A black glass pantry door

October 18, 2010

So far in our mini kitchen redo, there are now two DIY projects I suggest you hire out for if at all possible…the sink/faucet installation and hanging a new pantry door.
Both were just insanely annoying and full of issues, one right after the other. Maybe not for most people, but for me. Because that is how I roll.

I’ve been dreaming of a glass paneled door to our pantry for years now. I don’t know why – I’ve just wanted to do it forever. I think it’s because I always see them on those fab, walk in pantries you see – it seems like there’s always a cute glass door. Our pantry is TEENY – so I just want it to feel good about itself. ;)

I was able to finally come to get the pantry door of my dreams at Home Depot. And it sat in our dining room for six months. SIX. You can tell how excited I was to install it, huh?

Well, in an effort to get more of the redo wrapped up, I called my Dad last week and asked if he could help me out. Dad to the rescue (again!!). The first issue we had to deal with – the door was too big (wide). Buy a millimeters, really.

Of course it was. :)

My sweet Dad loaded the door in the car and took it to the woodworking shop who cut the butcher block for our island. They whipped it through their machines and got it planed down in less than ten minutes.

Have I mentioned how awesome this shop is?? When I was there last, they had built an 18 foot butcher block counter for a butler’s pantry in a mansion. Eighteen feet. For a butler’s pantry. It was GORG. Stunning. HUGE.

Anyhoo, we got it home and Dad started the process of installing the hinges in the door – he got them all screwed in and issue number two was realized – the door was upside down.
Of course it was.

He fixed the hinges, we hung it up, and even though the door had been cut down plenty, it still didn’t fit.

So…I had to do what we were trying to avoid – mortise the hinges:
How to mortise hinges
(That would be issue number three, if you are counting.)

It’s actually quite easy to do – it’s just time consuming and messy. If you’re interested, I’ll show you how to do it in an upcoming post. Heck, I’m going to show you even if you’re not interested.

I borrowed a knob set from a friend that locks into place and shows you just the spot to drill into the door:
Tips for installing a door
Issue number four came when I was trying to drill the hole – I kept telling Dad something was stinking bad…and as I was drilling it was getting worse and worse.

And then I saw the smoke coming from the drill. Lots of smoke. The smell was the insides of the drill burning.

Of course it was. :)

It was thisclose to bursting into flames. Dad thinks I exaggerate just a bit, but seriously…thisclose.
So…off to Lowe’s I went for another drill. YAY!

The new one got through in no time, and then I did the side hole for the latch as well:
How to install a door
The kit pictured included both hole saws you need – I would definitely recommend it if you are going to hang more than one door!

I installed the knob again, and it was finally hung:
Glass door on small pantry
And it only took two days! Sheesh.

I couldn’t decide between black or white paint for the door – I was leaning toward black because I knew the white would look too similar to the windows and door in the bay area next to it.

One coat of tinted primer and two coats of black later…
Glass paneled door for pantryI am in luuuurve!! OH, I am so thrilled. It looks JUST like I’ve pictured in my head for all these years.  :)

Oh I forgot to mention my least favorite part of the whole project…taking the plastic off the glass:
how to install new pantry door
OH dear LORD…I think I lost my mind just a little bit. It was insane. I mean…like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I will be pulling itty bitty bits of plastic off of the windows for months.

Reason number 88,348 I love my husband – he walks into this mess after working for 12 hours straight and doesn’t even bat an eye. We were meant to be, my hubby and me.  ;)

My plan was to put some window vinyl stuff over the glass panes:
black glass pantry doorBut the kind I got wasn’t the frosty look I was going for. Then I wondered if I could just use the frost spray paint – has anyone tried that? My only concern would be how it holds up – I figure it would scratch easily. I wonder if I just spray the windows from the inside, maybe it would hold up better?
I gotta tell you though – once I rearrange my shelf labels so they are centered (yes, that’s giving me hives) and clean the pantry a bit, having it open doesn’t really bother me.

Crazy? Maybe. But I’m allowed – it’s my pantry.  :)

My little glass pantry door dream has always included a soft light shining down inside. I tried sticking an LED light inside just to see how it looked and it accentuates the mess just a tad:
glass pantry door
So that may not be happening. :) I would use a softer, non LED light if I did it, but we’ll have to see if I cover the windows first.

So there you have it – one of the most annoying DIY projects I’ve encountered. But, yes, grumble – it was totally worth it. I absolutely love it.

One of the little things I love about the new door is that it allows SO much more light in the pantry – even during the day, when the old door was open it would block the light from the window. Now the light shines right through and we can see our food! (And I can find my cheddar and sour cream chips soooo much easier.)

Do you see the little extra project (above) I started while I had the paint out? I primed and painted some of the base on the table and OOHHHHHH, it’s going to look FAB!!

I was too tired to finish the table today, cause our kitchen was a disaster area – this is what you don’t see in the pictures:
black island wood cabinets
Paint tarps wadded up and tossed out of the picture. Little pair of jeans on the floor. Island covered with things I took off the table:
maple cabinets black island

Our dinner still on the stove. Dishes everywhere. Popcorn popper from four nights ago. A massive bag of Dum Dum suckers on the counter. (Why?? I don’t even know.)

I told you I chuck stuff out of the pictures. The clean house is all an illusion.

So, do you have a glass pantry door? Do you have a pantry closet? Or a itty bitty one like us? Do you even have a pantry? (Bless you who are pantry-less.)

P.S. I did some organizing in our pantry last year – to see that post, go here.
P.P.S. See what I ended up doing to the glass to hide the food here!

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Comments

  1. love the black door, and pains too. Now, the challenge... keep it organized!

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  2. So loverly! I'd love to hear what you decide on the spray paint frost...haven't heard of that, but would like to! I wanna do something to 'privatize' the glass on our front door...not in the budget to replace the door..that would requiring a major project because of how it's built.

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  3. Love, Love, LOVE it!!!!!! :) And I love that you shared pics of what the rest of your house looks like when you take "spotless" photos.

    The hiding stuff secret is out! Ha! :)

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  4. Yes, the frosty paint scratches. Pretty easily. Inside would be better, but it would still scratch. (And I'm really not sure how to go about repairing it, other than scratching it all off and redoing it.)

    ALSO--You'd have to take the door back off the hinges to spray the windows outside. Otherwise you get little frosty particles EVERYWHERE. Don't ask me how I know.

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  5. Oh way cool, girl...way cool. Not sure I could do it!
    But then again, my pantry is now a dish pantry, so maybe i could...?

    suzanne

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  6. Love, love, love it and have total pantry envy, seeing as how I live among the pantry-less. :(

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  7. I love the black door, looks very nice.
    I just used frosted spray paint last week. I used it on glass globes on the light fixture. I love it and can't wait to use it again. It stinks, so I would take your door off and do it outside. But you could do 2-4 coats depending on how much frost you want. Wear a mask too. It seems stinkier than regular spray paint.

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  8. Makes me want to tear down my door and let the light in...LOVE IT! Sadly, my pantry is beyond beautiful...I think I have some candy in there from last Halloween.

    Cheers~
    e

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  9. You are so crafty! I've been reading your blog for quite a while now and (at the urging of my boyfriend, who I think was getting tired of me musing about it) I have finally decided to start my own! Your crafting posts have been a big inspiration, I just recently posted my first d-i-y wall decoration... thing. I hope you'll take a look. Thanks so much for sharing the creativity :) You're great.
    Bisous,
    Rachel
    lovealamode.wordpress.com

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  10. That looks great! And I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who leaves a project sitting out for months before tackling it, lol.

    I also enjoyed your behind the scenes shots.

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  11. Sarah...

    It looks fabulous! I too love a glass pantry door! We must have been thinking alike this week... I finished my little pantry project too! Come by tomorrow and check it out on my blog!

    P.S. I love your kitchen table!!

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  12. You are a trip! The room looks amazing. I don't which I love more....your amazing makeovers or your amazing writing! lol

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  13. I love it! It looks amazing! I also just painted my pantry door black (although not with the groovy glass panes!) and it makes such a difference! You can see the transformation in my blog. :) Your kitchen is adorable!

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  14. We do have a pantry that was built with the rest of our kitchen cabinets. They have pull out drawers, which I adore. I think every kitchen should have a pantry! :)

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  15. I have not used the frosty spray paint, so no clue on that one, looks like you already have some opinions on it. BUT in my old house I had windows in our front door and felt like everyone was watching me LOL so I found a leaf stencil and just used regular ole white spray paint and it was just enough to draw your eye to the design and not straight through the glass. And, it did not scratch up easily, so that was a huge bonus. When I went to sell the house, I just used a paint scraper and some windex and it was good as new!

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  16. I love, love your new pantry door, love the black it looks awesome with your kitchen. For frosting I would recommend doing the etched glass project on it for the frosted look. Very easy, although pretty permanant as far as the frosted look goes. Just tape off what you don't want frosted and paint the rest with the etching paste. Just a thought.

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  17. It looks amazing! I would frost the glass just because I know that I couldn't keep it organized enough and it would drive me crazy. I have use the spray frost before, it does scratch, but it is still pretty durable. Another option would be to use the privacy window film (I can't think of the name of the product, but it is in the window covering isle at Lowes and Home Depot). It would be a fun project to cut the film and apply it to all of the little windows, but it would be nice. The privacy film has different textures that might be fun to use.

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  18. So the popcorn popper sitting out for four days? I totally feel you. How does that even happen? In my head, that never happens, but on my counter? Regularly.

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  19. My husband tried to use the frosty stuff on our garage door windows, and it looked really bad- very streaky, and he did five coats to try to make it look even. He could have very well done something very wrong (like sprayed too close?), but it was so frustrating that we've just stripped them back to glass and are trying to decide what to do next!

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  20. I REALLY like the glass door painted black! I think I would have automatically painted it white but the black is so sharp & just, well, awesome. Good job!

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  21. My pantry is teenier than yours! I love the door but I could never be so brave. There are some areas in my house people just shouldn't see if you know what I mean :)

    Hannah @ http://youngancrafty.blogspot.com/

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  22. The door looks so good! And it really must be wonderful to have friends who actually can use photoshop to show you how the black vs. white would look! I love the piece above the door too.

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  23. Pretty, I don't think I could handle the open-ness of it though - I like my full panel pantry door - LOL. That said, I LOVE your labels - I need to search for those in the blog, my husband can't find a darn thing in our panty (which is organized thank you very much) - I need to make these husband proof labels!

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  24. I think you meant "It's my pantry and I'll cry if I want to" :)

    I like it!

    Bonus for painting the pantry door black: your eye isn't attracted to your food items as a "window" since your windows are white. It's like a visual distinction between looking outside and not looking outside.

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  25. It looks great! I wouldn't be able to keep my pantry looking nice to keep it with the clear glass- I can't help it I'm clearly a messy!

    I have a pantry door and I am looking for an old ornate wood screen to use for it. We have a ways to go before we start remodeling the kitchen- darn! If I find that old screen door though I may just put it up even before remodeling!

    bee blessed
    mary

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  26. Sarah, I thoroughly enjoyed this post. I love your new pantry door. I do like the idea of frosting the glass. The Coastal Living Ultimate Beach House had frosted glass on all of it's closet doors, and they looked amazing. During the tours, they had the doors softly back lit. I only found one picture of a closet door on their website, but here it is:

    http://www.coastalliving.com/homes/idea-houses/2010-coastal-living-ultimate-beach-house-00414000067617/page33.html

    Unfortunately, they didn't have the back light on for the picture, though.

    Funny, the pantry at the Ultimate Beach House was just open shelving, with no doors.

    The beach house we are renovating is not too far from the Coastal Living house, so I made multiple visits to tour it! :)
    ~Amanda

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  27. You are a Diy Rock Star!! I can't believe how you persevered through the struggles and conquered the door! And it looks amazing, and as always, thanks so much for keeping it real with the pictures of "the rest of the story". That is one of those things that makes me a loyal follower girlfriend!

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  28. Looks great! I agree that frosted would look better. I've used the spray before and it does scratch. It also can splatter when it goes on and that creates dots that can't be erased. Argh.
    The film would be a great option, especially since the door has panes, so you only have to deal with small pieces of film at a time. Ikea also carries film. Just be sure to use a ruler or something to lay it down smoothly and push the air bubbles out.
    A last option I've used is acrylic matte medium. It doesn't scratch very easily. I used a foam brush to apply it, which put a slight texture in. Again, the small panes are your friend. And if you ever change your mind, it easily comes off with a razor blade!
    Have fun!

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  29. Wow, that looks great! I totally understand the frustation of projects that don't go as planned. Glad you hung in there so we can be inspired. :)

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  30. LOOOVVVEEE this!
    Have a pretty day!
    Kristin

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  31. i love the black pantry door- great idea. Just wanted to check in and let you know, keep up the good work. I will post my halloween decorating pics soon.....

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  32. Love it!! I have dreams of a pretty pantry door too now that I redid ours. It's so pretty in there and I even hung a wreath IN the pantry! So it needs to be visible to everyone right??

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  33. Your whole kitchen looks great! I love the black door!!! I am among the pantry-less. Jealous, I might add of your beautiful kitchen and pantry!! And I'm right there with you with the random mess around! It happens! :)Although, I'm sure your project had tons to do with yours.

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  34. Love the new door! It adds so much interest and openness!

    I'm wondering if our tables are going to be twinners after you finish painting (dh is working on mine as we speak--I mean type).

    My friend with the glass door pantry used a nice vinyl that doesn't look like vinyl. It has a design and the words "Cozina Tina" (or how ever you spell kitchen in Portuguese cut out of the vinyl so the words are clear, but her glass is just one solid piece.

    Anyway, whatever you do will be lovely!

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  35. I know a couple of people who've tried the frost spray, and you have to be VERY CAREFUL to spray evenly or it comes out very splotchy.

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  36. uhhh...talk to us about the "wine" cupboard above the microwave...did you just remove those doors? What are your plans for that? will you put in wine racks? Also...should wine be stored there- the heat and all from the stove and microwave? real questions...not trying to be a smart A. We have considered doing the same thing above our fridge or somewhere...just wondering your designer idea.

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  37. THANK you for doing this! (I know you did it just for me. ha)
    I told my hubby I wanted a glass door for the pantry and he said "Are you sure? Nobody does that!"

    If my pantry were as tidy as yours, I'd leave the glass clear. For me, I know I'll need something akin to a frosted lens on an older actress *ahem*. I saw someone modge-podge white tissue paper and that looked cool. But I have OCD and would probably want it with NO creases.

    BLACK paint was totally the way to go. Can't wait to see the table finished, too!
    Thanks for keeping it real with the messy house shots. Love that about you.

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  38. I have used that spray frosted stuff. I put it on my french door and it stayed for years and looked great until one day I forgot and sprayed windex on it, you can't do that! I then bought some from Home Depot or Lowes to respray and I don't like that brand as well. I got the first stuff from Hobby Lobby. Here is one warning, it will leave a film of dust all over the room you are in when you spray it, so cover what you can! Good luck, the pantry looks great!

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  39. About 18 months ago, my husband (and a contractor for the electric and plumbing) moved my washer/dryer out of it's closet in the kitchen(!!) and into the half bath and now I have a large pantry. It had double doors when the laundry was in there, but we removed them completely. I've considered bifolds for it, because it opens smack into the main part of the kitchen and a hallway, so the original full-size doors were insane, but we were advised against bifolds with kids AND I'm still so in love with the fact that I finally have a pantry (and a laundry room) that I don't really mind it being open for everyone to see. Most of the time.

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  40. Have you tried the frosted contact paper like Sherry @ YHL used on their basement windows? I think the spray might be too messy & permanent.

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  41. New to your blog - but LOOOOVED this first post I just read! Agreed. Adore the black. I just refinished a round end table (Craiglist find! Yay!) and opted for a high gloss black finish. Remember how grey was the new black? Well, now I think HIGH GLOSS black is the new black! ;)

    A question though - WHAT color are your walls in the kitchen? I am smitten! Would love to do something similar for our bedroom! Thanks!!

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  42. A good alternative to the frosted glass (which may not hold up forever) is to attach a rail to the top and bottom of the INSIDE of the door, just above and just below the glass, and make a fabric panel to suspend between the rails. If you make the fabric twice the width of the glass area and slide it all onto the rails, you'll get a beautiful effect with rippling fabric, which could be gorgeous in a voile or the like. Something a little sheer to still let the light in. It'll create a lovely soft look, hide the food packaging, and not look as stark as frosting.
    I might try to email you a picture of what I mean... it might be easier than explaining it!
    Great job thus far!

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  43. Sarah,

    I just have to say I don't even have a house to decorate (yet) but I've been reading your blog for over a year now and just love it. You crack me up! (of course it was) Thanks for the entertainment, sense of friendship I feel reading your stuff (even if it's just the imaginary internet stalker kind) and the inspiration for when I do have my own house to decorate (soon)!

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  44. I just found your blog today - LOVE your kitchen! I'm so jealous. My kitchen is tiny in comparison. I was one of the unfortunate pantry-less until I took it into my own hands. I built a pantry, broom closet and extended out one end of the kitchen cabinets and built it to custom measurements to hold certain things like cookie sheets, boxes of food wrap and a slide out trash bin. If there is one thing I love, it's a pencil, a fresh pad of graph paper and tool that make a LOT of noise ;)

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  45. Gorgeous! I think if I was going to install a glass pantry door though I'd need it to be stained glass!!! I couldn't deal with a pantry that had to be organized 100% of the time!

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  46. Just lovely! You really did an amazing job with your kitchen. The frost spray is awesome - I've used it before. Just be as even as possible when spraying so one area doesn't cloud thicker than another. It would stink to have blotches! But you're a pro, so you'll be great. I'm currently doing a complete basement studio remodel on my blog if you're ever bored and want to follow along. :)

    Cheers!
    Sofia

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  47. If I had a pantry I would want a door just like yours! The black looks great and I think frosting the inside glass would be nice. I love the pictures of the rest of the kitchen.....looks like mine!

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  48. I hope this isn't repetitive. I have a three-year old yelling for attention and no time to read through. I have also used the spray frost...on the inside of cabinet doors. Maybe there are different kinds? I had no problem with streaking and found it to be fairly durable. An alternative, if you can find it (maybe Michael's?) could be etching cream. You wipe it on and it chemically etches the glass. I've not used it, but researched it before I used the paint, in case the paint didn't work. I don't like the stick-on vinyl stuff, so that was not an option...

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  49. I've been wanting to do something similar to my pantry door. We have bi-fold doors on ours that were here when we purchased the home and I've always found bi-fold doors to look and sound tacky. Might be a good winter project!

    DI

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  50. Love the new door. Adds a lot of character to your space!

    Off topic but it's also nice to see you have dark kitchen cabinets. Ive been seeing white cabinets all over blog land, and I love them dearly, however ours are brand new custom made dark maple [were installed right before we bought the house]... so white cabinets are out of the question [for now], so it makes me feel better to see other nice kitchens also sporting the darker cabinetry :)

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  51. Love it! And love, love the black :)

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  52. I have french doors that go into my dining room. After the painters were done and they pulled off the plastic, I saw all those little bitty pieces of plastic you're talking about! I used razor blades and tweezers to work on it!!! Ugh, it took me forever! I just kept the tweezers in a drawer nearby, and when I would be cooking or something, I'd work on them a little at a time!

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  53. I just stumbled upon your blog (I like to read Cote de Texas, Hooked on Houses and A Beach Cottage) and LOVING IT! I also really love your kitchen table set and have to ask where did you find it? That is EXACTLY what I've been searching for.

    And very happy you went with the black...the contrast makes it so much more interesting!

    Thank you!

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  54. Love it, and glad Layla was able to let you see your vision of painting it black so you could decide...black is definitely the right choice here!! I too would be worried about the frosted spray scratching, and if that happened it would drive me more batty than seeing a bit of a mess in the pantry itself! We have one similar to yours...I call it the "coat closet" panty. What are builders thinking? Most of the ladies in our neighborhood love to laugh about our "coat closet" pantries, "condo" ovens" and laundry rooms you have to "leave to change your mind". We built 20 years ago, some of the 1st open concepts...they forgot that most people buying 4-6 bedroom homes would have large families???? UGH! I've thought about a glass door for ours, or maybe even a chalkboard one.

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  55. Love that door!!!! I don't know if I would cover the glass or not...it does give you motivation to keep the pantry neat if folks can see inside. You could cover the front of your wired shelving with something (ribbon? paper lace?) and just leave as is. It looks amazing and I am sure what ever you decide with be fabu!

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  56. Love it! I think it looks great! I am very sad that we don't have an actual pantry here! I have re-purposed a couple cabinets - so it works for now, but I love having a pantry!

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  57. Love your new pantry door!! It looks good with the glass clear...it might make you keep your pantry organized, lol. Another option other than frosted glass is to use a valance rod at the top and bottom of the inside of the pantry and install a fun and trendy fabric, which you then can change as you wish.
    Love your blog as well, please check out my blog and follow: sasinteriors.blogspot.com

    xo
    Jenna

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  58. Love it! You might try matte Mod Podge on the inside of the windows for frost lite. I did this with a too glare-y glass light fixture cover, and it fixed it right up. I sprayed it with poly afterwards.

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  59. I think the black was a great choice, it really does make it stand out while still allowing it symmetry with the other black pieces in the kitchen.

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  60. It looks great, and I can't wait to see whatever tweaks you do (not that it needs them, but I know hives!)

    OT: I saw this and wondered what you'd do with it - sorry about posting it here, but I wasn't sure the best way http://www.shelterpop.com/2010/09/15/bedroom-makeover-corner-bed/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-w%7Cdl3%7Csec1_lnk3%7C178551

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  61. how pretty!!! (I love that you keep it all real by showing the 'what's not in the pic' pics :)) I would love to have a PANTRY.. but am fully prepared to *hopefully* make do w/a pair of tall cupboards added to our kitchen this winter... oh the possiblities! :)

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  62. Love the pantry redo! I've wanted to redo our pantry shelves for awhile now. My fave feature in our pantry is the light fixture. It's just a bare bulb but man it helps. Our pantry is narrow but deep with half shelves. ugh.

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  63. Nice job!

    I used the frosted glass spray paint on the two long/tall windows on either side of our front door. It looks nice, and has not worn or scratched, but it doesn't get a lot of traffic. In hindsight I would have used the frosted window film from Ikea just so that I could reverse the process if I changed my mind. It would have been hard to cover up the seams on my window but since you have small panels it should work nicely!

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  64. Wow, it looks amazing! You're kitchen looks amazing! I love love it!

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  65. Oops...your*

    I wanted to tell you so quickly how much I love it that I couldn't spell correctly! :)

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  66. I think it's beautiful!! I suggested the frost spray paint. I used it on my Salvation Army glass top table/skirted desk thing and sprayed the underside of the glass. It holds up very very well, even around the edges of the little fleur de lis stencil I put in the center.

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  67. I have been following your blog for maybe a couple months now. :) You pantry looks great! I love the black door and I think that frosted would look great. I wonder, if you were bold enough, to try something like this? http://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to-make-frosted-glass-shower-doors

    I envy your pantry. I've been pantry obsessed for the last couple weeks. I don't have one but I am going to build one in my kitchen...I may paint the door black now after seeing that.

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  68. What was that spray paint color that you used for your light fixture? The one that is like burnished bronze? I am going to be painting a dresser and want to spray paint the hardware.

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  69. I have a suggestion for the doors....I have seen decorators paint Gesso on windows to make them frosty looking(is that a real description???lol) and I myself have a door that goes to the garage that has windows on the top....I wanted some light so I did not want to put up a window treatment but I did not want to look into my garage! My solution was clear gallery glass. It looks like old glass...you get the light but a blurred idea of what is behind the door. It is cheap...can be purchased at Hobby Lobby and all you do is just make random circles with it on the glass to cover the pane. It takes about 24 hours to dry completely. Any way...just a thought. Love all your posts!!

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  70. you finaly got the door up & it looks great!!!!
    Im one of those pantry-less people ;0( ..go ahead say that prayer for me...I need it.

    Anyway fantastic job!!!

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  71. I think spraying that frosty stuff on the inside of the pantry would work fine. I wouldn't think it would get scratched with normal, daily use. As an alternative, you could tack a sheet of rice paper on the inside of the door.

    RE: Your kitchen counter. No explanation or excuses are required for a huge bag of Dum Dums. Dum Dums are yum yums! :)

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  72. As mentioned above, yes the frost paint scratches off very easily. Easily enough, in fact, that I use it as a temporary redo on cheap glass vases then when I'm tired of having a frosty vase I just run it through the dishwasher and it's back to being clear.

    And I think I win for teeny pantry. Mine's non-existent. Previous owners decided that a peninsula bar (at table height instead of bar height)was way more useful than a pantry and now I have no pantry at all. I just use a handful of the forty-plus cabinets as a pantry.

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  73. It looks great!! We have a really small pantry with two sliding wood doors...they get annoying when you have to keep moving them side to side to see what's on the other side! I love the idea of labels...so organized (or at least looks like it :) Thanks for the great ideas!

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  74. I've used the spray paint window frosting (Valspar Frosted from Lowes) and here are my thoughts...

    I used it on an actual window, for my master bathroom, last winter. I wanted to be done with blinds and fabric on the window because I really wanted a clean (and easy to clean) look.

    I am, let's just say, not very patient, and CLEARLY the instructions on the can are written for someone else. So I used the paint in weather that was, let's just say a teensy bit colder than recommended--only by like 30 or 40 degrees or so. Come on!

    The paint turned into crackle paint.

    I was going to scrape it off and try again in warmer weather, but I think it looks kind of cool crackled (at least that is what the lazy part of myself is saying) and I left it all summer. And I'll probably leave it that way until we (if ever) try to sell or redo the bathroom again...LOL!

    I think you'll like the frosted look, it lets a ton of light in and is really easy (if you follow the directions about temperature) to use.

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  75. I'm not sure if this was mentioned yet but I've "frosted" glass using clear contact paper. It gives the perfect look. With your door I would maybe cut squares a little bigger than each pane of glass, smooth it on using a bone (or credit card or something) really getting it into the corners and then use a utility knife to cut off the excess. It removes easily and Goo Gone takes off any residue (if there is any).
    Contact paper is pretty cheap and it wouldn't scratch. I'd do it on the inside of the door just because little fingers LOVE peeling it off.

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  76. Oh girl, I do love the pantry door! Layla's the best with the photoshop stuff...I have photoshop envy. :) I like the door black..I'm with you, I think it would have just faded into the background if it had matched the white of the doors and windows. I am blessed to have a pantry and it looks like it's about the same size as yours. I dream of a large walk-in pantry, but it ain't happening here!...Ooooo...unless I just tear into the garage wall! (better not even go there!) lol
    The privacy vinyl is a good product and you can get it pretty opaque. If it were mine, I would def have to frost it or something...can't stand to see disorder, and with three boys it would def have that!
    Have a great day and good job!
    Missy
    PS. I loved that door knob cutter jig...gonna have to look into that!

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  77. Wow...I'm 81! I don't have a pantry (thanks for the blessing), but maybe one day. I will say that for the glass on our front door I used this contact paper like film to give a little privacy. We got ours from Home Depot...super easy to apply and looks so nice. I love your pantry and all that you did. Your kitchen is amazing...stuff everywhere and all :)

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  78. I think you should let the bub just put halloween/thanksgiving/christmas stickers on the windows and just call it a day!

    ;-)

    i like it clear, too!

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  79. Ohhh it looks fabulous!! The black really makes it stand out. Great job!!

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  80. I love how that looks in your kitchen. Kudos to you and your Dad. Great job. I do have a pantry and I love it. However, I am not brave enough to show it to the world via glass doors.

    Great job!

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  81. LOVE the pantry door! I just discovered your site yesterday and I already have a long list of things I would like to do to our house. (And the pantry door is one of them). I absolutely adore your style and thriftiness (because, I too live in a Dave Ramsey household!). Thanks for your blog!

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  82. Use a beautiful print fabric to "hide" the insides.. Look around at different pics online and you will probably fall in love with the idea. :)

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  83. I am using some frosted glass 'stickers' from Home Depot. They have several different designs. You spray the glass down with water and then put the paper on and it sticks. I'm using them in my bathroom on a window...and also on a door downstairs. They are really cool. About $25 for a sheet that will do my whole door. Supposed to last until I don't like it anymore.

    I have a pantry. Not sure I would want windows in it. I like being able to shove stuff in there and shut the door so I don't have to look at the mess. Yours looks really nice tho.

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  84. I have used the frosted spray paint for glass, on the front door sidelights and on my garage door windows. You would want to tape off the wood before you do it. It seems to hold up fairly well, but I've convinced myself that those two areas don't need a lot of scrubbing. :) It's hard to get it even at first, but you're a spray paint pro so you'd probably be fine. I'd do it on the inside of the door, not the outside. Good luck!

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  85. Love the door! I didn't read carefully or check the comments, but have you thought of trying glass etching cream to frost the windows? It's very permanent, but very cool as well! It's like 8 bucks a bottle at hobby lobby, but with a coupon it's not bad. With it you can do votive candle holders, glass pans, mirrors, whatever, it's very cool.

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  86. I didn't have great luck using frosted spray paint (it was blotchy), but I really enjoyed using the frosted window film that I found at Home Depot on the sidelight of our front door. It comes in a roll and you just cut to fit. Then you spray on a water/soap mixture and squeegee the film on. So simple and won't scratch like paint. Hope that helps.

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  87. Your door looks great. I also have a small pantry. My house originally came with a boring white door that looked like a closet door. I got a glass door from Home Depot as well. I chose frosted glass. It has an etched picture of a fruit basket with the word "Pantry" in fancy font. I still wish my pantry was twice the size, but at least it looks nice.

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  88. Love this room! Also, where did you find that table? I'm looking for one just like it...

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  89. You can use frosty contact paper and a stencil to cut a design in the paper before hanging it. Then you will have the best of both worlds - a partially hidden pantry and a see-through door.

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  90. PLEASE tell us how you're doing your table!!! Our kitchen table is like yours, and I've been dying to give it a little oompf! I just need to know it's gonna be ok! haha! I've been dreaming of personalizing our table with a big "M"...just nervous. :)

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  91. I frosted some glass doors on my entertainment center. I did it on the front of them and they have held up remarkable and don't scratch either. I LOVE it!!

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  92. Thanks for posting this, I was wondering if you got this done. I have been wanting to do this for awhile now, but it doesn't look like it will happen anytime soon so I'll just live vicariously through you!

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  93. I can see why you're so excited... it's ADORABLE!!! Your kitchen is soooo charming and cozy and the new door really adds a lot to the overall look and feel of the space!

    If you want to make the windows opaque, Lowe's/Home Depot sells a window film called Decorator's Touch... it comes in several different patterns. I've used it before on a clear glass window above my bathtub to add some privacy (seriously, who installs a clear window above a bathtub?!).

    Anyway, great post TDC! Now I want a cute pantry door!

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  94. I gotta tell you.. I am in awe at how it just changes the space! Great looking out with the black. Styling!
    I actually used the frosting (from Valspar) for a small bathroom window we installed and it has held up with the steam from the bath etc. Not a single scratch or crack. AND it pasted the "shadow" test from the outside of the house.
    Good luck!
    ~Tana

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  95. Sarah,
    One of the reasons i love reading your blog is that you are so funny, and you give me great ideas. I didn't do the glass pantry door but i did get a three paneled door and painted the top panel with black chalk board paint. I love it and so does my family but i really love your idea..hmmmm which room could i put it in?

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  96. fantastic!! I love the glass front door. I've been loving the pantry's that have the screen door, but I really like this take on it.

    my pantry has two double doors, which is nice!

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  97. When I read the title of your post, I was thrilled! (For you and me!) I have been wondering how this project turned out for you, and here it is!! It looks so great. The black is perfect. Great job - you (and your dad) are She-ra! ;)

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  98. Great job!
    If you leave the glass clear but don't love the wire shelving...you could always "face" the fronts of the shelves to make it look more custom/built-in and high-end?

    Just a thought...looks good as is too!

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  99. Hilarious, no sp check for BOOYAH yet? Geez.

    I do not have a pantry....yes, pity me, however I did have a small deep linen closet next to the second bathroom downstairs so let's just say I hope no one ever desperately needs a towel out of there. They'll get a box of Triscuits for their trouble :)

    AS for the illllluuuuusiiiion of your clean home. Thank Gawd! That little wadded up pair of pants on the floor made me weep with relief.

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  100. You may want to check out wallpaper for windows. I found some on their website (www.wallpaperforwindows.com) and used it on our entryway windows. The results were amazing and it was super easy to put up! I don't think it will scratch at all and I can take it down anytime, too.
    Loving that pantry door!!

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  101. Just had to share my little DIY trick for "frosting" windows...clear Contact paper. Just cut to shape and apply. It can be a little tricky to get the bubbles all out, but I usually use a little water/glass cleaner underneath to help smooth it out. And then, it's removable if you decide you don't want it any more!

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  102. Looks great! Totally think you should try finding a good option for frosting the window. Good luck!

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  103. The pantry door looks lovely. You might want to consider painting the door between the two windows, for a more cohesive look.

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  104. I haven't read the comments so you may already have been warned but DO NOT USE FROST PAINT on the windows. I tried it on my glass french doors in the study and it looked terrible. You can't get an even coat. I wound up getting some sheers made for doors and hanging them and they look very pretty there.

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  105. I did nearly the same thing with my pantry/french door. I sprayed the frosty stuff and it looked fabulous, and it wears well (and if you scratch it, you just spritz some more frosty stuff on). The frosty stuff STINKS, so make sure you ventilate the area. It also sticks, so mask off the muntins with tape, and the rest of the door with newspaper. And (key point), spray both the inside and outside panes of the door, or the frosty won't look even. It will take several light coats, but really does look fabulous (and much calmer in the room than seeing all your supplies through the door).

    PS - love the black paint, and great idea about the Photoshop preview :)

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  106. Okay, so I don't have time to read all the comments (boy, you have a ton- that's great!)...but have you tried clear contact paper? Seriously!

    When you apply it to the glass it will appear frosted. When I was in college we had an apartment that had a window in the shower up high that I did that to-instant privacy. Good luck with whatever you decide!

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  107. Your black door looks GREAT! I am so impressed with your perseverance. From all of your 'challenges', sounds like you were doing a home improvement project in my house. (too funny!)

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  108. I was going to suggest etching stuff, as well. I see a few others have mentioned it. I'm not totally sure about it - but I did a project with it many years ago to make a vase. You just paint it on and wipe it off and it etches the glass, making it cloudy. It is permanent, though, so that's something to consider :)

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  109. a friend of mine has a door similar to yours to her pantry. she changed out her shelves to real wood shelves, (instead of the white wire "contractor" shelves) and painted the wood shelves black. it looks so nice. the black painted wood shelves really make a difference. makes it look very classy and less like a closet. i think she even painted the walls a fun color before installing the shelves. it looks really good.

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  110. As always, amazing. Love, love the black. Can't wait to see it with the interior light installed.

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  111. Oh Sarah Jane! (can I call you that...it just goes so well together and it's my middle name!) You just make me smile, so THANKS!

    Melissa

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  112. Hi Sara! The pantry doors look great. I just got home from Joann Fabrics and I have to tell you that I saw the window film stuff at the back of the store near the curtain rods. They had all different kinds, even some that were stencils of palm leaves!....check it out. oh, and don't forget your 50% off coupon!
    All decorator fabrics are 50% off as well :-)

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  113. Oooh, you're one of the few that uses a good ol' fashioned popcorn popper like us. Gotta love the simple things in life. :)

    I've used the frosted spray paint on both chandelier sconces and vases and in my experiences, it holds up REALLY well. Here's my chandy: http://www.whitehouseblackshutters.com/2010/03/15-minute-chandelier-facelift.html.

    In my experience, it only chips or scrapes off if you try really hard. Good luck! :)

    -Ann Marie

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  114. love, love, your pantry door. instead of painting the frost on the glass why not use that film stuff you can buy, it applies with water, that way you can take it off whenever way, way, down the road. i bought mine at Lowes long ago for about 25.00 and it has stayed on my front door sidelites for years - never falling off one bit. i even did our window (big) in our master closet. it too have never budged! good luck. Oh i love your blog!!! look forward to reading something everyday, old and new stuff

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  115. So sad that u had so much trouble with the door! You're so awesome to tackle that project on your own! With your daddy in your tool belt of course! ;)

    My pantry is MINUSCUAL!

    So my solution was baskets on my plant shelf..I loved how it turned out!

    http://julieheathavery.blogspot.com/2010/04/pantry-dilemmasolved.html

    Works for me!!

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  116. I think it looks great! I'm liking the idea of the frosted glass, though. The stick-on kind might be fun 'cause you can always peel it off when/if you're tired of it. BUT, it still looks great without.

    I am thiiiiiiiis close to getting a Canon rebel camera. So excited. Are you liking yours????

    Mmmm, sour cream (& bacon) chips are my weakness.

    :)

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  117. Great pantry door. I have used the frost spray on the door to my garage. It has been on for three years and holds up to the weather in Canada and cleaning with Windex. I just painted the door and had to scrape some paint drips off ... the frost came off, but I just sprayed over (did the whole window) and you can't tell. FABULOUS.

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  118. You and your dad make an excellent team! The door looks wonderful. We do not have a pantry. We have two cupboards for stuff and then we bought a bookcase to hold extra stuff like the crockpot and cereal. Now it just holds big fat messes.

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  119. Love your door! The frost spray paint does come off glass fairly easily. Cleaners will drip it off really quick too. If you sprayed the inside and then put a clear coat on over that, it might work. I'd love to see it after the paint.

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  120. What about etching the glass? It would be pretty inexpensive and maybe it would give you the coverage you are looking for?

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  121. Looks great! My mom and I replaced the front door of our last house. NEVER. AGAIN. Ack!! And it's not one of those projects you can come back to later because it's your FRONT DOOR. Yeah right, Mr. Home Depot guy. "You can do it, we can help?" Where were you at 11 o'clock at night when we needed to shut the door so we could go to bed?? lol. Awesome times.

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  122. I agree with Connie and Christine ( and maybe more) put a sheer voile on the inside of the door. You don't even have to have it gathered if you want a cleaner, less fussy look. Put in some hook screws on either side of the glass on the inside top and bottom then put one of the stretchy curtain wires between them with a fabric panel on it

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  123. Ooh, the black is unexpected but fabulous! I wouldn't have thought of that and would have probably just painted it white - boring! We used a decorative vinyl film from Home Depot to cover the sidelights by our front door, and we like it. But you'd have to cut out little squares for each of the glass panels.
    http://ourhouseonthecorner.blogspot.com/2009/12/flashback-sidelight-solutions.html

    By the way, your "messy" kitchen still looks pretty darn good! :)

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  124. It looks great! I have a friend who has a glass door on her pantry and it is frosted glass with the word pantry etched in it.

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  125. I have used the frost spray on my bathroom window in the shower and it looked great and I did not have any issues with it at all. It was easy and looked good, then the window got broke and when we replaced the glass I couldn't find it. So I painted it white very lightly and it didn't look much different at all. Love the Door , and its great Black.

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  126. http://www.craftygeordi.blogspot.comOctober 20, 2010 at 12:00 AM

    You have the same table as me! I can't wait to see yours finished. I was thinking of doing the same to mine, I just haven't decided yet.

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  127. It is beautiful!

    I hope you gave your drill a proper burial! That thing has been with you through a lot! ;D

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  128. I'm a poor pantry-less person, but I wanted to chime in on your options for frosting out the glass anyway! I've used both the spray (on glass doors of an entertainment center) and the frosted vinyl (on the sliding glass doors to our bedroom balcony)Both worked great, but for your particular project I would recommend using the spray frosting, because getting into those little corners of each glass piece with the vinyl might be a bit of a pain. BTW, I have total kitchen envy, messy or not!

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  129. The black on the door looks fabulous! I am pantry-less! I would love to have one, it would de-clutter our cabinets for sure.

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  130. DONT DO THE SPRAY FROST! Save yourself the frustration as that stuff scratches and doesn't on evenly. But the door looks awesome!

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  131. All your hard work paid off! The pantry door looks awesome!

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  132. First, I love the pantry door however, I'm not brave enough for a glass front. Second, thanks for showing what your kitchen really looks like. I feel so much better that my target sack from a week ago still isn't unloaded! Can't wait to see more!

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  133. LOVE! I wish I could do something like that. Unfortunately, our house was built in 1900 when closets were non-existent and there's no place to put anything like that. But that is seriously amazing!

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  134. Looks FANTASTIC!! I absolutely LOVE it and am in LOVE.... It may now be my dream to have a pantry door like that one... Mines just a little pantry but like you said it should feel good about itself!! Great JOB!

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  135. Yes, black was the best way to go. It looks great! Kudos on a job well done. These things always take longer than we anticipate, don't they.

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  136. I just started following your blog and it's fantastic!! Your home is so beautiful and I love your black pantry door, my suggestion is maybe to try a full length curtain scrunched in the middle to hide a little bit of stuff, but I noticed you don't have any other curtains so maybe that would be weird. Here is a link to the look I am talking abouthttp://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://img.countryporch.com/curtains/lined-french-door-panels/images/sassafras.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.countryporch.com/curtains/lined-french-door-panels/&usg=__FTF--_tMqpdYIkzsoyZ8MzspDio=&h=600&w=312&sz=94&hl=en&start=120&sig2=nGAqE-HKotFk7UeDMJYCkQ&zoom=1&tbnid=zz7vsYxx0Jl9ZM:&tbnh=147&tbnw=60&ei=FGu_TMqjLYnHnAeN5JGKDg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dblack%2Bdoor%2Bcurtain%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D608%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C2293&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=972&vpy=205&dur=11&hovh=312&hovw=162&tx=91&ty=189&oei=-Wq_TM2yLqLrnQfl9Z2FAg&esq=6&page=6&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:120&biw=1280&bih=608

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  137. Your kitchen is lovely. Messes just mean it's lived in. The pantry is great. I really like mine, too. It's a floor to ceiling with roll out shelves & it's packed!
    Carol

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  138. What if you ETCHED the glass on the door? It's easy to do and you can pick up etching cream at any craft store.

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  139. Oracal makes a vinyl that you can cut on your Silhouette that looks like frosted glass. I have used it as a flourish on my mirror and loved the results. It's available at signwarehouse.com under specialty films, translucent etched glass series 8510. If I had glass on my pantry door like that I would totally do it!

    http://www.signwarehouse.com/SPTRANS-p-VOR8510-1510-094.html

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  140. Beautiful redo. Love the colors in your kitchen!!

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  141. I love the pantry door! YOU are sooo talented.. I cannot tell you how much you inspire me... now if i can only get the courage to blog myself. Well, some of us are just great readers of blogs. LOL enough ranting. Back to your door... i agree with comment by Sherron of window film... It will last longer and more durable than the spray. and its removeable if you ever get bored with it. They sell it at Home Depot near the window shutters.. at least that is where I saw them... My friend has had them on her windows for 5 years now.

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  142. I love the door, and it looks great painted black! I remember in our first house, we had two French doors installed between the living and dining rooms. I remember peeling off the plastic after we were done painting...not fun. However, it was better than having to tape off each pane.

    Jane

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  143. Your pantry door looks fantastic! I, too, agree with Sherron who suggesting using the privacy window film. My 100-yr-old house has clear glass on the upstairs bedroom doors - go figure! - and I used the privacy film. It still lets light through, but you can't see in. I couldn't find the plain Jane "orange peel" film that I wanted at Lowes or Home Depot, but I found it on eBay. (I'd have loved to use some of the gorgeous leaf designs, but it wasn't the right choice for my house.) The kind I found was actually easier than the ones I'd seen at the big box stores, so be sure to read the installation instructions closely before you purchase/start your project. Good luck!

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  144. I love the door! You inspired me. I painted a door black too and featured your pantry in my post. http://lisasroombyroom.blogspot.com/2010/11/door-makeover.html

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  145. I loved this post, so much so I painted both of the doors in my boys bathroom black. I think it looks awesome. Thanks for inspiring us DIYers!!!

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  146. Love the French door style on the pantry! My pantry bi-fold door keeps breaking and I would love to replace it with this style door. If only it were a standard size, I would already have it done!

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  148. Cute pics! I love the way everything turned out. I was going to go look in calgary for doors but now I really want something like this. Maybe I'll have to give it a try, thanks again.

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  149. How did you end up frosting your door? Hubby is gonna work on this project soon! :)

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  150. I have a tiny pantry. It was a broom closet when we moved in, but I thought it was more important to have a pantry than a place to store the vacuum. It has horrible bi-fold doors on it that constantly fall off the rails. Im going to do this now, thanks for the inspiration, it looks great!

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