Chipping Away in the Foyer
When I spotted the blue back of a playing card stuck behind the sad beige aluminum radiator cover I thought to myself "wouldn't it be funny if it was an ace?" And wouldn't you know it.
I have been allowing myself to start working on the foyer bit by bit. I needed a break from painting after the salon, my hands had insisted, but the desire for a moody black entryway before Halloween has really set in. The floors and staircase in here were painted a richly chipped and gloopy burgundy and ivory, and while I would love to strip it all back to wood, or at least strip it all smooth, I just don't have that kind of patience at this junction. Plus, keeping the cats locked up for that kind of time commitment feels too mean just now!
So I have painted the face of each step, the spindles, the baseboards and the radiator cover in my chosen onyx black by Benjamin Moore that I have been using elsewhere. I'm still only one coat in on painting the actual treads of the steps, and I did leave the tiny bit of wood on the outside edge to match the unpainted newel posts and banisters. The stairs in here are a bit of a mystery, becuase my neighbors house (my houses "sister" ish) has a grander nicer staircase, and mine feels sorta...cheap? I'm not sure this is the original 1890s staircase I suppose, or the original treads at least, and in a dream scenario I would love to have the whole shebang refurbished or replaced with another antique/replica situation. The cost makes that a pipe dream, so until I can go wild, a lick of black paint will help it all feel a bit more like the gloomy mansion I dream of haunting.
Of course nothing will feel quite as thrilling as finally painting the trim around these perfect arched windows, the very windows that sold me this house really. Naturally, painting the narrow bits is the most time consuming part, but I'll get there. They are going to look so perfectly gothic once trimmed in black that it will be worth the extra care.
I'm slowly painting all that I can becuase right now it is all I can afford to fix. The floors need a coat of onyx too, which will finally banish the last of the burgundy (thank heavens). I'm a green girly okay? Eventually I want to put a Victorian appropriate tile from the front door here right through the kitchen to the back door of the house. I'm also thinking a half height paneling in the onyx with wallpaper above. I've got a few more wallpaper samples on order before I narrow down on the one I'll be saving up for.
This room is going to take time, because to do it right is going to mean some major investments in the flooring and having the wallpapering done by a professional. The papers I'm looking at are too pricey for me to mess up, and the walls soar above the stairwell, so big ladders and big experience will be needed. Still, I'm enjoying just how much more "me" the space feels with each spindle, and halfway is better than nothing.
I found some new armchairs for the space this week on Facebook marketplace. The lighter wood tone matches the Victorian tables I have in here, and I actually love the pale verdure tapestry upholstery! I'm planning on using a verdure leafy wallpaper, so I think the tapestry on tapestry will be quite fun to keep layering in. Sophie wasted no time in inspecting the chairs and giving them a test rest.
I will be working on a video about my plans for the rest of the rooms downstairs and of course the next sleeve instalment of Drafting Dangerous this week. Thank you so much for your patience and support!
Comments (46)
The windowwwwws. I pretty much gasped when I saw them.
When I first saw these windows I thought "shoot, I'm going to have to make an offer on this house" ❤️😂
Wow well the great news is you can’t really choose wrong with those wallpapers! All so pretty! Enjoying the drafting series so far! Thanks for everything you do🖤
Thank you! It will indeed be hard to choose 😅✨
Love love love Sophie the tortie, she's just regal! And let's take that ace as a good luck charm for the future of the foyer!
Will be framing the ace for sure ❤️
It looks like you're missing the railing for the bottom three stairs. Might help it look grander? Should be a second newel post at the bottom.
Right?! It doesn't seem like there was ever anything there, but goodness it could use a whole new situation 😅
Those windows would have sold me as well.
The ace is too cool… and I might covet the windows in the stairwell!
I saw some photos the other day (wish I could remember where!) of an old staircase where the risers (? the vertical bits of each step anyway) were made of stained-glass. That would look stunning here!
Even though you think it’s not as nice as the neighbor’s staircase, it’s really lovely. Off topic, but I thought of you when I watched your 1948 catalogue video today. You wished American Duchess made an all-white spectator pump. No matter if they don’t make a color you want. You can easily DIY. Have you ever considered painting shoes? So long as they are leather, you can do a fantastic paint job yourself. I do it all the time. Easy, so much faster than sewing. How to do it? Get some cheap small paint brushes (Amazon, $7-10). Get three Angelus leather paint products: 1) Deglazer, 2) The leather paint (in a color they have or buy several shades to mix what you want), 3) acrylic finisher in matte or with a sheen if you prefer. All available on Amazon. Take a sponge and put deglazer on it, then rub the top finish off the area you want to paint. Keep doing that till it looks dull. Let dry (one shoe dries while you do the other shoe). They can wait indefinitely in this state, also. Then paint the area you want, 1 coat. Paint the other shoe, same. Keep going back and forth until the shoes have enough coats that it looks great (I have painted black shoes nude. 3-4 coats). You can wait longer between coats, but I’ve found the time it takes to paint one shoe is enough for the other to dry before a second coat is applied. When all coats are done, let dry at least 24 hours. Then paint the finisher all over it. Let dry, then wear and enjoy! I wash my brushes out with dish soap and water. A Q-tip and cup of water help remove any oopsies. I buy my favorite ballet flat (Sam Edelman) used on E-bay for 1/5 the price of new and paint it the color I want. I do the same with my fav pump (Rockport Cobb Hill). It’s an easy and crafty way to get the shoe colors you want in your favorite style that you cannot find in the store. And if you get sick of it, deglaze and paint a different color! Also brings life back to scuffed, worn leather.
It makes me wonder if there had been a fire in the house a long time ago and they replaced the damaged timber with newer cheaper staircase and flooring
Very symbolic card find. Affirmation that being Ace is really okay?
Certainly felt like a very "okay I bought the right house clearly" moment ✨
Great photos! A cathedral radio would look neat there and also tie in the shape of the windows. What a find, that playing card is, definitely one for the little black book or wherever you keep such things. Of course, every time you mention paint it black, I hear Mick Jagger singing that song!
Thank you Penny! I will be framing or putting the card in some display for sure ✨
It's a lovely entry way. I lived in a 1905 era house with a stairwell like that for a while (it had a slightly wider landing) and it's very comfortable compared to a modern straight shot stair.
Indeed! Plus it provides extra corners on the landings for deliciously decadent decorations 🥰
Lovely. I think the staircase is lovely. I also love the windows, and it would be amazing if parts of the window glass of each window had some stained glass, either the arched parts, or the inner square of each window below.
I was also thinking of adding a stained glass to the windows. You can get some really nice static cling that can be added. Glass paint is nice but I found that it tended to have streaks when dry, but this is probably more to do with my skill level with a brush than the paint. Although, and I’ve only thought of this, you may be able to mix the two approaches, add static cling and then customise it with glass paint. Those stairs would look fantastic with a wash of sunlight though stained glass.
Stunning!
The tapestry on the chair is just a perfect pop in the green garden of floral delights…gloriously dramatic my friend…
What a difference black paint can make! I know it's not as much change as you want but it is lovely. Your window really is gorgeous and I can't wait to see it trimmed out.
Oh and the owl makes me happy, glad to see it has a new spot to watch over.
I like the two tone wood/black. It really sets off the wood tones. Very elegant
Thank you Melody!
If Drafting Dangerous is a sleeve pattern I'm going to laugh... because I finally went back to your basic sleeve pattern and drafted mine yesterday. I have a cosplay that needs sleeves, so I finally had to bite the bullet and do it, and it wasn't that bad. Of course, improvements can always be made so I'll be looking forward to any new insight you have when you get there, but it will be interesting how the timing works. The cosplay is a version of Rapunzel from the Disney show, and you videos have been a great resource in figuring out how to draft the elements I need for it to read right. Congratulations on making progress on your foyer - amazing how chipping away at something we get there eventually, bit by bit. It seems like a miracle to my brain every time.
It looks fantabulous...I want to curl up in those chairs with a book, pronto.
Your house looks so B I G ! I am really jealous. Our country cottage has a 6 ft high ceiling in the front room lol
Murica sized 😅 It's certainly large enough for me, but I would have gone even grander if I could have afforded it, just to be able to decorate more rooms 😅
Oh, this will be the perfect gothic hallway! Love the purple sample on the first picture. 😍💜
It looks amazing!!!
Thank you Concetta!
You are so inspiring!!!! This week i did something because "Bianca" would!!
Those wallpapers are so pretty! The foyer will look so much cozier
It's looking so good! Maybe it's my own love of dark and moody things, but black suits the space so much better than ivory!
It's a pretty roomy entryway, so I allowed myself to go nice and dark 💜
Something about the angle of that second picture is just perfection! Those windows are truly magical. This foyer is going to feel so special even with just your first stage of changing it. Sending you good vibes, Bianca!
Thank you Caitlin!!
It's not even funny how much better those stairs look painted black!
I heartily agree 😂✨ Thank you!
Gorgeous. It's all coming together! I'm now imagining you sweeping down the staircase in your extravagant morning wrap/ housecoat and sailing through the first floor to the kitchen to brew your morning beverage. The foyer will be stunning 😍
Thank you Kenzie!!
What a blimmin amazing house! 😍
Thank you Sam!!