ENTRYWAY MAKEOVER

Hello Peeps,

Here we are again under these unprecedented circumstances yet creating, designing changing and transforming spaces. Creating and being creative brings us energy and joy and I believe that this time around for the ONE ROOM CHALLENGE www.oneroomchallenge.com/orc-blog it is even more so than ever.

I hope you are well, healthy, content, and doing well as well can be with the current situation. It is my deep desire that you are not affected by this crisis other than having to stay home. My wish for those affected in any way, being sick, loss of a job, or in any other way; is that things get better ASAP, that miracles are reaching you as am writing this post and that Joy becomes you again.

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The space I am making over is a sad little entrance to the condo (where I live). This space has become during the quarantine a catch all space for the almost 3 adults who live here. The almost adult is a 15-year-old robust teenage boy who is not necessarily worried about interior design, although; he is extremely specific about his own space.

The entrance is tiny, when you enter through the front door there is a wall with a small recessed space where I currently have a table and a mirror above it, to the right I have an obviously too small coat hanger. The table has seen better days and the entrance is just not inviting anymore. We have lived here for seven years and the décor is tired, to say the least.

Designing a small functional and inviting space is a great way to focus on creativity. Small space design is challenging and extremely rewarding, sometimes a small space requires a bit of a dramatic design and or bold statement so that it becomes large in looks and mighty in style.

This design transformation will consist of attempting to wallpaper walls that are textured, so this endeavor may or may not work. However, during previous participation in the ORC, I made over a drab office and applied wallpaper to textured walls. That wallpaper, however, was one that required paste, whereas this time I am using peel and stick since this is a rental and I want to be able to remove it when I leave or when I grow tired of it.

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WHAT I HAVE IN MIND

I am also bringing back to life the little black table by painting it possibly another color other than black.  I want it to be eye-catching in front of the wallpaper and although the table is black, and the wallpaper has black in it- it would be the safe choice. I do not want to make a safe choice. Within my own “a lot of white with black” style – I want to add color and something unexpected.

Adding a different mirror above the table and painting the frame the same color as the table. I need a new “coat hanger”- and the plan for that is “custom made by yours truly”   https://www.instagram.com/seainteriordesign/. The coat hanger needs to be more appropriately sized. Not because of the number of coats we hang, (we live in SoCal) but because, of the number of beach bags, shopping bags, and the odd sweater or hoodie that makes it there. The only thing about this idea of more “hanging hooks” is that am “afraid” if more hooks will call for more odd things to be hung there? – probably so… So I will see what else I can come up with.

The beach and pool bags need a home which we do not have space anywhere else to store them, but living with boys it is kind of challenging to convince them not to hang “ugly” things on the hooks as they are visible the minute you open the front door.

Here is an image that will help you see what am talking about. Note the doors in the condo, as well as the walls and ceilings, have been painted so the only door I am considering repainting the interior side- is the front door. But this may push my other half over the edge as his eye rolls to the wallpaper idea are already substantial.

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CHALLENGES – FINISHES – EXISTING – POTENTIAL CHANGES

• Rental – no big deal because we treat this place as ours, we love our landlord and she loves us.

• No budget – due to current circumstances, my other half did not approve and $$ for this project.  A “spending” freeze he says, as we really don’t know how long the current circumstances will persist. I say, let’s refresh the whole place and bring some new life and joy while we have the time.

• We have this lovely wallpaper gracefully sponsored by D. Marie Interiors and we are so grateful for her generosity. This wallpaper is not a challenge, but we have it and it is being used. We love it, but she comes out with cuter, and more exciting wallpaper every day. So, it is difficult to decide on one. https://www.instagram.com/p/B_8HXZFBCPi/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

• Existing finishes, gray floors, white walls and ceiling, gray interior doors. We also have a gray sofa and rug not too far from the said entrance. So, all those existing items stay. (interior design challenge # 45 – work with what you have).

• Size – typically this is not a challenge but based on our urgent need to purge some tired or not joyful pieces we are kind of tight in terms of space. This project will propel me to purge some things and declutter more.

• The little black table would be one thing I could let go of, but it is the perfect size for that recessed space, it has a drawer and I love the challenge of refinishing a piece and give it new life. https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmoore/.

• Hardware hopefully by https://www.instagram.com/schaub_and_company/

• An awesome small entry rug by Flor – Carpet Squares you have got to check them out. https://www.instagram.com/florsquares/

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“The shoemaker always wears the worst shoes” Or, “I think the cobbler’s children have no shoes”

Not all interior designers have the time to work on their own homes, we are always working on client’s homes and providing them with a remarkable experience and stunning end result. So, I don’t feel too bad right now about my space, it is a working progress. I also see this as an opportunity to get started and complete a project in a set amount of time. When the project is for us we tend to prolong the process.

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Here is a visual of what I have in mind for now.

Although these are the colors I am thinking now, part of me wants to fall into the earthy muted tones movement that is so hot right now. But I am apprehensive because the rest of the condo is pretty white, black and some grays, some pattern, and texture but definitely after seven years could use a good edit and a complete refresh. Over the Christmas Holidays, I replaced a couple of items and added a rug, but this place needs work.

Ok, that is it, for now, wish me luck, by next week I may have changed my mind about some of the colors. I have yet to get samples and try them out with wallpaper and see if the wallpaper will adhere to the wall. (I do not recommend at all you try to put wallpaper on textured walls).

Signing off for now, I better get to work.