Entryway Progress (and a Design Decision I Regret)

Although our powder room just got finished up (well, not completely finished but the big projects) last week our entryway has looked like this for a few weeks now. I put off photographing it because I was hoping to switch out the light fixture and thermostat before I photographed it. However, even though I am pretty sure I've picked a light fixture I am holding off on purchasing it for a bit seeing how we have a couple of things to purchase for the upstairs bedrooms and this is functional and fine for now. So, seeing how it might be another couple of months before we replace it I figured at this point I'd just go ahead and share how it's coming along. I'm not as excited about this space as the powder room because I am not thrilled with my runner choice but I'll explain that further down in the post.

Here are some shots that show what it looked like about a month and a half ago and what it looked like when I took these pictures a couple days ago:

The first thing we did in here was have the wallpaper removed. It went all the way up the stairs and throughout the upstairs hall too. Once that was down I started the process of painting all the trimwork, doors, spindles, and risers on the stairs. Then I began painting several coats of Simply White - it took FOREVER! (In fact I am still working on the upstairs part). After that was done I painted the walls in a color called Moonshine. I was torn between a couple of colors and then went over to Joan's paint color page and remembered how much I loved how Moonshine looked in her home and decided to go with it and I am so glad I did. I LOVE it! In fact I am considering using it in our Master Bedroom although it depends on what I end up doing with our bed so we shall see. After that I painted the doors in Mopboard Black (same as the dining room doors and I will be using that same color on the doors upstairs as well). I chose another color for the front of the door and will show that at some point. I haven't painted the ceiling yet because I am dreading doing it and seeing how I still have a ton of painting left upstairs I am not going to worry about it for now, but eventually I will be painting it to match the other ceilings which are more of a basic white. For some reason this one is different.

Then after all the painting was done (well, technically it isn't quite done seeing how I still need to do some touch up work) we had the wallpaper beadboard installed (you can see a closeup of it in our dining room). Then I started working on the runner. I ripped up the old one and pieced together three runners that I got during one of the big sales at RugsUSA. I have to say I am not so happy with this choice of mine. There's nothing wrong with the runners. They are great and I have been really impressed with the quality especially based on their price, I just think I made a poor choice on pattern. I had originally been considering going with a sisal runner but thought this would be more comfortable for the girls in their bare feet and wanted a darker color because of the traffic it gets. I thought a plain gray runner would be boring so went with this but so far I would say it's the decision I regret most in the new house. I like the runner's design when it is flat but not so much going up the stair and don't really love how the colors go in here. I really wish I had gone another route but that's okay. Fortunately I don't get too hung up on these things. The girls think it's really comfortable and it is, and I certainly like the way it looks now much better than before and hopefully we will live here a long long time and if so maybe when the girls are older I can switch it out. But just a little tip to anyone else out there that might be looking for runners for your stairs - make sure to think about how the pattern is going to fall on your stairs and the fact that it probably isn't going to look the same on each step. Lucky me got to learn this the hard way - haha!

As far as how I installed it I just used the strips that were there from the runner before and added a few nails in some discreet spots. I still need to go back with the staple gun and properly pull it tight under each tread (I like the way that looks better than how it's more of a waterfall look now) but I need to rent an air compressor to do that so haven't gotten to it yet. And it's stayed pretty nicely in place how it is, so with so many other projects to work on I am not in a big hurry to do that but I definitely do plan on doing it eventually. 

While I was taking these Lola went up and down the stairs about five times. I shot around her for most of the time but she got in a few shots. =)

Sources:
Wall Color - Moonshine in Matte Finish
Trim Color - Simply White in Semi-gloss Finish
Door Color - Mopboard Black in Semi-gloss Finish
Beadboard Wallpaper - Allen and Roth from Lowe's
Clock - Savvy in Williamsburg, VA (a couple of years ago)
Runner - RugsUSA - can't remember what pattern it was but when I get a chance will try to look it up and add it in later)
Painting - Savvy in Williamsburg about six years ago


Even though it was really hard to photograph because there is no natural light I am excited about the difference in our powder room and can't wait to show you that next!

Have a wonderful week!