I think the bench and pegs in your inspiration picture looks very charming and inviting and is such a great idea I think I may steal it! When I think about it, I realize that when visiting friends I have NEVER once in my entire life opened the entry closet door to hang up my own coat! Opening a closet door in someone else's house would feel way too much like snooping. So if my host/hostess doesn't take my coat and hang it up for me, it inevitably winds up draped across the back of my chair. And, if a guest arrives with a dish of food or a bottle of wine or flowers or anything like that, then the host/hostess winds up with full hands and can't very well juggle coats and hangers. Even if the host/hostess beat a hasty retreat to take the gift to the kitchen, the guests inevitably follow right behind. So taking coats and hanging them up in the entry closet it just too awkward in such situations. And, if you have several guests all arriving at once, standing there trying to hang up everybody's coat gets in the way of greetings as well. Guess what we all really need is a butler who would ask in a most charming British accent, "Madam, sir, may I take your wraps please?" and then would hand those pesky coats and mittens and muddy boots to the downstairs maid who would take care of storing them away properly (but only after an under-servant had cleaned the mud off our guests boots and properly polished them). Meanwhile Jeeves would usher our now properly unwrapped guests into the best parlor where we would rise from out seat by the fire to greet them and accept their hostess gifts. LOL! But, absent the butler, downstairs maid, and under-servant... visible coat-hooks and shelves where guest would feel comfortable hanging up their own coats and hats seems like a perfect solution! I know I'd would rather hang my jacket there than across the back of my chair - and, as a guest I'd be MUCH more likely to use the pegs than a closet. As for clutter, if your family normally enter and exit your home via the garage door and mud-room, it seems to me like their coats, hats, boots, and mittens would wind up in the mud room. Only your guests' boots stuff should ever wind up in this area so it shouldn't ever get so cluttered that you would feel the need to hide the area behind a closet door. Thanks so much for sharing your inspiration pic!

Lovely home and I would love such a large hall!Altho not that formal some hooks above the bench to hang up backpacks and such are very handy. I like the look and comfort of your bench better than the storage benches around and if you want to you can place a few baskets under the bench to hold shoes or mittens and hats for the kids too. here is a pic. of my very small hall with hooks and when the stuff is not on them they really do not stand out or take away from the formal feel all that much, I think.

Yes, it's the original installer. No, he's not charging me (he didn't last year and he better not this year, though last year I had to buy more grout and this year he told me to get thinset and told me what kind rather than using his own. It was the same kind I used for the upstairs bath that has been fine). I posted on John Bridge last year, talked to Bill Vincent this year, everything points to no thinset under the Hardibacker being the problem but my lawyer recommended "trying to work it out with him" rather than suing since legal fees could easily run $7500. So since there is a 6-yr statute of limitations on small claims (though only a $5000 limit and original labor plus materials were more than $6000, it'll be double that to demo and do over) I figured I could give him one more chance.

Amy!!!! I am so glad I found you. We have just ordered our plans today. I have looked and looked for a blog about the Rockin’ farmhouse for months. I found it today!! We have looked at the pictures posted on AD’s website a thousand times and have had to use our imagination. You and Crystal have answered so many of our question but we still have so many more . Are you still open to the idea of allowing someone visit your home? We would LOVE to visit and see exactly how it all comes together. We are located near Nashville. Danielle