Using Paint to Spruce Up Your Welcome Mat

The front step of your home is the first place you have a chance to make an impression on incoming visitors. Welcome mats are staples not only because they add a personalized flair to the front of the home, but they also give folks a place to wipe dirt from their feet before coming in. But the mat doesn’t have to be boring: with a little bit of creativity and a small investment in supplies, you can add life and color to a plain doormat. And if you have children, this is absolutely an easy craft for kids!

What You’ll Need

First, you’ll need a plain doormat. Consider the type of mat you’d like to make when you purchase. A basic rectangular mat can be a canvas for many types of projects, but if you have a half-circle design in mind, you’ll want to buy a round mat.

The look you want in your mat will determine the type of paint you should get. If you want to work with stencils in one or two colors, spray paint might be your best choice. Acrylic paint is your best bet if you’d like to do more detailed work with paintbrushes or sponges.

Doormat Designs

Stamped shapes are a cute and easy way to add color to your floor mat, and they are an appealing choice for those who may be working with kids. Cut sponges into shapes, dip them into paint, and press them against the mat, but be careful not to let them shift around. You can make a mat into a star field, cover it in hearts, or fill it with slices of watermelon.

Geometric patterns provide another simple approach to spicing up a drab welcome mat. Using masking tape, create a pattern across the top of your mat. Paint sections in any color combination you like, and when it’s dry, remove the tape. Try making stripes or squares, or even a plaid pattern.

Words of welcome can also make your mat stand out. Choose any font you like from your computer and print out the letters you need. Cut them out, trace them onto contact paper, and create a stencil to use on the mat. The possibilities are endless: greet people in a foreign language, butter them up on their way in, or simply say “hello.”

Get artistic and use your welcome mat as a canvas for your art. Create a unique first impression with half-circle mats painted to look like sliced fruit, or draw a row of houses to welcome people into your home. You can also create a stencil from a picture of your city’s skyline and make a mat that celebrates your hometown.

If you have children, teaching them how to make doormats can be a fun way to occupy a summer day. Even if you don’t have kids, an afternoon of paint and a bit of creativity will result in handmade doormats that will add color and personality to your home. You’ll make quite an impression on your guests when they learn you made it yourself.