Monday, March 30, 2015

6 Ways to Transform Your Entryway


By: Kelly Obbink from InHouz

The moment you open your front door and step in, you want to feel welcome and happy to be home. A well-lit, neat and attractive entryway is enticing, creates warmth and speaks volumes about the residents. You can add your personality and taste to your home at the entryway itself.    

Here are a few unique and innovative ways to transform your entryway:

1. Create a Styled Side Table Area

While designing and choosing the elements for an entryway table, you must consider the design elements of balance, harmony and color. 

If the table has a large picture or mirror as its backdrop, it feels well grounded as if it belongs there and is not merely hanging around. 

A piece of fabric, tapestry or even wallpaper in an attractive frame works well. You could let it sit on the table or have it hanging just behind it, depending on the look you want to create. 

Place a carpet or rug under the table. Accessorize with books, a tray for keys or mail, a lamp, a vase or a flowering plant to dress the table adequately. 

2. Create Storage Solutions
However small your entryway, you can use your creativity and add simple and functional storage solutions. Matching or similar buckets, baskets and bins add storage space at the entryway while ensuring these accessories also add aesthetic appeal to the space. 

Alternatively, you can be innovative and let your imagination soar. For instance, you can use milk crates and give them a fresh coat of paint. Then, mount them on the wall and have baskets that fit inside them to serve as storage bins. If you have kids and want to create storage space for them, a low-fixed rod with hooks to hang up jackets, bags and everything else they come home with is a great solution. A drip station for shoes is also a good choice, especially during winters or when it’s raining.   




3. Decorative Door Glass 
An entrance filled with natural light is attractive and beckoning. You can achieve this and give your front door a distinctive look by installing decorative door glass. Depending on the style of your home and the surrounding décor, you can find door glass that coordinates well. Contemporary, eclectic, and old world are just a few of the style options to choose from. For a classic look, clear door glass will do the trick. You’ll be amazed by the amount of light that will flow through your front door and give the rest of your foyer a more open feel. Even the neighbors strolling by outside will be in awe of the transformation.



4. Add a Unique Chandelier
Chandeliers spell panache, elegance and sophistication. So, if that is the look you want, a chandelier will achieve this. If your entryway is large, an opulent chandelier hanging from the ceiling will become the focal point of your foyer. Otherwise, opt for less grandeur, which will still add style but won’t steal the show.

Besides making the entryway look stunning, a chandelier also serves the purpose of lighting up the entrance and surrounding areas -- you can never have too much light! 

5. Add a Decorative Rug
Rugs and carpets in any shape or size are always welcome in homes. When used in the entranceway they add to the warmth and make a home more inviting. 

If your entranceway is decorated in muted colors, brighten it up with a bold rug, and conversely, a neutral rug can be the perfect way to tie various patterns and styles together. 

6. Bring Nature to Your Doorstep with Plants and Flowers 
The entryway is a transition area – you leave the outside world behind and enter the warmth and comfort of your home. Adding potted and flowering plants will allow you to make this area fresh and welcoming. Just don’t go overboard with the greenery. You should have just enough greenery and vibrantly colored flowers to make the doorway look warm, welcoming and rejuvenated. 

A put together entryway gives visitors a warm welcome and will make you smile every time you walk through your own front door. This central area of the home can be transformed by trying even just one of the ideas above. What else have you done to decorate your entryway? I’d love to hear new ideas!

These are some great ideas on creating a wonderful entryway.   I want to thank Kelly for guest posting today!  Kelly currently serves as Marketing Manager at InHouz, and enjoys sharing both fun and practical ideas about doors, natural lighting, and DIY through the Get Inspired with InHouz blog.

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Homestories A to Z

Friday, March 27, 2015

Easter Decorations...

I love spring!  
Our front porch is decorated for Easter...
I just hung a wooden carrot from my wreath.
Here is my living room...
 I finally found furniture that works in this room!  
I will do a final reveal and list where I purchased everything soon!
I kept it really simple this year with a bunny & some carrots!
I put an Easter welcome sign by the front door.

I placed my four bunnies on the piano...One for each kid!
I hung a grass bunny on the door in the hallway...
I didn't feel like putting up too much in my great room, so I just added some grass and a little bunny on the fireplace.
It's simple, but it makes me smile!
Here is our kitchen...
 I added an egg wreath to my oven hood...
 I placed a bunny that I've had for years in a tray with some potted flowers...
 I put a wreath in the window with a Happy Easter sign...

 Here is the whole corner of my kitchen...
 Happy Easter!!
I'm sharing with these blogs:

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Easter Decor - Show and Tell Friday




























 



 Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  This week I put out a little Easter decor. Nothing new here this year, just the same old faux chocolate Easter bunnies I've had for years. 



















 I love these bunnies though!  I bought them at Marshalls and they were so inexpensive. I think they were only about $10-$15.  I've seem similar ones for over $100 in fancy

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Lilacs - Show and Tell Friday


 

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!



It's that time of year again....my lilacs are probably blooming at my old apartment!  It's always been this week in March...oh how I miss them!  One of the best things about blogging is that is like a trip down memory lane and I have so much documented from the last 10 years!  Yes...this year is my 10 year blogging anniversary (in June)!  I can hardly

Thursday, March 12, 2015

My balcony - Show and Tell Friday




 

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  Back in January I bought some bare root roses.  Look how much they've grown already.  Still no buds but they are leafing out really well. 




 

I didn't get a photo of the other one but it's doing well too!  I can't remember which is which so it will be a surprise when they bloom!




 

My ivy topiaries are doing really well too! I get much more

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Bill Tracker {Free Printable}





I wanted to share a quick update of my Home Management Binder. Several month ago I realized that my binder just wasn't piratical for every day use. I removed the daily and monthly calendar pages and started keeping track of tasks and appointments in my filofax. My home binder has now become a reference binder. I keep everything in there that I may need to reference.

Here are a list of tabs

Friday, March 6, 2015

Show and Tell Friday





 

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday! I'm so sorry I'm so very late getting this post up this week. I was sick AGAIN!  I've had three bouts of colds/flu since the day after Thanksgiving! This time I had a high fever for two days but I'm feeling much better now! 

 

 

Since I was sick I don't have anything new to share...the fact is my apartment is a mess. It's amazing how messy it gets when

Monday, March 2, 2015

Mmmm Pepperidge Farm® Milano® Cookies and a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card








Is your life busy?  I'm sure like me you said YES to that!  It's not just the weekdays that are busy but my weekends also seem so hectic lately!  The times when I just sit down and relax are special to me.  Watching TV is how most people spend their downtime but I think it's really important to turn the TV off and turn on some relaxing music and just totally unwind.  When was the last time