The entryway makeover is officially the first project of 2023!

 

The entryway makeover is also the first project in what we’re calling “The Newlywed House!”  With it being the very first area that you set foot into, I’m excited to set the tone for our home into something that feels more like us. In the first installment of this series, we’ll be chatting about design plans, inspiration, mood board, goals, and the plan to tackle this space.

Our home gym looks straight out into our foyer and I have spent *many* walks on the treadmill staring into this space and fantasizing about when this day would come.  We have a small entryway, so it’s important that we maximize this space’s potential as best we can without adding any square footage.

I’ll insert some before photos so that you can visualize along with me:

 

Entryway Makeover Before Photos

The flooring in the above photo is 20+ year old linoleum that has seen better days. That shelf there is giving absolutely nothing and will be replaced by more functional storage.

Above, you can see the linoleum runs into the carpet, visually cutting the space in half. Making this all one continuous flooring is going to make it feel so much bigger! Would also love to match up those light fixtures to give us another touch of cohesiveness.

Entryway Makeover Goals

What we’re needing from this space is more functional storage to drop items by the door (i.e. keys, purse, etc.), better lighting, and continuous flooring from the gym to the front door. What we want from this space is for it to feel bigger, brighter, and more welcoming.

Structurally, nothing is changing (yet! – more on that later). I think that a few cosmetic upgrades will really have this small entryway feeling fresh and open.  I want to walk you through what my plans are so far and how I’ve come to each decision:

Entryway Inspiration

I’m always finding new ideas and inspiration for the foyer makeover and saving them to my Pinterest board. For updates in real time, follow my Entryway Makeover board here.

Here is a snapshot of what is pinned currently:

 

I always recommend making a specific mood board for each room because then you can really see what specific design features you’re drawn to.  For this room, I’m most drawn to clean lines, fresh white walls, a bold front door, and organic elements (ie stone vases/pottery, greenery, rich wood tones).

 

Entryway Makeover Mood Board

 

Paint

We wanted a white paint that would brighten up the space, but something that did not feel overly stark.  After testing what felt like a hundred white paints, we landed on Benjamin Moore White Dove in an eggshell finish for the walls. For the baseboards and doors we used the same color, but in a satin finish.

I really wanted a moody front door that felt a little more  grand like in the inspiration photos.  I’ve used Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black in previous makeovers and it has never let me down, so I am hoping the same is true here.  This will be in a matte finish, mainly because our HOA requires the front of the door be matte and I didn’t want to bother buying two separate paints for the front and back of the door.

Flooring

I have been absolutely salivating over the look of white oak floors lately.  However, white oak hardwood floors are absolutely not in the budget and wouldn’t be a smart investment for us because we don’t plan on staying in this home forever.

Fortunately, the laminate, vinyl, and engineered hardwood options available these days are pretty convincing and budget-friendly. We found a gorgeous laminate flooring that quite literally made me stop dead in my tracks the moment I saw it.  I cannot wait to share go into more detail on this in the next post because I was literally *shook* over how much I love them.

 

Hardware & Lighting

I know this is going to be the area I struggle the most with.  I am so indecisive when it comes to lighting – probably because I haven’t had a ton of practice with choosing  light fixtures. So far, this light seems to be the top contender, but I’ll keep you posted.

I am fairly certain that I’ll go with some sort of brass handle for the doors. The look of brass against a warm white with a wood floor is just *chefs kiss.* Along with the right furnishings, I think this will be the perfect combination of classic and modern elements.

 

Furnishings/Decor

I know that we definitely need some sort of console table in the area right next to the front door. The space is 44″ wide, so I am not sure if I will be able to find the right piece to fit there or if I will end up DIY-ing something. I am going for something darker toned to anchor the space, since we have so many lighter elements.

I am torn between adding a table lamp or sconces. I love the idea of sconces but will have to mock it up see if it will look too busy.  I’m also torn between adding an art piece or a mirror over the console table.  I prefer the look of art, but tbh, call me vain but  I love to be able to get one final check in the mirror before I walk out of the front door! Anyone else feel me on this? I would love to get your opinion on sconces vs. table lamp and mirror vs art. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

I am so so so excited for this entryway makeover and all of the spaces to come.  This is the first of many projects in this home and I just know the end result is going to be truly incredible. Thanks for being along on this journey and I’ll see you in part 2!

 

xo, tjp