First impressions.
There are a few sayings about first impressions. There’s the one about only being able make a first impression once. And I recently read another about how you should trust the very first impression you get when meeting someone… I’m not sure about that, but if that was the case with our new 100 year old house, well, YIKES! is all I can say.
The front entry for sure didn’t leave a good impression:
This is what it looked like when we first started renovating. This view of it is from standing in the living room looking into the front entry. What’s worse? The 80’s something tile… the tan and green marbled striped wallpaper… the 2 tone door… or the all over ‘beat up’ feel of the space? The space felt so cold and unwelcoming, anything but how one would want a front entry to feel.
The space is small, only about 4 x 4. Hard to believe that it is large enough to feel like anything, but it does.
Here’s what it looks, (and feels) like now:
We did a lot of work to this tiny space in order for it to welcome guests into our home. Here are a few details of that work. (I’ll share more details with you next week in part 2 )
At first I thought I was going to replace the exterior entrance door, I disliked this space so much, I thought the door was bad too…
But then I kept looking it over, the weeks and months of working on this house, and finally realized that the solid wood door is actually a very good quality door and it opened and closed well. So I decided to ‘try’ to keep it.
I painted it this golden yellow color on the inside. (the exterior is blue) Ha ha, the light outside is so bright, it’s making the glass center look like it’s glowing in this picture. (but it’s really not glowing) It was difficult for me to decide on the interior color, but I think because the entry had such a cold feel originally, I over compensated with this super warm color. (in other words, I may change the color again)
And how about that floor?
It really was so ugly… the tile style didn’t fit with the character of the 100 year old style of the house. The tile also was missing a finished front edge… which reinforced it looking awkward and out of place, like someone in 1982 got some cheap tile and took it out of the box and just laid there on the entry floor. So it was an easy decision to remove it.
The base trim and door jambs all had to be carefully removed, to get the old tile floor out.
We chose to replace it with a tile I felt was very classic to the age of this house both in material and style.
Now, the basketweave marble tile floor classically introduces visitors to more versions of marble tile that will be used throughout the house.
To transition and finish the edge of the tile where it joins up with the old original maple floor of the living room, a custom made maple threshold finishes it nicely.
Finding a rug that was just the right size for here was a little tricky, but I managed to find a store on Ebay, called ECarpetGallery that offered this one in the perfect size and great price for a hand-knotted camel hair rug.
In the near future, I’ll share with you what I did to the walls of the entry… it may not be what you think!
And I’ll also be talking about the curtain in the doorway… did you know that is a very classic/traditional treatment? (and do you know what the proper name for it is?)
Want to read a little more? Be sure to check out these out:
Click here to see the entrance in our former house.
Click here to see the entrances in the little brick Victorian cottage we renovated.
Click here to see the darling entry in my former neighbor’s house.
Click here to see our breakfast room before and after.
Please feel free to share this blog with your friends, as well as on Facebook and Pinterest and Flipboard and Houzz the more the merrier!
I appreciate you stopping by.
I’m linking up at these other great blogs:
Skip to My Lou
StoneGable
Tip Junkie
Design, Dining and Diapers
Too Much Time on My Hands
Chic on a Shoestring
The Shabby Nest
The Girl Creative
It’s Overflowing
I absolutely love your old-now new entryway. It reminds me of the beautiful entryway at my grandmother’s house. Even the sliding pocket doors that separated the public rooms from the rooms used by the family had drapes hanging in front of them. Visiting your lovely entryway evokes such pleasant memories for me . . . thank you.
Oh so sweet of you. Thank you so much. I’m so glad that you enjoyed reading about our front entry.
That looks fabulous! I do like the color but since you mentioned it might change again I wonder if black would look good or would that be too dark? I love classic tile flooring like that.
Ohhh… funny! I too have considered black… I have time to think about it… I have a few other things to do first. 😉
Lovely! That door…that tile…that mirror! Great job!
Thanks you so much Marie!
Oh I love this, your entry is gorgeous and I love the drape. I would love for you to link this up to my blog - http://www.astrollthrulife.net. Gorgeous.
Thanks Marty! I love your party and for sure will link it up!
I love a good before and after. What a difference! The marble floor is gorgeous…very elegant. I don’t know what the name of the curtain is in the foyer…but I think it was to keep drafts out? You did a great job! 😉
Thank you Donna!