New rug, new perspective

On Saturday morning I did something I never do. I shopped. Online. I splurged. Big time for me. 

I've been wanting a foyer runner for ages, but wasn't sure what color and I didn't really want to shell out $150+ for one. 

Finally I settled on a color direction: black and white. This was after seeing a black and white stripped Ikea rug that's no longer available. {so disappointing when I went} 

But then I saw a black and white chevron rug on Target's website when I was showing a friend a rug I eventually want for Vincent's room. I had blinders on. I wanted that rug. I have been working hard on some freelance writing, so I decided I had earned it, but that I should also shop around. Wouldn't you know it but Home Depot was having a sale on a similar rug, was $15 less {$130 total}, and also had free shipping. I didn't think. I just bought.

It arrived today. In hindsight I should have measured my foyer. I know I have a long foyer, but it really puts it in perspective when a 7ft. rug manages to look short in it.

To counter the shortness {because I'm not returning this gem}, I centered it. If I were rich I would keep looking for one that fits better but then I worry when we move at some point I'll end up with a runner too long to go anywhere. 

The runner makes me want to style my foyer better, buy new light fixtures {not in the budget}, paint, and hang up mirrors and more art. I have this grand idea of hanging decorative mirrors on the wall the stairs are on in hopes of a)reflecting light since it tends to be dark and b)making them seem like windows. I'm kicking myself that that was one of the design changes I didn't take time to consider. 

Please ignore all the crap sitting out in the foyer. I'm in the process of going through some of my baby stuff to loan to a neighbor.

Foyer gallery

Foyer is such a weird word, right? Must be why more people call them entryways. I'm not in love with that word either. Vestibule? Lobby? Nah, too bank/theaterish. I'll stick to foyer. Sounds rare. I have a foyer.

The foyer was one of the selling features of this strange little house of ours. And I had grand plans for it. Yet, it sat for almost two years untouched while our life grew a baby who turned into a toddler seemingly overnight. Of course it's easy to blame a lot of things on Vincent, but honestly, a lot of things have more to do with my not knowing where to start on a project/not wanting to spend the money. So it sat.

But that wouldn't do with Vincent's first birthday party going down. Someone had to make it look like this home was loved and wanted. It's been almost two years and the only things hung on the walls were mostly limited to the mantel. Armed with my vision that was inspired in part by Young House Love's gallery hallway and pins I had seen on Pinterest, I put together my own little gallery.

Behold: the foyer gallery. Let's zoom in on some of those fabulous Gs.

G and frame purchased at Jo-Ann's. I removed the glass and backing from the frame and affixed the G to the wall with poster tack for a more seamless look.

G plate (Hobby Lobby)

Well, I'd like to take all the credit, but if you have learned anything reading this blog you'll know that any creativity is partly emotionally underwritten and sponsored by my sister. She helps me make decisions and helps me not over think things, and just generally inspires and motivates me. I'm almost disabled by my indecisiveness. She's my therapist.

Another Hobby Lobby purchase. Another G.

Because I had a gift card to Jo-Ann's, I decided to hit up their frame section first. I'm glad I did. They had a variety of fun frame textures, my favorite being the oval frame surrounding the G. Oh, and look, I worked in some Gs. Of course the gallery is stuffed with pictures of our little man, but I hope to grow it to include other pictures, prints, and media, but for right now, I'm happy with how it turned out.

I also managed to buy plate hangers for $2 apiece at Target (look in the hardware section) for these awesome Roseanna plates my sister bought me years ago as a birthday present. I hung them in the "dining room area" (I use quotes since there's not actually rooms in our house, just one big open space divided with furniture.) Sadly you can no longer buy them from the site, but if you Google "wine tasting Roseanna plates," you can find a few resellers.

Roseanna plates

I also added a couple items to the mantel. I found this black chunky resin G at Hobby Lobby. (You know I petted it all the way to the check out.) Popped in a baby picture of Vincent into a frame I already had and purchased the quatrefoil one on major sale at Jo-Ann's. Now the mantel officially looks like Vincent lives here.

Another new G (Hobby Lobby) and pictures of Vincent (far right frame from Jo-Ann's)

Sidenote: I estimate I spent at least $150 on the project, and some of the frames I already had. I recommend anyone trying to undertake a gallery like this acquire items slowly and not all I once like I did. I probably could have saved money repainting frames I already had, but I was on a deadline.

Foyer for ya

I can't help myself, but how clever is my post title? Look at me trying to be witty. Now for a test: try saying "foyer for ya" five times real fast. Ohhhh! Hard, ain't it? Now onto our regularly scheduled programming... My new house (I've lived here a year and it's still new to me) has a grand foyer. I love it! Jonathan thinks it's a big ole waste of space, but I like that upon walking into the house you don't immediately walk into the living room. Walking into a foyer always makes an impression on me. That said, my foyer wasn't making much of an impression on anyone. All it had were stacks of unread baby, yoga, travel, and decorating magazines (see where my interests lie?) and place to catch the keys. It needed something! So I shopped around the house. So this makeover is free as the bird that Vincent likes to unintentionally give his parents. Six months and he already has attitude! The table is actually an old Target desk (it has a hutch that now lives in the basement).

Progress pictures:

Here's what we have: That big stack of magazine (needs to go!), a purple latern (I have these in all colors, and thought it would provide a pop of color; it got the axe in the end); a delightful candle that a friend gave me from a local bath shop (it's lit to give some ambiance. ommmm); dahlias cut from my yard and placed in a Shatto milk jug (glad I saved that!); a basket from Pier 1 to hold the Flip camera, keys, and other things; and a fleur de lis place card holder turned picture holder from Nell Hills.

Here I added a stack of books to give some dimension and height, a tray, and a photo box. (Pardon the shake. Still getting used to my camera settings and how to take pictures...)

Getting closer...I swiped the quilted runner my sister made from our dining room table for some added texture. Hmm. Still looks a little too blocky. 

Soak in all that fun quilted goodness. But it still isn't right...

Enter and smaller tray to hold mail, keys, sunglasses, and whatnot (just for you sis!); I also swiped the G from my mantel that my sister gave me years ago, and I removed the basket. Not too bad, huh? What made it difficult is that the table sits along a half wall that overlooks the stair well to our basement. I didn't want anything that stood higher than the ledge.

Who doesn't love a big initial?

and a pretty collection of flowers, books, and a candle?

It's an end result that I'm actually pretty darn happy with. But you should have read the text to my sister as it was in progress.

Yea or nay?

Source: simplyseductive.blogspot.com via Beachbrights on Pinterest

I really want to put wainscoting in my foyer. Bad. But I want to paint it black. Should it be done? All my trim is a beige tan color, so I couldn't do white on top even though for my space—that only has light from one little window—that would really brighten things up. I realize that this image isn't wainscoting but rather the bottom half is painted black and split with a chair rail, which would probably be a cheaper option. I have textured walls. Would it have the same effect?