Here we are. Writing a foyer post in 2026 when my last truly detailed update was in 2018. Gulp. If you figure out where the time goes, please let me know.
Looking back through photos recently, I stumbled upon a picture of our foyer on move-in day in 2009. I had nearly forgotten what it looked like when I first fell in love with this house. Funny how your eye adjusts over time and you forget just how far a space has come.
By 2011, I had been on a two-year hunt for a console table that measured four feet by one foot. I searched boutiques, big box stores, antique shops and every corner of the internet. It simply did not exist. I had always loved skirted round tables, but there was nowhere in this house for one. So I shifted gears and decided I wanted a skirted console instead.
What started as a diamond in the rough, lovingly built by my three boys as a Mother’s Day gift, became a charming foyer table with the help of a few yards of burlap. At the time, I was deep in my burlap and ruffles era and it made me smile every time I walked through the door. (Looking at this picture I’m struck by so many things… Honey is a boy. My boys are babies. This was right after John split his chin open in the garage. My den decor looks exactly like this with the change of only the TV and a few picture frames!)
By 2017, my obsession with burlap had dimmed and I was craving something lighter and brighter. I had a pleated table skirt made and absolutely loved that look. It stayed right there for eight years and served this space beautifully.
Somewhere along the way, we also updated the paint in this area to Pale Oak. I honestly cannot remember the exact year it happened, but it has been such a great choice and shows up in pretty much every room of our house at this juncture.
Then in 2025, I got a bee in my bonnet to wallpaper the entry. I had loved Schumacher’s Palm Damask Sky wallpaper for years but could never figure out where it belonged. My desk overlooks the foyer, and day in and day out I stared at those blank walls until it finally dawned on me. This was it.
Originally, I planned to run the wallpaper all the way up the staircase. That plan lasted until my sweet little hanger man looked like he might faint and Honey simultaneously turned gray at the projected cost. So we compromised. You can see exactly where I cut it off, and while it may not be textbook perfect, this is not a decorator show home. :-)
Once the wallpaper was installed, I lived with the old table skirt for a few months before admitting it just did not work anymore. I picked up some inexpensive neutral fabric and a complementary one for piping and had my local upholstery guy work his magic. I love this version so much, and nothing else in the room needed to change.
If you’ve been in my home, you know I believe in mirrors. Our house was built in 1964 and while it has plenty of windows, the ceilings are only eight feet tall. Mirrors brighten everything, make spaces feel larger, and are easy to live with over time. The mirror in the foyer is an antique that came from Mother’s house in 2009 and has anchored this wall from the very beginning.
Plates are another long-time favorite. The ones surrounding the mirror are from my formal china, Butler’s Pantry by Lenox. This pattern was brand new when we were married and had an early crazing issue. Lenox replaced every single piece of my sixteen place settings and all of the serving dishes around our first anniversary. I was left with plenty of extras, which made for perfect wall decor. These plates have lived here since day one.
The lamps and glass risers have also been constants since 2009. The ceramic dogs joined the party in 2016. They were originally a bright blue, and in 2017 I grabbed a paintbrush and gave them a makeover. I know some people cringe at painting things like that, but I firmly believe you should love what you own. They make me much happier now.
To add some height and interest, I tucked in one of my Puffin in Bloom books, which I added back in 2017 and still adore. The small vase was a gift from a friend a few years ago.
The umbrella stand came from Ballard Designs and has proven to be the perfect home for my Mary Poppins umbrella and the boys’ canes from their day as Duck Masters at The Peabody.
The chandelier actually came from our previous home, where it lived in the pantry. One of my favorite and most personal details in this space is the set of hand-painted chinoiserie lamp shades. A few years ago, it suddenly clicked that I wanted something special here. I called Mother and she immediately agreed to try her hand at painting them. I matched the colors at Michael’s, and she sketched and painted each one back in Savannah. They are truly a treasure.
Before we ever moved in, we ripped out the blue carpet with gold bows. We painted the existing stairs with oil-based black paint, added a clear coat and installed wrought iron spindles. The stair numbers are vinyl stickers from Etsy, ordered seventeen years ago for seventeen dollars, and they are still going strong. We have touched up the paint twice over the years and the stairs continue to hold up beautifully.
The cuckoo clock came home with us from Switzerland a few years ago and brings so much joy and whimsy to this space.
But if I had to pick my favorite transformation in the entry, it would be replacing the solid wood front door with a custom door featuring four panes of glass. It changed everything, flooding the foyer with light inside and out. I’m often asked about the source, but unfortunately the contractor who had it made has since left the industry. This also gives you a good look at just how little space we have to work with!
Just beyond the foyer is a small vestibule that connects the powder room and basement entry, a space I’m not sure I’ve ever even shared. There is a playful felt banner on the door that serves as a reminder to our frequent teenage and young adult guests. The three small pieces of art in this space are by Candace Carroll and add just the right amount of color and personality.
This little entry has evolved slowly over nearly two decades, and I love that so many pieces tell a story.
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