As I’ve been working on making the front of my house look more appealing to me, my visitors and neighbors I also had to address my door bell. This is the exact same door bell that I grew up with, it’s kind of standard issue over here. I’m not nostalgic so it had to go. Besides it still had the previous owners name on the label.
This is more my style! I had the same door bell at the old house but in a shiny finish and immediately knew I wanted "same again". I got mine at Inreda.com.
It’s pretty straightforward to change door bells. All I had to do was remove the cover on the old one, unscrew it from the wall and unscrew the wires and then screw those wires into the new door bell. The new door bell has slightly deeper thingy at the back than the old one so I used a chisel to chop off a bit of the wood around the wires so it would fit.
And there it is, all bright and inviting looking! And see, I washed the side of the house too, to welcome little Mr. Ding Dong.
Too bad the door it goes with is still a poopy brown eye sore. I’m waiting for my concrete blocks and pebbles (the gravel I ordered is actually more like soft beach pebbles) to arrive and when they have I’ll be choosing a new color for the door and the foundation. Can't wait to see the brown go. The sooner the better.
Will you have house numbers too? I am loving the remodel. I check in every day.
Posted by: Lorna | July 27, 2011 at 07:09 AM
that's a great bell. i'm guessing you kept the same sound inside though - is it a good one? we have an astonishing doorbell in canada that has a dozen different melodies that it cycles through, which i've unfortunately memorised in order. it's still going strong 30+ years later.
sadly our sussex cottage had its doorbell painted over! who does that? i bet it was a great sound too. what would you do? hack it off? is it electrical in a shocking capacity?
x
Posted by: elisa rathje | July 27, 2011 at 07:24 AM
Awwww, I *am* sentimental about those doorbells! We used to have one like that when I grew up, too. Just like the rest of the country, and apparently the rest of the continent. ;-)
The new one looks better, of course. I'm enjoying the posts on the new house, even if I don't always comment!
Posted by: Messy | July 27, 2011 at 08:03 AM
Check out this post: http://chezlarsson.com/myblog/2011/06/door-27.html
Posted by: Benita ~ Chez Larsson | July 27, 2011 at 08:11 AM
I am keeping the sound inside. It's not a great one but will have to do for the time being.
Posted by: Benita ~ Chez Larsson | July 27, 2011 at 08:12 AM
Ding dong indeed...
Posted by: Hxx | July 27, 2011 at 08:15 AM
Hey! My parents still have that old doorbell you had, way over here in Hobart, Australia. Even down to the typewritten name card. Some things are just universal, I guess.
Posted by: kim | July 27, 2011 at 08:58 AM
Makes me wish I had thought to split our outdoor light switch and doorbell (we have a combination switch and door bell). The sound of our doorbell is atrocious and is on my to do list be changed.
Posted by: Monica | July 27, 2011 at 09:13 AM
What are the metal strips on the door in the last picture? The new doorbell is very nice!
Posted by: Rose | July 27, 2011 at 09:58 AM
They're steel bars preventing anyone from prying the looks open via the door frame.
Posted by: Benita ~ Chez Larsson | July 27, 2011 at 10:04 AM
Cute Ding Dong
Posted by: Zosia Polonica | July 27, 2011 at 10:12 AM
What a great doorbell! On our farm there are 2 buildings and many doors but not one door bell..no one knows where to enter or find us, and we cannot hear them knocking! A door bell has been added to the to do list..esp a great looking one like this!
Posted by: Dru | July 27, 2011 at 11:39 AM
"screw the wires and then screw those wires into the new door bell. "
this is the moment I would give up.
Posted by: jja | July 27, 2011 at 11:54 AM
The matte finish on the new doorbell is pretty.
I'm curious as to what color the front door will be. My vote is for green. :)
Posted by: devil | July 27, 2011 at 02:00 PM
I love the doorbell you chose, it's classic but stylish and works really well
Posted by: wall tiles | July 27, 2011 at 02:41 PM
I really like the simple, modern look of the new bell.
Is that green thingy a postbox?
Posted by: lisa h. | July 27, 2011 at 04:21 PM
* locks
Posted by: Benita ~ Chez Larsson | July 27, 2011 at 04:42 PM
It is but it's gone :)
Posted by: Benita ~ Chez Larsson | July 27, 2011 at 04:43 PM
Great idea actuallY, I was thinking grey... Hmmm...
Posted by: Benita ~ Chez Larsson | July 27, 2011 at 04:43 PM
Ah, so it is!
When I noticed that the postbox had chipped paint, I figured it wouldn't last long at your house (well, at least not in that condition anyway).
Posted by: lisa h. | July 27, 2011 at 04:48 PM
Neat! Can't imagine why you wanted to get rid of the old one! ;-)
Posted by: Rebecca @ beautiful square feet | July 27, 2011 at 08:25 PM
ummm... grey - like a deep charcoal grey? sounds good. I've always wanted to have a deep burgundy door, but live in a condo complex that requires the doors be brown (urrgh!)
yep - the DING DONG is adorable. Is Willie home yet?
Posted by: christine e-e | July 27, 2011 at 08:58 PM
Not really that dark, but it all depends on what looks best with the concrete and pebbles. Wille's still away :)
Posted by: Benita ~ Chez Larsson | July 27, 2011 at 09:28 PM
'poopy brown door' caught me by surprise and CRACKED ME UP! you are so cute, benita!!!
Posted by: katie | July 29, 2011 at 03:55 AM
Lol.. Nice bell choice
Posted by: Melissa @ LA Furniture | August 03, 2011 at 09:34 PM