You May Enter

The entryway is finally starting to look welcoming.  Even though this entry chamber was one of my favorite little details of the house when we looked at it, this space has sat empty since we moved in.  I didn't have anything to put in it and because we use the side door 99% of the time it wasn't high on my priority list.  It was, however, a terrible first impression on guests.

A few weekends ago we went to stay at my in-laws house for Matt's 10 year reunion.  While we were there I decided to go rummaging around the attic, which turned out to be a smashing success.  Thanks to that little treasure hunt the chamber is ready for its close-up. 

But first, a picture of Shep sleeping (and a peek of what I found).

Come on in...

This English Gate-Leg table was my biggest find, it is so gorgeous.  It's more traditional than I usually go for, but I wasn't about to pass it up.  

I came across this mirror and at first I kinda gave it the side-eye.  I wasn't sure if it would work, but I liked it enough to bring it home.  Soon after it came home I noticed the same mirror on two different design sites.  I searched for it on Pinterest and apparently it's a thing, Antique Gold Eagle Federal Mirror.  As is human nature, I immediately liked it more once I discovered this and decided we would hang it.  

These gold framed botanical prints also came from the attic, I just barely hung them off the table centered with the tip of the mirror.   

On the table I put a tray for mail (Target), an Anthropologie candle (you know the one), and a dish for guests to stash keys.  

I'm so happy to have a drop zone for mail.  The mail slot is right by the front door and mail would usually accumulate at one end of the dining room table.  The problem is, visual clutter makes me feel twitchy inside.  

As a result I'd usually just end up throwing everything out or greeting Matt at the door with an insane enthusiasm for mail "Hi. Wow! Don't you want to look through your pile of mail immediately? Another credit card offer!" He'd usually breeze past the pile mumbling something about his fantasy line-up.  Not that I can blame him.  Now he can go through it when he gets a chance and I can drop the ruse that I'm junk mail's biggest fan.  

Moving to the other wall, more botanical prints and those little animal heads (West Elm) are actually hooks.  They're iron so they should be nice and sturdy even though the horns look delicate. 

I also added a copper boot tray (Smith & Hawken line at Target), it serves two purposes: one to actually hold shoes, but also to keep the door from bumping into the wall since there isn't a door stop.  

Those rain boots aren't a completely gratuitous prop, it actually had been rainy in OKC the day I took these photos.  In other news, the hot pink Hunter rain boots are a completely gratuitous prop. 

I love the school house style fixture that hangs in the entry. 

And with that, I think I can declare a finished space in the house.  Never mind that it's 5ft x 4ft, so smaller than a lot of people's closets.  But still, feels like a win.  

Sources + Inspiration: http://www.pinterest.com/chesna/entryway/