How to Create an Entry When you Don’t Actually Have One

There are so many things I love about our house, but it’s not without its design challenges. A significant lack of built-in storage. Narrow hallways. Very few contiguous walls making furniture placement a total headache. But one issue drives me particularly crazy. We don’t have a proper entry! Our front door opens directly onto our stairwell and a narrow hall – making a highly functional entryway virtually impossible to create (you can see my front hall here).

With the busy holiday season upon us, I knew I needed to solve this problem pronto. With an active family and a preschooler underfoot, our hallway could no longer serve as the “stuff dumping ground.” I’m tired of tripping over everything! So I partnered with Tuesday Morning to come up with a solution that was easy, quick and most importantly used pieces that were incredibly affordable (so important this time of year!).

Rather than cram an already narrow hall full of tiny furniture, I decided to create a “faux entry” in our front bay window. The look is light, airy and elevated, yet still offers all the functionality I desperately need.

My design started with the white cane chair I found at Tuesday Morning. I love using chairs more like tables. A stack of books offers a nice surface for additional objects – perhaps a table lamp, a basket, or in this case, a stunning brass bowl to catch house keys and other random odds and ends. I added a string of vintage glass beads found on a recent trip to LA for a little color.

To create more height, I then added in a hammered metal plant stand, also picked up at Tuesday Morning. I love the mix of materials and textures. The plant stand will offer me so many styling options as the seasons change. I love the look of tall dramatic branches, but as we move into winter I might swap in a potted plant of some kind (you can see some of my favorite houseplants right here). I’m thinking something big and leafy!

I paired my Tuesday Morning scores with a mix of other items I already had on hand, including a custom coffee table, a antique stool, and my favorite vintage candelabra. These objects make me smile every day.

I found a few more great accessories at Tuesday Morning, including a classic white porcelain bowl that will be great for holding the day’s mail. A fun egg timer will hopefully make getting a toddler out there door a little more fun. Certainly seems like a better option than the typical “you have until the count of 3!”

I love how this new set up has given a spot for the day’s odds and ends to land – rather than on the floor or my dining room table. But none of the pieces I used are too big or too permanent. I can switch things up as needed – or as the mood strikes and you know it strikes around here A LOT. I know I’ll be popping into Tuesday Morning to see what new treasure I can find on the regular. Click here to find the Tuesday Morning location closest to you.

Now I feel more organized and pulled together as December hits. Exactly what I needed as the busiest time of year descends! What do you think? Are you into this entry idea? I’d love to here how you solved similar challenges in your house.

For solutions to your design dilemmas, CLICK HERE.

 

Sources: chair Tuesday Morning / plant stand Tuesday Morning / favorite decor books This is Home: The Art of Simple Living, The Alchemy of Things, Thomas Pheasant  / brass bowl Spartan Shop / custom coffee table Lauren Nelson Design / design book Dries Van Noten / vintage candelabra / porcelain bowl Tuesday Morning / egg timer Tuesday morning / vintage stool Elsie Green / beni ourain rug The Citizenry

 

original photography for apartment 34 by bess friday 

This post is a paid partnership with Tuesday Morning. Thanks for supporting collaborations we’re excited about and posts that have kept apartment 34’s doors open.

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