Foyer Closets Makeover

Okie dokie…. Here’s a project that I started a few weeks ago and just finished up over the weekend.   It all started when Sherwin Williams announced one of their fabulous paint sales and I got the “itch” to paint.  I looked at my daughter and asked her to help me clean out the dining room because I was going paint!  With all of her teenage sarcasm, she politely rolled her eyes and reminded me that I already had several projects going on that I need to finish first.   But what to do when you have the “itch”…..

I figured I would sneak in a quick paint project using up some of the left over paint I already had.  I decided to tackle the two closets in the foyer.  When you see the before pixs you understand that there was nothing quick about this project.

Yep, you read that right…. I have not one but two closets in my foyer.  One was used as a coat closet and the other has severed different functions over the years (holding Mary Kay products when I was consultant, an extra pantry in my coupon craze days, and most recently, a storage closet for some of the smaller accessory not currently being used).

What I needed to do in order to make these closets function better is to change their order.  The accessory closet is now the coat closet and the coat closet now holds the accessories.

See the nasty wire racks in the before photo?  I am slowly replacing each of them with solid shelving! 

Each closet was cleaned out, painted, and organized.

I used MDF board to create the bracket and the shelf.  The coat rod was something I had floating around, it just need to be cut down to size. 

Now the vacuums and their attachment have a home that’s easy to get to!  *If you are in need of a vacuum I would highly recommend the  Dyson!  Not only is it the best vacuum I have ever used (and I have tried many over the years from $200 to $2000) and this is the only vacuum I will ever own!  It is worth every penny!!!  Not only is it a great product but it the customer service at Dyson is by far the best I have ever witnessed.  If only every company modeled after Dyson.  Okay, I’ll get off my soap box (for now).

Closet #2

I am so ashamed to even show you the before photographs.  I am not even sure how that closet got that state?  I believe when I started remodeling the foyer everything that was in the way got placed into this closet!

Ahhhh….. look at all those lovely shelves!!!

and what did I use all that shelving for?

Accessory Closet

Here is the a little photo showing me nailing up the brackets.  I’m lazy and only paint the sides that will be seen. 

The top shelf. 

In the before photo you will see about 4 foot of space not being used.  I was going to add one more shelf to the top but it works well this way for tall lamps and candle sticks.

Organized and pretty.

It’s going to be so nice to have most of my accessories in one location and easily accessible.  I still have to store larger photo frames and mirrors in the attic.  The only downside to this closet will be the lack of exercise sense I won’t be running up two flights of stairs!

Just as I finished placing all the goodies back in the closet, my husband stated that it looks like a store.   Maybe this closet will serve as “shopping therapy”  at times when the budget is tight?!?!   

You’re right…… PROBABLY NOT.

lol

Foyer Chest of Drawers

Please come on in and meet the new member of our family. 

I must start by saying that I am sorry that I teased everyone with all the color options that I shared in my Photoshop collage.   I really am thinking about repainting her (yes, I am going to refer to her in the female sense), but something stopped me quickly….. the approaching holidays!!  

Please , please, please tell me that the majority of you decorate your homes with the holidays in mind.   The color that I am thinking about painting her  just wouldn’t go with my winter holiday decor.  Is that silly?

So if I remember,  in January, I think I might try giving her a new color.

I purchased this sweet chest of drawers at the local flea market about a month ago.  From looking at the before photo you don’t see all the chips on her top and at the drawer edges.  I could have fixed it  and restained, but I have a lot of stained furniture in my home and really wanted to add a painted piece. 

I broke down and placed my first order of chalk paint.  This piece is painted in Old White.

Distressed.

Here is the reason that this piece took me a month to finish~

I added another top over the existing top. (see top left photo)  This was way over my head and I had to have my Dad do most of the work.  Two Poplar planks were glued together, then the edges were routered to marry the two tops, and then stained a dark Walnut.

I used the original knobs.

I love this unique copper emblem from the manufacture in the side of one drawer.  I didn’t show a photograph of it  but the drawers are dovetailed (a sign of good craftsmanship).

In this top drawer there is a divider.(bottom right photo)  I don’t know much about furniture, does anyone know it’s purpose? 

I was a little shocked at the size of the holes behind the knobs and that’s part the reason why I didn’t change out the knobs.  The other reason is that the ones that I want to replace them with haven’t gone on sale yet.  lol. 

New top in it’s dark Walnut stain.

Ooh la la.  My Pottery Barn mercury pumpkins!!!  Love. Love. Love them. 

Please ignore the awful looking floor.  New floors are the next thing on my to-do list for this foyer!  

Later I will share with you my thought on AS chalk paint.

PS.  Doesn’t the new chest look awesome with the new foyer mirror?!?!

Autumn Foyer

Fall has arrived in the Carolinas (inside and out)…. the temperature has dropped and the scenery has changed.   Love this time of year!

A few simple changes to the overall décor and you have an autumn foyer!

Confession:  I can over do it when it comes to decorating.

So to keep things simple, I used a few felt placemats as wall art!  Yep, you read that right!  Placemats and a shadow box frame, that I have had for years, creates a simple but welcoming foyer.

My original plan was to add some glitz to the otherwise plain placemats, but after seeing them up on the wall,  I have decided to stick with the less is more attitude.  For now! 

This was the easiest wall décor ever!  I pulled down all the picture frames and plants from the wall, and literally stuck the vein of the leaf over the nail already in the wall!  I just gave each placemat a nudge so they hang on an angle.

Here is one of the shadow box frames that I purchased from Big Lots years ago.   They still had the cardboard over the corners! 

I added a few leaves, pumpkins, and acorns to the ledge.  The leaf pillows (stuffed in the urn) were also once placemats.

I am still looking for some faux topiaries for the ledge.  I am surprised that this has been such a difficult process. I really thought I knew of a place that would have them locally.  They had a few but they were all too small.   I search continues.

I had way more photos to share with you but Photoshop decided it wasn’t going to work.  Well, it did work up until I wanted to save the photographs and then it crashed.  I believe a recent computer update has interfered with the workings of PH.   Please don’t suggest I  use another program, because do you know how hard it is to switch from your favorite photo editing software?  It’s like going to a new hair stylist!  Not. going. to. happen. 

Not without a lot of whining and crying.  lol

Two Birds, One Stone

Hello Everybody!! 

I hope everyone is having a great day.  My kids are diligently working to get their school work done this morning so that we can have some fun this afternoon.  Woo hoo!  But before we head out I wanted to show you a little trash-2-treasure project I did yesterday. 

Remember this storage box that I purchased back in July?

Well, I finally did something with it!

The top was cut loose from the base of the box, adhered my DIY Wooden Letter to the front, and add a metal scroll thingy to the top.

I love a project that comes together fast using only things that you have laying around the house!

The box had some obvious wear and tear.  So to mask it, I coated the top with a little Ebony stain (left over from the stair rails).

I love this project but it does look a little bare all by itself.  Time for a shopping trip!

But wait….

there’s more…..

(Don’tcha just love them “Seen On TV” ads???)

What about the bottom of the box????

What a perfect fit! 

My faux plant’s original base was really cry out for help!  The whole base fit perfectly in the box!  I just added a little Spanish moss to the top.

Have a great weekend!  See everyone back here Sunday evening for Amaze Me Monday blog party.

New Foyer Chest

I have been in a dilemma ever since I bought this gorgeous mirror.

I love the mirror. 

The whole family loves the mirror. 

The mirror is staying!  

So what’s my problem? 

So glad you asked!   I hung the large mirror above the foyer table (made by my Dad) but something just did not look right.  I worried that the mirror was either too large for the wall and maybe too large for over the table.   It bugged me and I just could not put my finger on it.

I needed a new perspective. So I called in a favor from my blog friend, Becca (Adventures in Decorating), to have a look at this photo below.

(excuse the mess, this table was being prepared to be restained.)

Miss Becca spotted the problem quickly!  The foyer table is too dainty compared to the mirror.  (smmack.  The sound of my palm hitting my forehead.)  Yes, I am so glad Becca has better eyes than me.  For the life of me, I could not figure it out!

Off to town I go in look for a chunkier table/chest.  I straight to the local flea market, where I spotted not one but two chest that I thought could work (from different sellers) .  I went back and forth between the two sellers and brought home the chest with the best price tag. 

What?  That’s not how you make decorating decisions?  hum.

I’m not sure if it’s an antique or not?!?  It seems well built and very sturdy…. and  CHUNCKY!

Now doesn’t that work better in the space?

I shared with my Facebook buddies this photo above a few weeks back.  I asked for some suggestions on how I should refinish it.  And boy, let me tell you….. I was given some wonderful advise. 

Some suggested cleaning and polishing with Old English.  Which is a great suggestion if the piece didn’t have so many chips in it and the top is in very poor condition, in fact, I will be cutting a new top for the dresser.  Good thing I got the chest for a great price! 

Many suggested chalk paint!  Which I haven’t had the honor of trying yet, but find myself drooling over the wonderful things that you ladies are doing with the paint.

Just to show you one chip on the face of the lower drawer that needed fixing.   You can see that I am clamping several scrap pieces of wood and will fill the corner with a self leveling adhesive.

I think Barbara said it best in her Facebook comment.  I really think a pop of color would be exciting to add to the piece and a fun way to greet guest into the home.

Playing around in Photoshop, I came up with a few different color combinations.  I really don’t like the green, but there is two color options that are definitely speaking to me!  Once I get the new top cut, I will have some finished photos to share. 

Decorating the Foyer Mantle

Hello!

I hope everyone is having a great week so far.  It seems like I have one crazy week after another but I wanted to put a quick post together to show what I’ve been working on.  The other day I went shopping around my own home in hopes to find something to decorate the shelf in the foyer. 

Here’s what I came up with…..

It’s not much, just a few odds and end pieces that weren’t currently being used anywhere else in the house.  I have to laugh at myself because I always buy two of everything.  I tend to decorate with symmetry.    I’ve been telling myself that I need to break away and give asymmetrical design a try.

The tall candle stick I did purchase a few weeks ago at Home Goods and the tassel is from Hobby Lobby.  The urns and sconces I purchased years ago from a local store that is no longer in business, and the faux wood carving is from Christopher Lowell bought at Burlington Coat Factory.

My Photoshop skills are still very limited but I hope you get the idea.  I would like to add some faux topiaries to each side of the window.  Oh, and possibly up lights placed behind them.   I have been searching online but you know the thing about faux plants…. is that they very so much in quality. 

It’s a start…. and I’m sure I will have a more exciting mantle display come fall and Christmas.  Have the best day ever!