I finally forced myself to build some bookcases this past weekend so I thought now would be a good time for a Foyer/Library update. Especially since I’m a little torn on if I actually like the direction I’m going in. I can see the end result in my head, but this room definitely needs some work.
A look back…
This is what the room looked like after I moved in. Not bad, but no one sat down in this room, so it just wasn’t functional.
This room is primarily used as a pass through to the backyard. It gets lots of puppy traffic so I don’t want to fill it with furniture. I’d rather leave the space as open as possible so my thought was to use it as a Library/Mud Room.
A few weeks back I tackled the first project of painting the back wall. It’s a neutral beige with slight peach undertones. It’s the same color I have in the third floor hallway and plan on using as the general interior house color. For now I’ve only painted certain walls this color as several walls are 2-3 stories high and I’ll have to hire someone to finish the painting for me.
Next up, I pulled some bookcases that I already owned out of another room and set them up on the sides. In the middle is a hope chest I inherited from my grandmother. Plan is to refinish and reupholster it at some point. I’m not sure it will stay in this room long term, but it works for now.
Some fancy balancing on a ladder resulted in two bookcases attached to the wall. The floors are somewhat uneven in this house, so all bookcases must be attached to the wall. Not to mention that I live in the land of earthquakes.
Two Billy bookcases have been sitting in my foyer for nearly 2 months? way too long. These are obviously larger than the existing cabinets, and a different color. However, the white was marked down to $59 each which made them an easy choice.
About an hour later I had built both bookcases and attached them to the wall.
This is where the foyer stands now. I’ve filled in some books temporarily, but this room stills has a long way to go. The plan is to make the bookcases look like built ins, so I will be installing moulding and painting the dark cabinets white. I’ll keep the doors on the outside cabinets as they hide a multitude of DVDs and the garden supplies that no one really needs to see.
I think I’m also going to swap out the hope chest for a bench, add a shelf between the bookcases and hooks to hold jackets and dog leashes.
If I’m being honest, I don’t really like it right now. It feels very mix and match, and not in a good way. However, I think with a little paint, moulding, and decor it could actually end up looking like the library in my head.
