GRAND Plans…{The Entryway Makeover}
Like many good things in this world, there’s often an accompanying downside.
Take Pinterest, for instance.
And blogs, for another instance.
Both are such a delight to me almost every day. They provide inspiration and ideas and encouragement and connection to people and places I may not otherwise see or meet.
But, sometimes ~ just every once in a while ~ they nearly throw me over the edge.
I just love everyone else’s shiny, yet rustic, hardwood floors. the 10 foot ceilings and light-filled rooms. the time-worn and loved antique furniture. the white slipcovered couches. the sparkly chandeliers. the artful arrangements and soothing color pallets.
“Everyone else’s” spaces are so GRAND!
All this “GRANDNESS” seems so out of reach at times.
Do you ever feel the same?
Do you feel that your space is more of the humble variety rather than the grand one?
Did 70’s panelling, and jail cell-like pillars greet you when you first walked through the door to move in?
And as you turned the corner to enter your home, did you feel the hallway closing in on you?
Can anything be done to make humble little entrances to humble little homes like this feel GRAND?
I sure hope so!
The other day I was stuck in the ugliness of comparisons when a thought struck me.
What is GRANDNESS anyway?
Is it architecture and accessories and feature walls and stuff?
Is the amount of GRANDNESS we feel in a home directly related to a person’s bank account?
I suddenly realized it shouldn’t be…
After a fair bit of pondering I decided that grand spaces and homes are those that are put together with love and give the feeling of being loved while in that space.
That’s how I want GRAND defined in my home.
And, if I’m guessing right, there may be a few others of you who are in the same boat as I.
So, then, what do we ~ those of us with hearts full of love and a pocket full of change~ do to make our homes feel GRAND?
Well, in our case,…for starters, we took out the jail cell-like pillars and removed the sample carpet tiles from the stairs.
then brightened it up with fresh new paint and a stencilled feature wall.
But…could there be more? Could it get a little more GRAND…
…and a little less BLAND?
That’s been my mission the past few days.
I wanted to add some life. color. pizzazz. I wanted it to reflect us. our family. our life. our dreams. I want those who walk in the door of our home to feel welcome. loved. prepared for.
Armed with scraps of wood from the garbage of a carpenter’s shop, cans of house paint, and paintbrushes galore, I’ve been a woman on a mission.
Want to see it how it turned out? (Of course you do…)
Well, sadly, I’m not quite ready for the final reveal. Although I thought I could pull this off in a day, it has morphed into a bigger project. But for now, here’s a little peek.
Stay tuned…There’s lots more comin!
{GRAND takes time, you know! tee hee…}
Linking to: live laugh rowe,
I am content with living without much change in my surroundings, sometimes it feels like I am the only one. I wonder why some bloggers need to repaint their walls once a year? We need to live with what we like and not feel the need to “keep up with the Joneses.” That all being said, I look forward to your new reveal, the sneak peak of signs looks lovely!
Yes,Rita, sometimes if I get caught up in some lovely blogs I find myself dreaming and wishing for things I know I will probably never attain. Our home is small, lots of wood trim and floors (that need refinishing) so it’s dark and cozy. It will never be light, bright and airy. But I’ve made my peace with it. I try to use ivory silk lampshades, ivory throw and sheers/cotton drapery, cheery pillows, As much as i love the white slipcovered sofas i just couldnt see myself washing them all the time. We have 2 little grandaughters that come around. You do what you can with what you can afford money and energy wise.
But ,Rita, your home is so charming. Your makeovers are affordable and creative. I wish I had half your creativity and energy to make those things happen. You show the rest of us what can be done with a lot of imagination and a small budget. You are an inspiration to those of us just like you.