AKA “The Entryway, and ‘Hello'”
Welcome to my blahg. I decided it would be fun to have a designated place to post progress pictures, before & afters, etc., without spamming everyone who follows me elsewhere for reasons other than the minutiae of my every decorating choice.
My husband and I moved into our first home in the Morton Meadows neighborhood of Omaha just over a month ago (hence the name). While the house is clearly not an actual MANOR, “Morton Meadows Minimal Traditional” just didn’t have the same ring, and I’m a sucker for alliteration.
Husband lived in two houses in his early 20s, which along with the other gentlemen who lived therein, are collectively referred to as “The Manor.” The legends of The Manor loom large, and having the utmost reverence for their rich tapestry of Stroh’s beer, a chipmunk infestation, and other unmentionables, I have obtained permission to use the term.
Anyway, on to the entryway. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made so far (we painted 5 rooms and a hallway!), but this is the only area I feel is completely “finished” and ready for ogling.
Here is a crappy “Before” picture I took immediately prior to painting:
The previous owners were kind enough to leave several pieces of furniture, some of which are wonderful (a pantry cupboard!), and some of which were fine, but a little utilitarian and not quite my taste. The bench above fell into the latter category, along with a wall mounted storage cabinet thing made of the same material (already taken down prior to photo).
The walls were a light shade of gray, but I wanted something a little richer. We had already lightened up the living room, so I wasn’t worried about making the entryway too dark. It’s a very small room, and I wanted it to have a somewhat cozy feel. The color I went with is “Oxblood” by Behr (partly because of the name – so metal). I also picked it because it matched the floor tile. Because the color could easily be tipped into a stodgy ’90s sort of vibe, I wanted to keep the other details more modern and eclectic.
Disclaimer – I have no idea why the walls have that texture. It’s not the plaster, because several small areas had chipped off revealing smooth wall underneath. Perhaps some previous owner painted with a large push broom. I dunno. At any rate, I kinda like it now.
Sources –
Mirror: The Imaginarium, Omaha
Albrecht Durer Rabbit Print: Urban Mining, KCMO
Curtains: Previous owners
Bowl: Borsheims
Vase with Flowers: Target
Other two Vases: Estate Sale (.50 each! The lady who rang me up made them as a kid in 1972.)
Mail organizer: Husband has had it forever…family hand-me-down I think?
Flowers: Leftover from our wedding centerpieces. I know the obligatory vase of Craspedia is kind of a design cliché at this point, but I kind of don’t care. They’re so wonderful!
Frame: Estate Sale
Ginkgo painting: By me
Console Table: Houzz (gold was out of stock so I bought black and spray painted it)
Ottomans: St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store, LaVista (major score as far as I’m concerned!!)
Rug: Hayneedle
There you have it. More to come!
Ilsa Heinicke Huscher 