Foyer for days!!
Hi everyone. The previous owners of our home added on to the front of the house. One result of this is our long foyer!
I‘d love any ideas for making it look better, or even making it useable somehow. There is so much wasted space. Just as an FYI, the room with the pool table is about to be made into something new as we are making a garage room for the kids.
Thanks so much for any help
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Comments (10)Okay, these are just some ideas as I pretend to be driving to your house. I would be very interested in what the "real" LD's think. There were some very good prior threads on heading folks toward doors, but those were different perspectives and making a decision "up close" to the house, as opposed to back yonder in the drive. First thing is to think whether you have only 2 categories of arrivees--family and folks who KNOW they are supposed to go to carport, and "all other" go to front door. It would be more difficult if you expect significant types of random people to arrive that need to go to carport and don't know it. Until there is more pavement, one concept is to do some low-budget things to make the "correct" fork look a bit more impressive, wider, nicer (connecting to the pavement) and maybe even "straighter"--like it is easier to continue in that direction--and the carport drive angle off more, be clearly more informal, etc. Might include freshening gravel just on that short stretch. Kill the grass in the middle of the drive, because the grass kind of kills "this is my good driveway" effect. Might include some kind of temporary items flanking the cement drive entry to make it look like an "entry" to the main house. Could be some upright posts, or 2 containers of indestructable shrubs or annuals, or low-cost bullet-proof sentinel shrubs planted in ground. Right now, these might be at the edge of the existing concrete, but later on some similar demarcation could be placed at whatever point in the drive decision/diversion is most useful. I would not underestimate the benefit of signage. Sure, you don't want to look like a motel --"this way to registration!" but maybe, Welcome to the Jones's, or something homey, that is just beyond the fork but highly visible so it leads you there. These ideas are more sort of temporary fixes if that is what you had in mind, as opposed to finer solutions involving more pavement, brick edging. BTW, the concrete circle drive is pretty harsh--but in future, you might consider brick trims and/or brick strips across, to connect the home materials with the drive....See MoreSW Blonde question for whitdobe
Comments (24)LOVE Blonde & spec it a lot. I used Blonde in bathroom,& Restrained Gold in my own home & then Harmonic Tan in the hall & dining room, Proper Gray in the kitchen & second bedroom, Latte in the master. It was a great palette that was a little dramatic but warm. But Blonde does have a tendency to go a little brown or green at different times of the day, but I think that's part of the interest & charm. All the colors in the SW Fundamentally Neutral palette have a tendency to change. Downing Straw may be a good alternative. The rest of the palette is Oyster Bar, Muddled Basil, Thunderous, & San Antonio Sage. ~Jeana...See MoreHelp! Ideas Needed On How To Keep My Dobie Busy & Out Of Mischief
Comments (26)I hadn't thought of what busybee mentioned-- collecting behavior. I would think you'd see signs of it as you gather the items he amasses while you are out. I had some early challenges with establishing myself as the alpha after I adopted my rottweiler/mastiff-- along with some other challenges. It was a great experience for me as a dog owner-- and the exercises I used really helped increase our bond. I never implemented any one program fully, but I borrowed from NILIF (nothing in life is free) whereby she had to work for her food and walks with good socialized behaviors. I know this isn't your problem but I think ALL dogs/owners can leapfrog from the examples and benefit. The key is to start small. Grace had been picked up off the streets and was very likely from a puppy mill farm. I had to socialize her to the house as well as to people and other pets. At walk time, things could get crazy-- two large dogs and two cats (who liked to walk along with us-- ala a parade). Leashes would NOT be attached and the door would NOT open until both dogs were sitting quietly. This was a huge step for Grace, especially-- but both dogs benefited from the lesson in self control. Food time was another challenge-- Grace had a strong food drive. She was very underweight when I adopted her (and later I found out she had a productive adrenal tumor which very much increased her food drive) and while I wanted to get her back to health and feed her all she needed-- I insisted on sane meal times. I couldn't have a 115lb rottweiler/mastiff going berserk whenever food was prepared/laid out. This was where the lack of self control REALLY showed itself. Step by step I took her to a place where she would sit and wait for me to kiss her nose and say "Bon Appetit" before she'd eat. Obviously this took a lot of work over a period of time.. but it was something we continued until her last day. One day I was particularly annoyed with her and I skipped kissing her nose and saying, "bon appetit" and my sweet girl just sat there waiting for me-- with her food in front of her. Oh boy did that make me feel like a heel.. all annoyance dissipated and I got teary! She sure showed me! hahah. Again, I know these aren't your problems -- but the point is that especially with the working dogs, setting up exercises and routines will help with the behaviors you don't want to continue and firmly establishes you as the alpha.I share all this because my first dogs were sooooooo easy.. Grace was my first experience with a working dog and a dog that presented such a challenge. I learned so much from her-- and with her. All that said, I wouldn't be too concerned unless you are seeing collecting/guarding behaviors. I think the collecting of the things with your scent IS a natural behavior. I don't know that I'd jump to give her a stinky shirt but definitely identify the toys/articles that are "his" and when you collect what he's amassed-- replace with "his" toys/items. Do you keep his things in one place? I had a basket where I kept my dogs' toys and regularly referred them to it.. it was fun to watch them dig in the basket for their favorites. They never put things BACK in the basket LOL.. but they knew where to find them. Again-- you are all so blessed. These are just little bumps in the road in your long lives together! <3...See MoreAttached garage via enclosed breezeway?
Comments (20)That's good information, thank you nirvanaav. Perhaps they are a thing that used to be more common because building codes were less restrictive previously? In my experience, breezeways are more often a part of a renovation. They're often a way to work in a garage or an apartment that needs to be attached to the house. One other question I just thought of - how far apart would the house and garage need to be? In my mom's house, the breezeway is about 12' wide and 30' long ... it is a whole room with sliding glass doors on both ends. Over the years it's served many purposes. In my uncle's house, the breezeway is much smaller ... maybe 5' wide and 8' long, about the size of a smallish bathroom ... it is just a connection between the house and the apartment. It contains a door to the house, a door to the apartment, and a sliding glass door to the outside. No furniture. Just a passageway. In my grandmother's house, the breezeway was wider ... maybe 15' wide and 20' long ... again, with sliding glass doors on both ends. She used it as a second living area ... she had a large table at one end and bookshelves /a desk at the other end. The two questions in planning such a space are: - How far apart do you want the house /garage to be? - What functions do you want that room to support?...See Moretatts
5 years agohammieboy
5 years agomvcanada
5 years ago
decoenthusiaste
5 years agohammieboy
5 years agomvcanada
5 years agoWell, your side by side closets reminded me of a foyer/mud room that Sarah Richardson (HGTV Canada) did at one of her homes. I've included a photo so you can see the impact of the colour on the doors and a really beautiful rug and what it does for the space.
Also, while your desk (I think that's an old fashioned writing desk between the two cupboards) is lovely I'm sure, why not put something functional in there, like in the photo - she has a chest of drawers and that would be good storage for the hats and mittens etc (well, I assume you're in a climate where that is required and you mentioned 4 young kids so I assume you have all kinds of piles of stuff for each child including backpacks for school etc.)
What do you think of this?
sarah richardson farmhouse photos - Google Search · More Info
I'd be tempted to pick a really lovely colour for the closet doors and maybe the interior of your front door and have it coordinate with a rug choice. I think it would make a big difference to the area. With small kids the entry needs to be functional above all else to keep the clutter at bay. I'd have cubbies and hooks for them and closed storage where possible. I'd have a hard time not replicating the photo above because I've always loved the colour on the doors and the rug etc. But I'm sure you can find something that works well for you and maybe will tie into the rest of the colour scheme of the house.hammieboy
5 years agomvcanada
5 years agoBe bold and choose a gorgeous colour. The worst that can happen is you don't like it and you repaint another colour. Paint is so relatively cheap but can make such a huge impact. We're all so afraid of colour most of the time.
I just did a quick run through hallway rugs at Wayfair....here are some options. Imagine picking a vibrant colour out of some of these and painting your doors etc. Oh my....I'm jealous.
Look at that gorgeous robin's egg blue - I could see that paint colour being really beautiful in your space.
Mistana Lennert Light Blue/Fuchsia Area Rug & Reviews | Wayfair.ca · More InfoThis is very cheerful. You could choose the marigold colour, or the pink or dark blue.
Mistana Hillsby Blue/Orange Area Rug & Reviews | Wayfair.ca · More InfoRag rugs may not fit your decor but I really like this one. There are endless colours you could pull out of that one.
Zipcode Design Kistler Hand-Braided Multi Area Rug & Reviews | Wayfair.ca · More Info
I quite like this one too. That deep raspberry colour is really gorgeous. Alternatively one of the greens could be lovely too.
Bungalow Rose Massaoud Pink/Green Area Rug & Reviews | Wayfair.ca · More Infomvcanada
5 years agoOne more thing....here is an idea for a dresser to go between the cupboards. This may be too wide for your space but I think the space needs some character as well as being functional. I'd put a lovely bowl on the top to hold things like keys and sunglasses and whatnot, a place to drop your mail on the way in the door etc.
Lark Manor Lisle 5 Drawer Chest & Reviews | Wayfair.ca · More Infodecoenthusiaste
5 years agohammieboy
5 years agodecoenthusiaste
5 years ago
senab
5 years ago
miss lindsey (She/Her)
5 years agosilviakunst
5 years ago
BeverlyFLADeziner