This time of the year, I always feel a need for some change, and since it's been so gray out I was in the mood for some brighter color. I decided to do something different with the foyer and front hallway, and other than buying a gallon of creamy white paint and an inexpensive runner from Home Depot, I used what I already had around.
The worst part was stripping off the old wallpaper and prepping the walls. It took forever to get rid of the paste left behind, and I had to patch and prime the walls before painting. (One good thing I learned was that 3 parts vinegar to 1 part water works well to remove wallpaper backing and paste.)
Two chairs were moved out to make way for the bench that was in the dining room, which received a new coat of Martha's Everyday Color paint in Dill Flower. For now I have this oil painting hanging over it, until I am able to have one of Stephanie's charcoal drawings framed... 
I gathered some red books I had and my red and white transferware tureen for the dresser. In the little tea cup is one of the soybean wax candles that I received as a very kind gift from Carla...
So far I think I'm liking the change :)
I am liking it Too Deb! But hey, you know me. I am all into light colours these days :)What a difference it can make to a room.
ReplyDeleteI know it can be difficult stripping old wallpaper. Thanks for the tip.
Normally I just paint all over it, lazy as I am...
I really love your old bench, I have a desire to buy one later on. They are quite common in Scandinavia. I often see them in Norwegian and Swedish blogs.
I see that you have been busy knitting, great! I have been crocheting a hat, for the cold days. But I am not shure if I dare showing it. My ever first one. The holes became very big :))
Well, I did it without pattern. I am not very good in reading English patterns..but you know that too..
Warm greeting!
I love what you did with your foyer! Beautiful bench, too! Pat on the back to your hubby! We also have an old bench which we found in Sweden...storage under the seat and I also bought a thick cushion and recovered it. That green colour was/is very popular over here in Denmark in the 30's. I found it behind some wall-paper while remodelling our old farm-house. Anyways, I love your blog..it's great! You have a knack for colour and design ! Cheers! Mary Ann in DK
ReplyDeleteI like the new look very much!
ReplyDeleteChange is good! Love it! I have an old wooden baby bed that was converted into a couch/bench and we use a mattress that is not super comfy. Did you have a piece of foam cut for your bench? I have to imagine that it would be less springy, right?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Elise
I like it! And I appreciate your attitude of "doing with what you have."
ReplyDeleteJody
Deb,
ReplyDeleteIt looks lovely! I too have a little entryway in my home. I love that it sort of "dead ends" and I can decorate it for any holiday or season and not necessarily have to decorate the entire house! It sure says welcome to your guests when you have a little nook or entryway that says "hello"!
Your friend,
Shan
It is lovely!
ReplyDeleteIt turned out great! Cute bench ;o)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip about wallpaper. Love the changes. Janie
ReplyDeleteoh wow! It looks fantastic!!! I love it! :) Thanks for the tip about the wallpaper removal! i have a LOT Of wallpaper to remove in my kitchen area that is being super stubborn. I will have to try that!!! :)
ReplyDeleteits beautiful
ReplyDeleteIt's lookin' GOOOOOOOD!
ReplyDelete:o)
It is so fresh & cheerful! Now you've got me looking around to see what little nook I could spruce up too!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Lea
I just recently found your blog and I really enjoyed going back through some of your older posts. Love the sweet little bench in your foyer. Change is good.
ReplyDeleteHi Deb, removing wallpaper is such a pain especially if there's glue you've got to scrape off too but it was well worth it! Your foyer looks so fresh! Love that bench and the soft pop of color. Your foyer is so welcoming - good job!
ReplyDeleteManuela
That wallpaper stripping is no fun! We had to remove it from every single room in our newest house...took 2 weeks! Yuck! The painting looks beautiful though, and it looks like it was worth all the work :)
ReplyDeleteOh, I like it too! It's so fresh and bright and the bench is wonderful too!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Kelli
Your foyer looks great. I think I'd like to do a little sprucing up around here after we do a little reorganizing.
ReplyDeleteLaura
Your new touches are so lovely!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the tip to remove wallpaper paste. I will soon be removing a border in the bathroom.
That looks great! I love, love that bench. It is too cute.
ReplyDeleteHi Deb, Love the fresh new look. I like your bench and the tea cup with the candle is sweet. I think it is the little touches that make the such a difference.
ReplyDeleteHave a happy evening, Linda
I like anything you do! ;- )
ReplyDeleteI think that it all looks very pretty.
ReplyDeleteDeb ~ It's beautiful! I am familiar with the pain of wallpaper removal; you've had a busy January. Well worth the effort, though. Pretty green bench. :o)
ReplyDeleteVery nice!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm lovin the poppy pillow on the cute bench!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it great how a new coat of paint and rearranging some accessories can give a space a whole new look!?
Kimberly :)
What a successful and refreshing transformation! It looks wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI think I like the funky oil painting the best!
ReplyDeleteIt looks lovely, what pretty colors. Could you tell me how you applied the solution to remove the wallpaper. I'll be removing wallpaper in my kitchen and have been wondering what the best way is to do it. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWe spent several days stripping old wallpaper last summer. Ugh. We used fabric softener which worked pretty well and smelled good!
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of putting like colored books together. Why didn't I think of that?
Love your decorating ideas!
I like it too, Deb.
ReplyDeleteI love the colour of the bench, so much I am going to look for a similar paint to do a wall in my foyer with. I've been looking for the right colour, doing the opposite of you I'll be painting out the cream - lived with only cream for 7 years in this house I think it's about time for some colour.
The colour and furnishings make it look like serene entry to a beautiful home - well done on the choice!
ReplyDeleteSandra.x.
I love your makeover. I recently got into a "red thing," I think because Valentine's day is coming. I, too, spent very little (some red candles, a red glass vase, a small rug for inside the front door). I figure next month I'll "go green" in honor of St. Patrick and springtime. I LOVE your bench, and just got a hanker to paint the old, inexpensive deacon's bench in my own entryway, and I quite like your dill green. It must be midwinter nesting/cabin fever, don't you suppose?
ReplyDeleteI love that green bench and the pillow on it! Don't you love how a coat of paint just makes everything seem so fresh?
ReplyDeleteSo pretty! I can relate with the wallpaper woes! Our old house was built in the 1920's and some "interesting" homeowners decided that instead of stripping wallpaper they would just wallpaper over the old. We stripped about 6 layers (of ugly) wall paper in the dining room and kitchen. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'd say that was a pretty good change, although I'm sure it was lovely before.
ReplyDeleteDill Flower, you say? I'll have to make note of that. It's a pretty color.
I love your foyer and the lovely things you've done with it, but I just about fell over when I saw your mirror. I have exactly the same mirror waiting to be hung in my parlor.
ReplyDeleteThe mirror was an anniversary gift from my father to my grandmother and grandfather more than 50 years ago. When we started building our new home, my mother gave it to us.
I'm thrilled that we 'match'!
Lovely home! Very inspiring!
ReplyDeleteYou have been busy since I have been gone. I love what you have been doing. The colours are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteLooks great, very welcoming!
ReplyDeleteI love it. Change is fun and it's great to challenge ourselves to use what we have. I usually see my things in a different way when I do that.
ReplyDeleteHugs - Karen
The change looks good! Very springy! Good to know about stripping the wallpaper. Thanks for your tip.
ReplyDeleteKitty