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First Impressions...the Foyer
Working on the phrase that first impressions make a lasting effect, I wanted guests to know recieve a warm and welcoming feeling upon entering our home. I wanted my foyer to say "Come on in and make yourself at home."
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One of my favorite and most cherished pieces greets guests upon entering through the front door. An antique, walnut drop-front desk is arranged with a vignette of items both old and new, and is accented by a civil war print from my husband's vast collection. The walnut chair was found at a yardsale for $10. The fabric on the seat constantly changes to suit the feel of the room where it is placed. The antique persian rug was purchased for a song at a U.S Customs auction. I encourage anyone who can attend one of these auctions to do so. The silk ficus in the corner rests upon a reproduction mahogany plant stand. The height of the tree makes the eye continue upward towards the trompe l'oeil style wallpaper border. The small wrought iron footstool was purchased recently at The Cracker Barrel ( a restaurant chain featuring a gift shop)for $20.
The vignette on the desk features a collection of old letters saved from my husband's family. One such letter is left open on the drop front, and others are tucked into the desk's cubbies. The letters were written during WWII. One rainy day, I organized them by date and read each one. It was almost as if I were reading a love story. It is my hope to write a novel using these letters as my inspiration. The couple whose love survived a war is pictured in the antique gold frame.
A blue and white staffordshire teapot and teacup reflect the blue in the civil war print, as does the blue of the stacked antique books. I love antique books, and scour for them at yard sales and thrift stores. I think the most I have ever paid for an old book is $2. I happened upon a first edition copy of "Gone With the Wind" at a church bazaar.
The small crystal clock is Waterford, and was a birthday gift purchased while we traveled through Ireland and stopped in the town of Waterford.
The foyer in this particular house presented quite a challenge for me. You see, I am deathly afraid of heights. So, I knew that climbing upon a 20'ladder to paint the second story of the foyer was out of the question. But even with the by-gone conclusion that this body would not be scaling any ladders, I had decided earlier that I liked the way the light reflected off the white through a large window above the front door. The second story foyer received only morning sun, and it occured to me that I could use my fear of heights to my advantage. So, I devised a plan where I could have the color and design I wanted, still retain the reflection of light, and most importantly, stay off a ladder. I chose a paint called Edmund's Beige by Pratt and Lambert. I cannot tell you how beautiful this color is, and only wish these pictures did the color justice. It is a mossy sage color, and once I saw it knew it was the perfect color to complete my three color. I had purchased the border at a yard sale for $1 a roll. I couldn't have chosen a better border if I had specially ordered it. The border runs horizontally with the top of the wall leading up to the second story. Hopefully, many of you who are stressing over how to paint a two story foyer can use this idea in some way.
The large wreath which hangs above the border is made from hops. A friend of mine filled our trunks full with the beautiful vines from Germany. My husband thought I was loco for shipping them back to the states.
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