WELCOME TO 822

In a prior post I wrote that we changed the small existing entry

This gable was originally a dining room window.  We bumped it out, replaced the window with doors, added the wedding cake porch and moved the sidewalk...oh yes...and the stairs.

At first I was not up for this huge task, but hubby finally talked me into it and I must say

I am glad

I realized the existing entry was too small, but I just could hardly stand the demolition it would involve

ahh....that seems like a very very long time ago

The difference was really worth it all

Come in please

We moved the stairs and opened up the ceiling to expose a huge space

put in heavy mold, added marble floors cut on the diagonal embedded with smaller diamond trim in a contrasting color

The chandeliers were purchased on ebay and I added the Chinese planters a few weeks ago

Another thing we don't agree on...

I really really want an Ikat stair carpet...

but I am willing to wait to purchase it from some far off land

...yeah, that'll be a while!

The walls are curved so there was no ending spot for wallpaper or fabric

so I just painted the walls myself

I am loving the blue and white porcelain and there is just no place around here to purchase it

so...I painted a vase.  I wasn't crazy about how it just "stuck out" so I put these two lanterns in front of it

Prayer candles are my all time favorite

They are inexpensive, long-lasting and safe

Mirrors are always a good answer

I knew I had hit the mark when my bff told me she thought this little tree was a shadow of the palm on the wall...subtle...just what I was going for

Subtle is hard for me

here's my trick...if I don't have time to "freehand" stuff I will use a stencil and then soften the edges freehand and "wash it out"...it is free hand, but about 400 x faster...I slipped in a few little blue birds here and there--

birds are hard, bird's beaks are hard...so I use this trick often with birds and dragon flies..not everything comes in stencil...but when it does...use a stencil and then "freehand" around it

I added some fabric shades to the matching sconces

Chad just finished this re-do last night.  We moved the posts about 5 inches and added the iron railing to match the door.  We took off the acorn finials...living with that for a while.  I don't really like the color of the stairs, but again...I'm hoping for a  carpet runner.  We still have to trim the bottom step, it's in the process of being made

The mural is very soft...I used mostly water

A live green plant makes everything look good

Looking down...it's hard to believe this was a dining room

it did need to be changed for sure!

The chandy is my favorite thing besides 

the doors

the floors

the mirrors

and all the folks that walk in and out

I wish it could be you