After opening a front door with rotted wood and broken glass inserts, we were welcomed by a dark hallway and stairs with a dirty carpet runner. This was not the grand entrance we were hoping for.
Thankfully, once the carpet runner came up, the wood underneath was in pretty good shape. You can see the huge difference refinishing the floors made. Once we saw those natural wood tones, we were sold and decided not to apply a new stain. It immediately brightened up the whole space.
I’m now proud to open the front door and welcome guests into our home. The glass globe light fixtures in the foyer and hallway keep the space feeling airy and light.
Because the playroom and dining room are on either side of the foyer, we decided to keep the foyer simple and neutral.
We painted the handrail and the front door black to add a bit of contrast to the lightness of the space. It’s one of my favorite touches in the house. (And look at the molding on the stairs! That is part of the original woodworking and one of the reasons I fell in love with the house.)
We replaced the old front door with a craftsman-style door and added larger sidelights to let in more light. This photo is atypical – usually the bench is filled with shoes and each hook has a backpack and jacket. The entryway is the landing zone for our house.
The lake may be out the back windows, but this is one of my favorite views in our home. I still remember the feeling that I had walking down this hallway the first time I saw the house, and I just knew that we had to buy it and restore it to its original beauty.
S O U R C E S
Wall Color: Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray
Trim Color: Sherwin Williams Westhighland White
Handrail and Front Door Color: Sherwin Williams Caviar
Hallway Light: Capital Lighting Retro School House Collection 1-light Burnished Bronze Flushmount
Foyer Light: Kichler Everly Pendant
Foyer Rug: Couristan Recife Wicker Stitch Rug, Cocoa/Natural (*if you need a super-thin rug to fit under a front door with a low clearance – look no further!)
