As the saying goes, first impressions are everything. Fortunately, transforming the entryway of your home into a statement-making showpiece can be an investment…but can also be done with a paintbrush and a couple of spare hours.

A handful of tips for a DIY-ed door makeover:

• Paint a test area first, and monitor it over the course of the day – how the light hits your house at different times will likely dramatically impact how the color reads.
• Before starting, sand down any imperfections in the door, and then go over it with a clean wet rag to remove dirt and dust.
• If you’re making a big color change, prime the door first (and make sure the type of primer you use – latex or oil-based – matches the type of paint you use).
• A quart of paint should be sufficient to cover a primed door. People usually go for a high-gloss paint on trim and doors (and glossy paint is more resistant to chipping, so that’s good), but you do you.
• And finally, don’t stress too much about it. Remember: it’s just paint, and paint can be painted over.

And now: some color inspiration.

Mint accents on home exteriors are gorgeous, but can look a little too sweet without the right extras. The copper light fixture shown here adds just the right amount of industrial cool.

Here’s another example of how lighting and hardware selection can take a color to the next level. The gold fixtures shown here take any Easter egg-iness away from this robin’s egg-blue door, and make it chic and elegant.

How amazing is this Art Deco-style door? I especially appreciate that the owners decided to pair the bold color with subtle antique hardware.

This bright, modern look is completely unexpected (and of-the-moment).

The clean black lines of the accent pieces shown here give this yellow door an upscale-country vibe.

Evidence that black and white doesn’t have to be boring. The trick to this: leave the entire house white – trim and all – and the door will make an even bigger statement. The pink rosebushes soften the look and add a subtle dose of color.

Another robin’s egg-blue door, but this one is much more classic thanks to the pairing with steel grey and the traditional architecture and hardware selection.

And finally: this. Obviously this is lovely. If you love this too, surprise:

You can do it yourself. With paint.

Have at it.