TL;DR
Beauty content creator Sarah Bryant refreshed the inside of her 1910 Brooklyn rental’s metal front door with blue paint, a painted arch and a border of yellow-and-white peel-and-stick tiles attached to magnetic sheets. Apartment Therapy reported that the project took two days and cost about $200; Bryant said the magnetic backing lets her remove and reuse the tiles.
Beauty content creator Sarah Bryant gave the inside of her 1910 Brooklyn rental’s metal front door a colorful makeover, using peel-and-stick tiles fixed to magnetic backing to create a border she says can be removed and reused. Apartment Therapy reported that the project took two days and cost about $200, offering a renter-friendly alternative to attaching decorative tiles directly to the door.
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Bryant told Apartment Therapy the door was a steel one that had been painted repeatedly. It also had an unused chain lock and a beige peephole-and-doorbell combination. She said its appearance made her feel negative emotions, and she wanted the entry to feel happier. The report identifies Bryant as a beauty content creator and the home as a rental apartment in Brooklyn.
For the makeover, Bryant removed the chain lock and filled the resulting holes with metal filler. She sanded the accumulated paint, using a metal file after sandpaper proved insufficient, then painted the interior with Farrow & Ball’s Bothy Blue. A rounded pediment above the door, painted to match, helped create the look of an arch. She also used Rub ‘n Buff in Antique Gold on the doorbell cover.
The yellow-and-white tile border was made from peel-and-stick tiles attached to magnetic sheets. Bryant said the magnetic material allowed her to take the pieces down without a removal process and reuse them. She initially tried thinner backing, but said it did not hold the tile securely; she switched to sheets described in the report as 30 millimeters thick. The article does not provide an itemized budget or independent assessment of how firmly the finished tiles hold.
A Reversible Option for Rental Doors
The project shows one way renters can add a strong decorative feature to a metal door without permanently fixing tiles to its surface. Bryant’s use of magnetic backing is the central practical detail: she says the border can be removed and reused, which may matter to tenants who want to personalize a home while avoiding adhesive residue or damage.
That does not establish that every magnetic tile setup will work on every door. The account concerns Bryant’s particular door, tiles and backing, and she reported that the first, thinner sheets were not strong enough. Renters considering a similar project would need to check their door’s material and the strength and fit of their own materials. The report also does not say whether Bryant obtained permission from her landlord or whether the changes were reviewed against lease terms.
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From Blank Steel to Blue Entry
Apartment Therapy framed the project as a before-and-after of a rental entryway. According to the report, Bryant’s door was a frequently repainted steel surface, while the surrounding entry already included Art Deco-inspired yellow wallpaper. The blue paint, gold-finished doorbell cover and bright tile border were selected to work with that existing decor.
The makeover combined removable decoration with other alterations: Bryant filled holes left by the chain lock and painted the door and pediment. The source describes her materials and process but does not explain whether the paint and filler can be removed or restored when she moves out. That distinction matters: the tile border is presented as removable, but the entire project is not described as fully reversible.
““I can take them down without any removal process, and the best part is I get to reuse them afterwards!””
— Sarah Bryant, as quoted by Apartment Therapy
Lease Terms and Long-Term Hold
The report does not say whether Bryant’s landlord approved the work, what her lease permits, or whether the door must be returned to its previous condition. It also does not establish whether the paint, filler and removed lock can be reversed without affecting the door or a security deposit. Bryant’s account that she can remove and reuse the magnetic-backed tiles is specific to her setup; no long-term test or independent confirmation of the tiles’ hold is provided. The source gives the backing thickness as 30 millimeters, but does not identify the product or explain how that measurement was verified.
No Follow-Up Testing Reported
Apartment Therapy’s account presents the completed makeover and does not announce a follow-up test, landlord response or later update. Bryant said the magnetic border can be taken down and reused, but the article does not report how it performs over time or what happens when the apartment is vacated. Readers looking to copy the project would need to confirm their lease rules and assess whether their own metal door and chosen backing can support the tiles.
Key Questions
How did Sarah Bryant attach the tiles to the rental door?
She attached yellow-and-white peel-and-stick tiles to magnetic sheets, then used the magnetic backing to hold the border to the steel door, according to Apartment Therapy.
Can the magnetic tile border be removed and reused?
Bryant said she can take the magnetic-backed pieces down without a removal process and reuse them. The report does not include independent testing or a long-term update.
How much did the makeover cost and how long did it take?
Apartment Therapy reported that the project took two days and cost about $200. The article does not provide an itemized breakdown.
What else did Bryant change?
She painted the door and a rounded pediment Bothy Blue, filled holes left by an unused chain lock, and applied an Antique Gold finish to the doorbell cover.
Was the entire makeover removable?
The tiles were described as removable, but the report does not say whether the paint and metal filler can be undone or whether the landlord approved those changes. Renters should check their lease and ask the property owner about alterations before proceeding.
Source: apartmenttherapy.com
