I’ve wanted an antique door for a long time so when I was browsing Craigslist for furniture and saw this one listed for $10 I snapped it right up!

I pictured it with a design transfer on the top panel and I found one by Redesign with Prima called Fresh Flowers that I just loved!  I thought it would look amazing on this old door.  I was so excited about this project that I thought I would probably keep it rather than selling it!  The transfer with shipping was $30.74 which is more than I would normally spend on a project but I was so sure it would be beautiful and I got such a great bargain on the door, I just went ahead and ordered it!  Then on a total splurge, I also purchased a $10 wood floral applique to glue to the top of the door.  Too cute!  I was so excited to start this project!

Now, if you noticed the image of the finished door at the beginning of the post, you might be thinking, where is the transfer?  Well, I’m about to tell you the tragic tale of my Fresh Flowers transfer gone wrong!  While I waited for the transfer to arrive a plan started coming together in my mind.  I had a pair of old table legs that I had been hoarding for a couple of years just waiting for the right project to use them on.  I also had the top off of an old dresser that could be attached to the door like a bench or display shelf.  I found something similar on Pinterest where they had used some decorative brackets to attach the shelf to the door.  The table legs would provide additional support for the shelf and keep the door from tipping.  I liked the look of that so I skipped on over to Hobby Lobby and bought two decorative cast iron shelf brackets for $6.99 each!

When the transfer arrived and I started gathering all my materials together to start working on this project, I realized I’d spent nearly $65 and that wasn’t even counting the paint. 😳 Sometimes my creativity gets the best of me!

The first step was lightly sanding the existing paint and then thoroughly cleaning the door.  Since I planned on having this piece in my living room I wanted a neutral color that would work with my current decor.  For the base coat, I used Home Decor French Linen. I dry-brushed Home Decor Espresso around the outside edges and in the border around the panels.

Finally, it was time to apply the transfer!  I had decided to just use the image of the truck full of flowers and save the rest of the transfer which was just the text and some fancy scrollwork, for another project.  I felt better about spending $30 for it, knowing I was only using half of it on the door, the other half could be saved for a future project.  I hemmed and hawed about where to place it.  If I put it at the bottom of the top panel then once I attach the shelf, anything that sits on it will block the image.  I thought it would look pretty stupid at the top so I decided to just place it in the middle of the top panel.  Then I would have the option of adding the text and scroll design above or below the transfer if I decided I wanted to.  Once it was applied I stepped back to admire the gorgeous image and knew immediately that I didn’t like how it appeared to be floating right in the middle of the door.  It looked like a poster taped to the door!  I toyed with the idea of adding the rest of the transfer, part of it above and part of it below to help fill in the open space but it just didn’t look right.

I decided to stencil a floral pattern around the design, thinking that would help it blend in with the door but…  nope.  I hated that too.  I questioned whether to share the pic below of my Fresh Flower fiasco but in the hope that I save someone else from ruining a $30 transfer, here it is:  ☹️

I ended up trying a couple of other things in an effort to make the transfer blend in somehow but nothing worked.  I got so frustrated I let it sit for a few days while I stewed about it!  I finally made the decision to paint over the transfer and just go at this project with a whole new plan.  I know, what a waste of a beautiful transfer, right?!  I have to chalk it up to a lesson learned.  I should have taken more time deciding not only where to place the transfer, but if this was even the right project for a transfer, before actually applying it to the door.

Anyhoo, this is what I eventually ended up with and I’m pretty happy with my door.

Products used:

• Rustoleum Chalked Serenity Blue
• Rustoleum Farmhouse Red
• Home Decor Chalk Espresso
• Home Decor Clear Wax

I ended up painting it with Rustoleum Serenity blue and dry brushing it with espresso.  There are little hints of Farmhouse Red peeking out here and there too!  I finished it with clear wax.

And how about that gorgeous sunflower wreath???  My son’s girlfriend made that for me!  I need to convince her to do a guest tutorial on how she made that!

I was able to use another piece of the Fresh Flowers design transfer on the old wood crate.  I love how that turned out!

This would be a great entryway table for setting keys and purse on, hanging a jacket or seasonal wreaths from the hook.

Thanks for stopping by and for not laughing at my failed attempt at a design transfer.  Let me know what you think of the door!