Long time coming....

This is not a new change.  I'm sure some of you are wondering if I change my house every day of the week.  Ha! No! I do make little changes constantly but this one took me five years to figure out, and I'm still not done!

My front foyer is a nice size and opens up to the formal dining room on the right, and the formal living room to the left.  Walking straight through is a hallway and the family room.  It has been a thorn since before we moved in.  I started by refusing to paint it any boring shade of white, so when the taupey color went on those 20 foot walls about 3 weeks before we moved in, I freaked out. So, that big 5 gallon -too dark for my foyer- paint has now been used in the basement, garage and anywhere else I really didn't care too much about. But, the painters were there and so were the scaffoldings so I didn't have time to rethink it a million times.  Antique White is now on my walls in the foyer, going up the steps, and the hallways.  I like it. I don't love it, but I have not come up with a better alternative. As many of you know, or those who have been in my home realize, I am not afraid of color. At all! So, a little bland antique white is good for the soul sometimes.

Ok, back to the story. I could not figure out for the life of me what to do in that foyer.

The given is the grandfather clock.  So, for five years I had a ficus tree in the foyer. Period. Yuckk!!  I would sit on the floor and think.  Maybe a cherry secretary with a pull down desk...maybe a curio...maybe a table with a large vase of flowers.  Nothing really worked for me. It was a narrow wall space and not an easy fix.
About this time last year, while scouring Home Decorator's Club online, I came upon an etagare in black iron.  Hmmm, that would match my wrought iron on my steps/banister. The sizing was perfect.  There were glass shelves for me to put more "stuff" on and it was only $89 and that weekend, free shipping.  When you can get any kind of furniture shipped free, you don't think twice.

 So, then I started looking for a bench.  It had to be tiny. I thought I had found the right one at Hobby Lobby, brought it home and  promptly put it back in the trunk.  Nope, not the one.  So, when I was returning it, I found a new arrival.  A black iron, small leather seated bench.  $79.

 PERFECT! Loved the curves and simplicity but, they had only gotten one in and one of the handles had a small crack in the wood. 

The Manager promptly took of $20.  Hurray!  Turned the handle over and never looked back....Looks awesome!  It took a few more months and I found some great black candlesticks and pulled out a golden iridescent vase that I had forever and put in some golden-green big bloomed flowers behind the candlesticks I got for a steal.

One thing I love to do is keep the tag on (if I can, and if it doesn't show) to remind myself how much I paid for something.

So fun to see how good of deals I get!!

So, the mostly-finished foyer:

I had seen in a home show a great quote above a front door and decided to replicate it. Walmart.com if you believe it!!

Love the black contrast to the Antique white walls, love the font, love the quote!  It is Vinyl, which is not easy to put up, (especially above your head) but sooo worth it!

           And now the one little area that I'm not happy with...

It is to the right of the front door.  I bought this small chest unfinished and painted it with an antiquey-greenish finish that matched the decor in the living and dining room.  My Mom bought me the mirror and I switch out what I have sitting on top, but the piece is just not right yet.  It is too small for the space, so I'm always looking for a better fit.  That's the fun of it...if it were always perfect, what would I have left to do?

Oh yes, a little whimsy always gets a smile...   

,