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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
- 1’4”-by-2′ doormat (this IKEA one is only $8)
- 2-inch-wide painter’s tape
- X-Acto knife
- Spray paint (deMañana used a burgundy hue)
- Sharpie
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.