After Years of Waiting, We're Finally Transforming Our Entryway
For years, our entryway has been one of those spaces that I've continually tried to "fix."
I've styled it with a console table. I've added a bench. I've swapped out accessories and decor more times than I can count. Each version looked fine, but if I'm being honest, every design felt like a band-aid. The furniture filled the space, but nothing really changed. It never felt intentional, memorable, or reflective of who we are as a family.
The truth is that I've spent years playing it safe with this space.
I'm constantly encouraging clients to be brave. To choose the wallpaper. To embrace color. To take the design risk that makes their home feel uniquely theirs. Yet somehow, when it came to this particular space in my own home, I kept defaulting to the safer option. But if I’m being real, it took me years to be THIS brave. To lean into designs that felt permanent.
Until now.
Last year, I came across a design on Instagram that immediately stopped me in my tracks. You know those moments when you see something and a light bulb instantly goes off? That was this design for me.
Image and design credit Dynamik Luxe Designs
I looked at it and thought, "That's it."
It finally helped me identify what was missing from our entryway. I didn't want a pretty space filler. I wanted a statement. I wanted people to walk through our front door and immediately get a sense of who lives here.
I wanted our entryway to tell a story.
A story about a family that loves adventure. A family that values experiences. A family that has collected memories from around the world. A family that isn't afraid of a little color, personality, or boldness.
In short, I wanted our home to feel more like us.
The funny thing is that the design itself is probably the boldest project we've ever attempted. It's well outside my comfort zone and far more ambitious than anything I've tackled before. But after everything my husband and I have accomplished in this house over the years, I knew we could figure it out.
Of course, knowing we could do it and actually doing it turned out to be two very different things.
One of the first challenges was our heavily textured walls. My husband immediately pointed out that if we wanted the wood detailing to look intentional and high-end, we couldn't simply install it over the existing texture. The wall would need to be completely smooth first.
There was only one problem.
I'd never skim coated a wall in my life.
Thankfully, we're living in the age of YouTube.
After watching what felt like a hundred tutorials and convincing myself that professionals aren't born knowing how to do these things either, I grabbed the supplies and got to work. It wasn't perfect, it wasn't quick, and there were definitely moments when I questioned my decision-making skills (i.e multiple bruises on my legs from days of climbing a ladder), but little by little the wall started transforming.
And honestly? That's become the theme of this entire project.
It's not about creating a perfect entryway. It's about being willing to take a big swing at something that feels meaningful, learning new skills along the way, and creating a home that tells our family's story.
I cannot wait to fill this wall with art we have collected, pictures of our family’s travels to create a memorable entry to our home.
