint you like or you can with a white acrylic base and add pigments as you like, to create your own colors and shades.

Painting and Sealing the Old Door

I divided the door into equal sections — 12 at the top and 12 at the bottom — using string as guides. Each rectangle was painted in the preselected order, with lighter colors on top, and darker and neutrals on the bottom.

If you take a good look at the result, you’ll see how imperfect the edges are. But there’s no mistake here, since I painted them intentionally loose, to enhance the rustic, worn look of the door.

Once the painting was complete, I sealed the design with two coats of matte lacquer from Annie Sloan, covering both the front and back for durability.

Adding Functional Features

To make the coat rack both decorative and practical, I added hooks on the front for bags and shorter items. For longer garments, I designed a concealed hanging system on the back using a 12in beechwood strip secured to the wall.

Additionally, I added a wooden shelf on the back, at the bottom, which also helps me solve an eye sore (some cables and an internet outlet) and keep the area tidy and functional.

And here’s the final result: a colorful, rustic coat rack that brings character and utility to any space. With its vibrant palette and hidden storage features, it’s more than just a DIY project—it’s a conversation piece and the first thing you see when you enter my studio!