Let’s start from the beginning, or rather, the entry. I didn’t change too much about the exterior of my home in our recent renovation, but I did alter the front door in a big way. Formerly a single door with out-of-date sidelights, I wanted double doors for a more grand entrance. Additionally, I wanted glass doors to let the light shine through, but also solid doors for privacy. Why not have both, right? So I added both- double glass doors with a pair of solid doors behind them. All dressed up with gorgeous polished nickel hardware and glass doorknobs.
For the interior, I knew I wanted my entry to make a big statement, and these dated brown walls and lackluster paneling weren’t cutting it. I wanted something fresh, but also classic.
And what can be more classic than black-and-white? You’ll recognize this chest from my entry in my previous home; I just can’t part with it! This fabulous grey and white labyrinth wallpaper from Cole & Son provides a dramatic backdrop for my original art collection with pops of pink!
The flooring before was strange fragments of marble with no rhyme or reason in shape or size. And that chandelier put off essentially zero light. I needed to start almost from scratch to brighten up this space and make it current. I also wanted to add some architectural interest to the room. So I beefed up the wainscoting and added those gorgeous pediments over the doorways leading to both the dining room and the study.
The new pediment adds interest over the cased openings, and you can see that I removed the doors closing off the dining room for better flow. That drab, boring chandelier has been replaced by my stunning Rothesay lantern in glossy black, which matches the shiny new checkerboard marble floors by Emser tile. And black and white goes from the ground floor to the second floor by way of my custom New River Artisans stair runner- a design from my new collection!
I’m so thrilled to get to walk you all through my new home, one room at a time. Join me here more this month to see the dramatic before and after’s of every room in my home, plus see all of the details we couldn’t show you in the magazine. But first, leave me a comment and let me know what you think of the renovation of the entry. It’s quite the change, isn’t it?
xo,
