Make closet doors disappear with paint

The entry hall or bedroom often comes with large closet doors that are in most cases utilitarian in design. While great for hiding all the clothing, bedding, and other storage items you might have, simple white doors can be an eyesore. This is particularly true if you have painted the walls in your favorite color and decorated around the closet with pictures and artwork. Your closet doors may seem to cut into space and draw unwanted attention.

For these reasons, you probably want to make those doors disappear, or at least look a lot less imposing than they do now. If your closet doors are pure white, wood veneer, or any other color or finish, it’s an easy project to blend them into the background using paint and a little creativity.

Mix them on the wall: Paint the closet doors the same color as the surrounding wall so they disappear. You will have a continuous spread of nice color in your room, rather than color that stops and starts abruptly. If your closet doors are framed with moldings, be sure to paint them as well, otherwise the contrasting color will stand out.

If you have painted your walls with stripes, paint the closet doors with the same stripes. If you’ve stamped a pattern on the walls, continue on your closet doors. If you have wood-paneled walls, you can create faux woodgrain effects on your doors using polish and a woodgrain tool. Staining wood cabinet doors is another option to darken them so they blend in with dark colored walls.

REFLECT COLORS AND ARTWORK IN THE SPACE – Your closet doors don’t need to be a single block of color. In fact, they can stand out more if the rest of your bedroom is covered in bright, eye-catching patterns, for example. If you have a large piece of art on the wall opposite your closet, try to reflect the colors and shapes that appear in the piece on your closet doors. Use painter’s tape to help create straight lines and geometric designs, or paint a picture with your free hand.

Give Them The Look Of Furniture: With the variety of faux finish painting techniques out there, you can give your closet doors a custom look. Consider creating a similar finish to the other furniture in your room, so that your closet appears to be just one piece of an ensemble. Use the right painting tools, techniques, and colors to create the look of dark mahogany or light bamboo. Add matching knobs and trim to enhance the look.

Mimic the look of fabric: Contemporary homes tend to incorporate natural fabrics and various textures into their design, and you can mimic the look of these materials on your closet doors. For example, if you have linen curtains covering the windows, paint the closet door with a faux linen finish. Other finishes like faux grass fabric and faux leather can make these doors blend in perfectly with your décor.