Boyfriend Jeans | Leopard Flats | Ruffle Sleeve Top
If you’re a long time reader, you know that our entry has been an ongoing challenge. You can see a few of the evolutions in this post and this post and you saw the latest in last week’s video tour, but I thought it was worth its own post, too.
Our entry is a wide hallway-ish space with weird angles and a staircase leading to our lower level, nursery, bathroom, bedroom, living room and study OFF of it, so while it’s a long space and a wide space, it’s also kind of just 2 walls that don’t touch. Confusing? I think so, too. The good news is I feel like we’re finally in a good place with it!
While there have been a lot of variations that I quite liked, there have been two pieces missing that really prevented the space from reaching its potential in retrospect: storage and lighting. One afternoon, earlier this summer, I was sitting at my little desk in the reading room looking at the wall and especially zeroed in on the floor light that really served us no real purpose. “I wish that was a plug so we could have actual lamps.” And right then and there, Chris said, “I think I can do that!”
And he did. He used the wires that powered the light, and converted it to a junction box and then patched the wall.
It really took him just a couple hours and I can’t believe we waited 4 years to do this. 4 years without a plug! I bought these budget-friendly table lamps that afternoon.
We were doing a campaign with Sauder at the time and I picked out this dresser from them to use in the entry. It was the perfect width and depth and I’m head over heels for all the storage we added instantly. We still have some empty drawers, but in one I put scarves, hats and gloves. In one is Charly’s leash and my candle collection (weird combo). I have some vases in another and the girls’ school papers in another and the others are still empty. Room to grow!
The round mirror we brought up from the guest room (and moved an IKEA mirror we had down there). And the long wooden bowl is the perfect spot for keys and sunglasses. It never ceases to amaze me that keys and sunglasses sitting on a surface can look messy, but just putting them in something–immediately better! Grab a bowl, a little dish or a tray and put it on your entry surface today.
For an organic touch, and because every space needs some green (even if it isn’t real) I purchased two of these faux silver dollar eucalyptus branches. I’ve gotten so many compliments from our guests on these! They look so real and add so much to the first impression of our home.
We took a row off our FLOR tiles to make the runner a little thinner and added two more hooks (we were always wishing there were more hooks!) to the wallpapered wall where a mirror used to hang. While it was all done over the course of the summer, little by little, today it is feeling just right.
That’s not to say there will never be more tweaks, because what’s the fun in that?, but I’m truly loving where we are right now. It’s the first impression and mix of form and function we’ve been hunting for. More on those reading room tweaks to come!
SOURCES
Dresser | Lamps | Candle | Vase | Decorative Bowl (similar) | Mirror | Faux Eucalyptus Branches | Hooks | Area Rug (in linen) | Shoe Basket | Stair Railing | Wallpaper (similar)
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I love, love, love this! What size mirror did you use?
Can you mention the 2 different heights and distances between hooks for your Coat/bag storage wall? I’m 5’11” myself and always am unsure of just how tall I should place hooks on the wall!
I especially love the dresser. It must be so nice to have all of that functional storage right in the entry.
This encompasses everything I want my own entryway to become- love!
This is very much what I aspire to in our entryway… such a long way to go! Love the wallpaper!