The Entryway Makeover That Changed Everything: A Bold Geometric Wall
This isn't just an accent wall. It's a visual representation of our family.
Bold. Adventurous. Cultured. Colorful. A little unexpected.
There are projects you finish and think, Okay, that looks nice. And then there are projects you finish and stand back from and think, Oooo, you did THAT!
'This wall is the second kind. It took me three weeks. Roughly eight hours a day. No, scratch that, it was a full time job WITH a generous amount of overtime pay!!! A ridiculous amount of measuring, cutting, taping, painting, sanding, second-guessing and probably more patience than I knew I had! But I knew I had come too far to quit.
Standing in my entryway now, looking at it, I know every single minute was worth it.
Before:
The "Band-Aid" Entryway
I kept treating the entryway like a space that needed to be filled when what it really needed was to be defined. I mean, let’s be for real, this is a BIG wall to make a mistake on. I tried a bench, a console table, a mirror, family photos, but nothing changed the feeling. A feeling of emptiness that no amount of family photos could cure.
The Moment I Decided to Go BIG
Instagram can be a lot of things, good and bad, but the moment I saw what was the inspiration for this wall, it was ONLY good things that flooded my mind. My jaw had to be picked up from the ground when I saw the magic that @dynamikluxedesigns had created for one of his clients. And maybe because I am confident, maybe at times a little TOO confident, I thought…hmmm, I think I can do that!
As my confidence grows in calling myself a home interior designer, so does my audacity to take my own advice. I’ve been encouraging my clients to embrace color, take risks, stop designing for the hypothetical buyer, make their home personal, be BRAVE; it was time for me to live by my own design philosophy.
Designing the Wall: Every Decision Was Intentional
The Pattern
This pattern is called “Greek Key” which solidified this specific design for me. It felt like a “no duh, that’s why I like it so much”!! Greece is one of my husband and I’s favorite places so it felt like alignment and fate. Once again, bringing my love for travel and home design together seamlessly. Creating this beautiful story of how travel has shaped us.
The Symmetry
GIRRRRLLLLL, or GUYYYYY…listen to me!! Just because you see something online, doesn’t mean you can do it!!!!! OR, that it will be easy! This amazingly talented designer posts his work but not how to accomplish them, because well, he’s a professional and not a DIYer like myself. So it was up to us to figure out the measurement details like the mapping of the geometry, the spacing; making sure everything looked visually balanced and stepping back repeatedly to check the composition!! It took a lot of guess work and plenty of trial and error before we got it right. The fact that the pattern ended up level and symmetrical is honestly one of my proudest accomplishments in the entire project.
The Paint Color
Oh the color!!! This by far was the most complicated decision. I knew the color had to be bold, had to make a statement and had to compliment the rest of the home. When I stood in the dining room and looked through to the living room, I needed to make sure the color looked cohesive to the rest of the space. I wanted to bring the same moody, cozy feeling of our dining space to the main living area. Our vaulted ceilings made cozy feel harder to achieve. While I’ve still got plans for the ceiling, we aren’t there yet.
Because this color was being chosen for not only for the entryway but would painted through to the rest of living space, I split hairs over the exact shade of maroon I wanted. I spent what felt like an eternity bouncing between Pinterest and TikTok studying the most popular shades of deep purple/maroon.
I wanted the color to be bright enough to make the geometric design pop but have enough depth to make a REAL impact.
The color I chose was Deep Maroon by Sherwin Williams.
three weeks. 10hours/a day
My level of commitment to this wall was surprising, even to me. Don’t get me wrong, I feel I have turned a new leaf with my renewed oath to finishing projects I’ve started. BUT with my BIG birthday party just weeks away and a really big vacation in the middle, I was going to be pressed for time. And time was of the upmost importance.
The wall had to be skimmed and if you know anything about this technique, it is no small or fast feat. Then paint, and then the individual cutting of each piece of wood, then the placing of each piece of wood, followed by caulking, sanding, and another two coats of paint.
It was not only physically demanding, with numerous bruises on my legs after hour upon hour being spent on a ladder. But it was also mentally draining. It was the start of summer and I wanted nothing more to just hang out with my kids but the only way was forward. Our house was a disaster during this construction and so no matter my mom guilt, through was the singular option.
the Details I Can See Now
Now that I'm far enough removed from the project, I can see things I absolutely would have done differently today. Although the lines are perfectly symmetric, the composition is right, the impact is spot on, there are techniques I wish I could have been better at. In certain times of day, you can see the imperfections. Things that would not have been there had it been done by a professional. But perfection isn’t the measure of success here. I did a thing I would have been terrified of doing a year ago. I took the biggest design leap so far in my home and it paid off!!
The payoff
Art by Nkem Odeh-Ifeyinwa
This entry way now SPEAKS. It speaks of who we are as a family. It ties our entire home together. It expresses all on its own, our willingness to take risks, our love for color, and my design philosophy. Who knew that with one design decision, our home could feel so complete.
I’ve learned through this project that…
You can’t underestimate the power of one BIG decision.
Bold doesn’t mean chaotic.
You don’t have to be an expert to begin.
A few months ago, this wall was an idea I wasn't sure I was brave enough to execute. Today, it's the first thing I see when I walk through my front door.
And honestly?
I wouldn't change a thing. Okay... maybe a few tiny rookie details.
But the vision?
The color?
The pattern?
The boldness?
That's me. That's us.
And I think that's exactly what a home is supposed to do.
I can’t get over this view!
