How Our Style Director Gave Her IKEA Doormat a $20 Checkerboard Makeover

You don’t even need a measuring tape.
checkered doormat

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If you Google “checkerboard doormats,” you won’t be presented with very many good options—a few harlequin diamonds and the odd nondurable fabric that won’t last through the summer. However, in order to achieve both the style she craved and the functionality to endure dripping umbrellas and muddy boots alike, Domino’s style director, Naomi deMañana, found a way to create exactly what she wanted. With leftover spray paint, 2-inch tape, and a plain coir (or similar natural fiber) doormat, she gave her entryway a lift with this simple DIY.

The Supplies

Step 1: Cover the Doormat With Tape

Start by covering the entire surface of the doormat with vertical tape strips—no coir should be showing through. Be sure the strips are laid precisely next to each other, not overlapping. Repeat the process, but with horizontal strips.

Step 2: Measure the Squares

Rather than pull out a measuring tape, use the width of two strips of painter’s tape as your reference for the width of one square (same for height). This will give you 4-by-4-inch squares. You’ll be able to make out the subtle outline of each box if you look closely: The horizontal tape lines are your guides for the top and bottom edges of each square, while the vertical tape lines—subtly visible underneath—indicate the sides. Mark every other box—the equivalent of two rows and two columns of painter’s tape—on the top row with a Sharpie. On the next row, do the same, but mark the alternating squares to create the checkerboard pattern. Keep going until you reach the bottom of the doormat.

Step 3: Cut Out Your Squares

Starting with the upper-left corner, use an X-Acto knife to remove the squares you’ve marked with the Sharpie (so every other one). Use your fingers to pry just those sections free, leaving behind the checkerboard pattern of painter’s tape.

Step 4: Paint Inside the Lines

Use your fingers to press down the remaining tape squares, ensuring they are firmly attached to the mat and the paint won’t bleed through. Holding the spray can 6 inches or so away, start to coat the empty squares, moving left to right in a sweeping motion. One thorough coat is plenty.

Step 5: Peel Back the Layers

Remove the tape squares and discard—no need to wait for the paint to set. Leave the completed doormat to dry overnight, and chicly save your floors from all those pesky spring showers.

Kate McGregor

Writer/Editor

Kate McGregor covers everything related to the home, from design inspiration to IKEA hacks. She has been the market assistant at ELLE Decor where she focused on curating product for the print magazine’s market pages.