I have been contemplating what to do with our entryway for about a year now. I knew I wanted a change, something light and bright, something to energize this space and bring in a sense of airiness. Now, before we begin, I want to let you know that I LOVED our entrance beforehand. I loved the graphic Moroccan motif rug, I loved our console table and sunburst mirror. It really was a favorite space of mine. That said, as you know me by now, I’m always looking for ways to revamp our home without spending too much. After close to eight years, I was craving a change in here and I can tell you I think this is one of my favorite makeovers so far! Not only was it simple to achieve, it took me about two days and it cost less than $300. A can of chalk paint, swapping out the mirror for one in our bedroom (more on that in a minute), and a new rug that was such a lucky find…and our entryway makeover is complete. Come on in, I cannot wait for you to see it! Before I get started, below is the before – and as I said, it was beautiful, but I think you’ll really love the after so much more! Get ready, because I have a lot of photos to share with you! Affiliate links are provided in this post for your shopping convenience – while I make a small commission on these items, it’s no extra cost to you!I loved the rustic yet sophisticated balance the console and mirror had. The lines of the table are so gorgeous and I knew with a fresh coat of paint, I could take this piece to a whole new level. The shot below is from one of my favorite posts about styling our table in four different ways – you can read all about my styling tips here. As for the black rug, it had served us very well for all of the years we’ve had it, but I wanted something new to energize our space, but still bring in a sophisticated feel.I wanted a subtle sophistication, and I think the results are exactly that. I can’t believe the difference in this room.- light and bright is what we have now and I’m so thrilled with the way it turned out. I knew I wanted the table to be a light color – either cream, white, grey, putty…I wasn’t sure which one I would end up choosing, but I found the most perfect grey when I finally decided I was ready to paint.I have a confession to make…I’m very impatient and I can be very lazy when it comes to DIY projects, I won’t lie! When I want something done, especially when it’s a small project like this one, I want it done fast. I knew I wanted to try chalk paint, and when I was ready to paint the other day, I headed out to our local hardware store, which has only one brand of chalk paint, by Rustoleum. Lucky for me, Icy Grey was the perfect grey. The cream color option was too yellow, and there were no other colors in the line that I liked. My impatient self figured it was the way to go, since I wanted to bang out this project as fast as possible…
The chalk paint was so easy to use and because the table had a matte finish already, there was no need to sand it or strip it for prepping. I washed it down, grabbed my brush and painted away.The coverage of the paint is beautiful and I was pleasantly surprised at how evenly it went on. In the shot below, the table is still wet, but you can get a very good idea at how opaque it is when it’s applied, and this is only one coat. I also still plan on giving the table a coat of satin varnish to finish it off. Varnish is a clear, protective coat that you use to finish off a painted or stained piece of furniture. I don’t want a matte finish, or a glossy finish, so I’ve settled in between, on satin, which I think will be beautiful.Next up, was the mirror. My plan was to paint this one gold, which I did, but unfortunately the results were horrible! It turned out looking like an awful mustard yellow, and one of my favorite mirrors is now no longer a favorite anymore…lesson learned! I’ve slapped gold paint on so many things around here (including our pendant light in this space – read about it here) and I’ve never had an issue until now. I really don’t like the way this turned out. At first, I kind of liked it, and it was growing on me, and then I decided it wasn’t at all. On a whim the other morning, I grabbed my vintage Hollywood Regency faux bamboo mirror from the bedroom to see how it would look. I think it’s the perfect piece, and what I love about it, is the smaller scale, and that it doesn’t overpower the console table. I also think the style suits the table much better now that it’s painted as well.
I’m in love with this color palette in here, and with all of the beautiful natural light we can get, it is much better than before. I also really love how it plays off of my wall color, Collingwood, by Benjamin Moore. There are so many different layers and tones of grey in here, both warm and cool, and they all play off each other beautifully.I’m so happy with the grey paint on the table, I’m thinking of painting a similar color in our dining room. I’ve talked about possibly painting out the black walls for a while now, and I’ve gone back and forth for so long. I do love them so much, but think I might take the plunge and bring the same airy brightness to that space as well. Since these two spaces are open to each other, it will be a cohesive thread that will be beautiful.I may have to try and find a different rug for the dining room if I do paint it – something to better compliment our new one – but I think I’ll try to tackle the paint first and then decide! All I have to do now is talk my hubby into it!
Let’s talk about the rug. This was the luckiest find from HomeSense, and absolutely meant to be. I ran in the other morning to see if I could find something and there it was waiting for me to bring it home… I still can’t believe how quickly I managed to pull off this room. There wasn’t much to do except paint the table and mirror, but finding the perfect rug by chance was the icing on the cake for me! I love the silver tones and the subtle hints of beige and brown in this rug. The vintage inspired vibe is beautiful and the muted pattern is perfect – quite the contrast to our previous rug! This one is like a breath of fresh air. I’ve sourced many different vintage grey rugs for you, you’ll find them at the bottom of my post, along with other items as well.
PIN THIS IMAGE BELOW FOR LATER!
Nothing excites me more than when a vision in my head comes to life! That wraps up my reveal today, I want to know what you think about our entryway makeover! Leave me a comment at the bottom of my post, I’m always so happy to hear from you. If you’d like to always have the latest news sent to your inbox, you can sign up for my newsletter, also at the bottom of my post, or at the top, under subscribe. Thank you, as always for reading with me, I hope you’re inspired! xo
37 Comments on OUR LIGHT AND BRIGHT ENTRYWAY MAKEOVER REVEAL!
Jacqueline
February 9, 2018 at 9:08 AM (2 years ago)
Hi Tamara, I really enjoy your posts! You and I have a very similar style in our homes. Two years ago, I painted all of our interior doors black, it took a lot of guts (and my husband growled the whole time!) but the result is amazing & classic. May I give you one bit of advice? DONT CHANGE YOUR DINING ROOM WALLS…LEAVE THEM BLACK! We’re the type that loves decorating, restyling & change, but we also need to recognize when something is right, leave it alone. I love your dining room, it is an exclamation point amid your other neutral rooms.you have the ability to use any color in there, any flowers, and it was gorgeous at Christmastime. Enjoy your Spring:) Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline! You are so kind, thank you for the lovely note!! And thank you for the advice!! I have gone back and forth on the idea for so long now! I love the black so much and love that it really punctuates our home and makes a statement!! I just can’t help but think sometimes because it’s such a small space, the lighter color will help it breathe a little bit. But you may have convinced me not to do it haha! Thank you so much for your encouragement and support, and for taking the time to comment!! It really means so much to me!! xox
Tamara I love the change and really love what you did with your console table!! Thanks for sharing another beautiful space with us…you always inspire me💙
Bree, you are the best my friend!! Thank you so much for stopping in to see! It means so much to have you here! I need to hop over to your blog next and see what’s new, you inspire me just the same, always! I’m thrilled you like the table, I can’t get over the difference!! Love you my friend!! xo
Hi Lynn! They work for me, so sorry you’re having trouble! Try clicking toward the bottom of the images and see if that works :) I’m happy to send you direct links as well if you prefer, just let me know!!
Hi! It can be tricky to click sometimes, but try to click near the bottom of the thumbnail. Or, you can visit my SHOP tab, and scroll down to SHOP MY ENTRYWAY. Let me know if you need more help! xo
Hi tam First off, the change is stunning. I love this mirror and the chandelier together, your eye runs from the ceiling to the mirror as though they are a perfect match. That area, just like the previous, is WOW! I love the light airiness to the entire area and with the natural light flowing in Also, why did you use chalk paint and not regular? I don’t know the difference… I agree with jaqueline…I love the crushed pepper so much, as you know. I’d hate to see it go. But, whichever you choose will be gorgeous :)
Trace!! So so happy you love it!! I knew you would! Isn’t the difference amazing? Hope it was worth the wait for you lol! I went with chalk paint because I’ve heard its simple to use and you need to do very little prep – which was totally the case. I really love using it. BUT I don’t love the matte finish, so I’m eager to get the satin varnish on there. Love you!! xo
What a lovely makeover! In the past few months, I have done mini-makeovers on the entrances on both my Canadian Club-house and my Corner House. You know it’s done right when you walk in and sigh….. it makes such a difference. I love the mirror you chose. I think it goes perfectly with the cherry blossoms and the stools flanking the door to the left. A bit of an Asian feel without being all-encompassing! I love it when I sit down with my coffee in the morning and check my emails and BAM…there is a beautiful makeover to look at by one of my fav bloggers. Happy Friday!! If I were you, I’d just keep walking in and out of that front door all weekend…lol….or pull up and chair and drink tea in the foyer and marvel at your handiwork:):)
Marion, you are SO SWEET! Thank you so much for such a kind compliment…it means the world to me!! I can’t tell you how much it inspires me! I will admit, I’ve been hanging out in here a lot lol! I love it so much!! I had the vision in my head and I’m so happy I finally went for it!! Thank you so much for the encouragement and for stopping in to say hi! I always love hearing form everyone!! xox
Oh my! Tam! I am book marking this page – I have been putting off some decoration update and this is the perfect insporation for my projects. Thank you so much!! love it xoxo
Thank you so much Isabel!! That makes me so happy! The best part was this was so effortless and cost so little…nothing like an easy DIY with big results!! xoxo
Tamara, I always love to see what you will do next. I am still swooning over your master bath makeover btw! This makeover really took minimal effort for maximum results! I love it! I agree the Regency mirror was a better fit, as it looks terrific. I really like how airy & bright going lighter with the table made your entry. Major wow points! Well done.
Hello Tamara, I’m living in France and it’s not easy to find such example of beautiful home…I’m addict of over-atlantic “chic” deco (coastal or hamptons) and above all houses floor plans. but on internet it hard to make the right choice. How could it be possible to find a house floor plan matching with your home to get an idea of surface and so on.. Thank you so much to help me and for giving us so delightful ideas..I adore your outdoor dinning place. Nicole
Hello Nicole! Thank you for your kind words! I am so sorry for not answering you! I never saw your comment until now – I apologize!! My plan is from our builder and we modified it. But you can search them up and see what they offer! Check them out at habitationsrobert.com – I hope that helps! xo
Love this makeover Tam! I was worried because I love your front entry so much, I though how could it get any better? You have such vision! It is even more beautiful now!
When I saw the before, didn’t think it could get better but it did! Love the faux bamboo mirror. Also from just the angle you showed, dining room wall color looks great with entry. Side note, could you tell me paint name of your dark interior doors?
Jill, Thank you so much! I can’t tell you how happy that makes me! We loved the before as well, but it’s really amazing how making small changes can have such a big impact – it feels like a whole new space! And thanks for your input on the dining room walls, I am still on the fence about changing the color, which is actually the same as the door color, Cracked Pepper by Behr :)
Your rooms are stunning! I wish the Collingwood Benjamin Moore paint looked as nice in my home as it does in your. I’ve painted two coats of 16 different popular gray samples throughout my home and they all look blue! We have large open spaces with tons of natural light and it’s killing me to find one nice gray paint that doesn’t look blue. I’ve also tried white dove by by Benjamin Moore on our trim and it looks a bit gray. Alabaster from Sherwin Williams seems to be the best clean very slightly off white trim paint for our house. Do you have any suggestions for gray paint colors that won’t look blueish? Thanks so much!
Hi Melissa, Thank you so much for you kind words! Paint is so tricky and grey especially can be tricky depending on the light in your room. The Collingwood can even look pinkish depending on the space it’s used in! Between the seasons changing and the exposure of the windows, the lighting can make a color look nothing like it does on the swatch (which is usually the case). I wonder if you tried the Dove on the walls and Alabaster on the trim or Simply white (BM) on the trim with the Dove..so hard to say to be honest! You have to keep testing away until you find the right color. I’ve had repaint our entire house once because the color even after testing looked so off! Not so fun! I wish I was more help!
Tamara, I’m in awe of this beautiful space. I thought every bit of your home was stunning before, especially your entry, but you’ve updated this space perfectly! I can’t wait to see what you decide to do with your dining room. I love it black, but I trust that you know what works in your home! Love you friend!
Jen you area so sweet!! Thank you my friend! It really means so much to me! As for the dining room, I am still stumped on what to do!! Thank you for stopping in to say hi! Love you more! xo
Love this! It’s gorgeous! Quick question. The direct link for the paint indicates the color is “Linen White.” Is that the color you used or was it “Aged Gray?” Just want to make sure before I buy it and start painting =) Thank you!!!!
Yes, the link seems to only be able to link to that color but I used Icy Grey – which is available here in Canada. I’m not sure where you’re living, the color selection might be different, but this is definitely not white! My apologies for not responding sooner! Unfortunately I missed your comment! I hope you ended up painting!
Hi, I have the same question about the chalk paint color. I couldn’t find the color Icy Grey and the link took me to Linen White. Love the colors in the entry.
Hello Yvonne! the color is definitely not white, it is in fact Icy Grey, but unfortunately I can’t link to it! I’m not sure what colors are available where you live, but this is a very pale, cool grey. I hope that helps! Thank you for your kind words!
Jacqueline
February 9, 2018 at 9:08 AM (2 years ago)Hi Tamara,
I really enjoy your posts! You and I have a very similar style in our homes. Two years ago, I painted all of our interior doors black, it took a lot of guts (and my husband growled the whole time!) but the result is amazing & classic.
May I give you one bit of advice? DONT CHANGE YOUR DINING ROOM WALLS…LEAVE THEM BLACK! We’re the type that loves decorating, restyling & change, but we also need to recognize when something is right, leave it alone. I love your dining room, it is an exclamation point amid your other neutral rooms.you have the ability to use any color in there, any flowers, and it was gorgeous at Christmastime.
Enjoy your Spring:)
Jacqueline
tamaraanka
February 9, 2018 at 10:00 AM (2 years ago)Hi Jacqueline! You are so kind, thank you for the lovely note!! And thank you for the advice!! I have gone back and forth on the idea for so long now! I love the black so much and love that it really punctuates our home and makes a statement!! I just can’t help but think sometimes because it’s such a small space, the lighter color will help it breathe a little bit. But you may have convinced me not to do it haha! Thank you so much for your encouragement and support, and for taking the time to comment!! It really means so much to me!! xox
Marty Oravetz
February 9, 2018 at 9:38 AM (2 years ago)love the change. It is amazing. Such a difference and yes it really is so light and bright. Just perfect.
tamaraanka
February 9, 2018 at 9:57 AM (2 years ago)Marty thank you SO much!! I am so happy you like it and I am so in love, it’s such a refreshing change!! Thanks for stopping by!! xo
Bree
February 9, 2018 at 10:29 AM (2 years ago)Tamara I love the change and really love what you did with your console table!! Thanks for sharing another beautiful space with us…you always inspire me💙
tamaraanka
February 9, 2018 at 12:00 PM (2 years ago)Bree, you are the best my friend!! Thank you so much for stopping in to see! It means so much to have you here! I need to hop over to your blog next and see what’s new, you inspire me just the same, always! I’m thrilled you like the table, I can’t get over the difference!! Love you my friend!! xo
Lynn Holloway
February 9, 2018 at 10:36 AM (2 years ago)I can’t seem to make the rugs reference the shopping cite? The other items work but not the rugs. I click on them
And nothing or eventually Pinterest
Thank u
Love your home and ideas
tamaraanka
February 9, 2018 at 11:59 AM (2 years ago)Hi Lynn! They work for me, so sorry you’re having trouble! Try clicking toward the bottom of the images and see if that works :) I’m happy to send you direct links as well if you prefer, just let me know!!
Celeste
April 2, 2018 at 2:24 PM (2 years ago)None of the items would work for me either. I wanted to see the rugs.
Thanks!
tamaraanka
April 3, 2018 at 3:34 PM (2 years ago)Hi! It can be tricky to click sometimes, but try to click near the bottom of the thumbnail. Or, you can visit my SHOP tab, and scroll down to SHOP MY ENTRYWAY. Let me know if you need more help! xo
Tracey
February 9, 2018 at 11:00 AM (2 years ago)Hi tam
First off, the change is stunning. I love this mirror and the chandelier together, your eye runs from the ceiling to the mirror as though they are a perfect match. That area, just like the previous, is WOW! I love the light airiness to the entire area and with the natural light flowing in
Also, why did you use chalk paint and not regular? I don’t know the difference…
I agree with jaqueline…I love the crushed pepper so much, as you know. I’d hate to see it go. But, whichever you choose will be gorgeous :)
tamaraanka
February 9, 2018 at 11:58 AM (2 years ago)Trace!! So so happy you love it!! I knew you would! Isn’t the difference amazing? Hope it was worth the wait for you lol! I went with chalk paint because I’ve heard its simple to use and you need to do very little prep – which was totally the case. I really love using it. BUT I don’t love the matte finish, so I’m eager to get the satin varnish on there. Love you!! xo
marion duffield
February 9, 2018 at 11:29 AM (2 years ago)What a lovely makeover! In the past few months, I have done mini-makeovers on the entrances on both my Canadian Club-house and my Corner House. You know it’s done right when you walk in and sigh….. it makes such a difference.
I love the mirror you chose. I think it goes perfectly with the cherry blossoms and the stools flanking the door to the left. A bit of an Asian feel without being all-encompassing!
I love it when I sit down with my coffee in the morning and check my emails and BAM…there is a beautiful makeover to look at by one of my fav bloggers. Happy Friday!! If I were you, I’d just keep walking in and out of that front door all weekend…lol….or pull up and chair and drink tea in the foyer and marvel at your handiwork:):)
tamaraanka
February 9, 2018 at 11:56 AM (2 years ago)Marion, you are SO SWEET! Thank you so much for such a kind compliment…it means the world to me!! I can’t tell you how much it inspires me! I will admit, I’ve been hanging out in here a lot lol! I love it so much!! I had the vision in my head and I’m so happy I finally went for it!! Thank you so much for the encouragement and for stopping in to say hi! I always love hearing form everyone!! xox
Isabel Gauvin
February 9, 2018 at 11:46 AM (2 years ago)Oh my! Tam! I am book marking this page – I have been putting off some decoration update and this is the perfect insporation for my projects. Thank you so much!! love it xoxo
tamaraanka
February 9, 2018 at 11:54 AM (2 years ago)Thank you so much Isabel!! That makes me so happy! The best part was this was so effortless and cost so little…nothing like an easy DIY with big results!! xoxo
Jennifer
February 9, 2018 at 7:19 PM (2 years ago)Tamara, I always love to see what you will do next. I am still swooning over your master bath makeover btw! This makeover really took minimal effort for maximum results! I love it! I agree the Regency mirror was a better fit, as it looks terrific. I really like how airy & bright going lighter with the table made your entry. Major wow points! Well done.
Nicole FALCE
February 10, 2018 at 4:40 AM (2 years ago)Hello Tamara,
I’m living in France and it’s not easy to find such example of beautiful home…I’m addict of over-atlantic “chic” deco (coastal or hamptons) and above all houses floor plans. but on internet it hard to make the right choice.
How could it be possible to find a house floor plan matching with your home to get an idea of surface and so on..
Thank you so much to help me and for giving us so delightful ideas..I adore your outdoor dinning place.
Nicole
tamaraanka
December 19, 2018 at 10:47 PM (1 year ago)Hello Nicole! Thank you for your kind words! I am so sorry for not answering you! I never saw your comment until now – I apologize!! My plan is from our builder and we modified it. But you can search them up and see what they offer! Check them out at habitationsrobert.com – I hope that helps! xo
Sandra
February 10, 2018 at 8:57 AM (2 years ago)Love this makeover Tam! I was worried because I love your front entry so much, I though how could it get any better? You have such vision! It is even more beautiful now!
tamaraanka
February 11, 2018 at 9:18 AM (2 years ago)Sandra you are so kind my friend!! Thank you for such a wonderful compliment!! I’m so happy you like it!! Thank you for stopping by! xox
Norma Rolader
February 10, 2018 at 12:53 PM (2 years ago)Beautiful and what inspiration
tamaraanka
February 11, 2018 at 9:17 AM (2 years ago)I’m thrilled you think so, thanks so much!!
Pamela
February 10, 2018 at 4:08 PM (2 years ago)I. Love. This. Great inspiration, thanks!
tamaraanka
February 11, 2018 at 9:17 AM (2 years ago)Thank you very much! So happy you like it!
Jill
February 11, 2018 at 12:14 PM (2 years ago)When I saw the before, didn’t think it could get better but it did! Love the faux bamboo mirror. Also from just the angle you showed, dining room wall color looks great with entry. Side note, could you tell me paint name of your dark interior doors?
tamaraanka
February 16, 2018 at 6:40 AM (2 years ago)Jill, Thank you so much! I can’t tell you how happy that makes me! We loved the before as well, but it’s really amazing how making small changes can have such a big impact – it feels like a whole new space! And thanks for your input on the dining room walls, I am still on the fence about changing the color, which is actually the same as the door color, Cracked Pepper by Behr :)
Melissa
February 11, 2018 at 12:36 PM (2 years ago)Your rooms are stunning! I wish the Collingwood Benjamin Moore paint looked as nice in my home as it does in your. I’ve painted two coats of 16 different popular gray samples throughout my home and they all look blue! We have large open spaces with tons of natural light and it’s killing me to find one nice gray paint that doesn’t look blue. I’ve also tried white dove by by Benjamin Moore on our trim and it looks a bit gray. Alabaster from Sherwin Williams seems to be the best clean very slightly off white trim paint for our house. Do you have any suggestions for gray paint colors that won’t look blueish? Thanks so much!
tamaraanka
February 16, 2018 at 6:45 AM (2 years ago)Hi Melissa, Thank you so much for you kind words! Paint is so tricky and grey especially can be tricky depending on the light in your room. The Collingwood can even look pinkish depending on the space it’s used in! Between the seasons changing and the exposure of the windows, the lighting can make a color look nothing like it does on the swatch (which is usually the case). I wonder if you tried the Dove on the walls and Alabaster on the trim or Simply white (BM) on the trim with the Dove..so hard to say to be honest! You have to keep testing away until you find the right color. I’ve had repaint our entire house once because the color even after testing looked so off! Not so fun! I wish I was more help!
Jennifer
February 26, 2018 at 6:15 AM (2 years ago)Tamara, I’m in awe of this beautiful space. I thought every bit of your home was stunning before, especially your entry, but you’ve updated this space perfectly! I can’t wait to see what you decide to do with your dining room. I love it black, but I trust that you know what works in your home! Love you friend!
tamaraanka
March 5, 2018 at 9:04 AM (2 years ago)Jen you area so sweet!! Thank you my friend! It really means so much to me! As for the dining room, I am still stumped on what to do!! Thank you for stopping in to say hi! Love you more! xo
Lindsey Jones
March 15, 2018 at 9:21 PM (2 years ago)Love this! It’s gorgeous! Quick question. The direct link for the paint indicates the color is “Linen White.” Is that the color you used or was it “Aged Gray?” Just want to make sure before I buy it and start painting =) Thank you!!!!
tamaraanka
December 19, 2018 at 10:45 PM (1 year ago)Yes, the link seems to only be able to link to that color but I used Icy Grey – which is available here in Canada. I’m not sure where you’re living, the color selection might be different, but this is definitely not white! My apologies for not responding sooner! Unfortunately I missed your comment! I hope you ended up painting!
Kathlen Koch
October 27, 2018 at 3:51 PM (2 years ago)Hi! Can you say what color grey are your double doors?
tamaraanka
October 27, 2018 at 3:58 PM (2 years ago)Hi! They’re actually black! The color is cracked pepper by Behr :)
Yvonne
December 19, 2018 at 10:35 PM (1 year ago)Hi, I have the same question about the chalk paint color. I couldn’t find the color Icy Grey and the link took me to Linen White. Love the colors in the entry.
tamaraanka
December 19, 2018 at 10:49 PM (1 year ago)Hello Yvonne! the color is definitely not white, it is in fact Icy Grey, but unfortunately I can’t link to it! I’m not sure what colors are available where you live, but this is a very pale, cool grey. I hope that helps! Thank you for your kind words!