how to solve the biggest problem with ‘welcome’ {our entryway}

Welcome to our home. This is our entryway, or at least, the wall behind the door as you enter.

The mirror was a hand-me-down from my mom. The quilt was a thrift store find and the plaster heads were also a thrift store find. It’s a little eclectic, but that’s how I like it!

Sometimes stuff like bags, shoes, books, backpacks, etc piles up in the entryway. But I at least try to move those things to the laundry room so I can shut the door and not think about it. Ha–don’t you love my organizational strategy!

Those plaster heads are funky/pretty. I think they were $2 each–and with a sweet heart garland between it kind of unifies the wall decor.

I’m planning to rejuvenate this space a bit by painting the bench and switching out the quilt and pillows {and I’ll also change the garland}. I am trying to decide between three colors for the bench…

My three top choices for the bench are 1. cream 2. mustard yellow or 3. avocado green.  Cast your vote in the comments section–and whichever one gets the most votes, that’s the color I’ll paint the bench! So fun!

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145 comments

  1. Lovely bench! Leave it as is! The colors of the bench quilt and pillows are PERFECT with the present wall and floor color. Consider moving the plaster heads up and also in toward the mirror a little. so the garlands used will have more of a “drapy” drop to them instead of cutting the mirror in half with a straight line. Consider PAINTing THE MIRROR with a mixed-foil look using a variety of metallic colors (the little plastic bottles that are under $2 each) of acrylic paints. Use a sponge or brush and layer the metallic gold, antiqued gold, brass. pewter and silver with MORE of the silver/pewter on the top layers

  2. With out seeing the rest of the entry and the other colors of your house… hum… I love the yellow!!! I have seem some really cute dresser and side tables in that same color and they are so adorable!…and hey its just paint…you can always change it!

  3. Green. It would give the most contrast. I’ve been using a lot of green lately, although a little more toward sage. I just got new towels for my kids’ bathroom bright yellow and parrot green (quite close to the shade you’ve got here). They are bright in this bathroom with no window.

  4. Green – I love it and it reminds me of the color of my favorite Allora Handmade necklace that you have and I want!!!

  5. The mustard yellow. You need some color there, so I don’t think the cream would be good. I grew up in a house that had a lot of avocado green in it. I can’t believe it’s back. It actually makes me a little nauseous. 🙂

  6. Paint that beautiful wood?!??? I’m glad I’m not alone in that sentiment. If changing the leather to something else doesn’t suit you, whatever color makes your heart sing. 😉

  7. i WOULDN’T PAINT IT. iTS BEAUTIFUL THE WAY IT IS. LOVE THE HONEY COLORED WOOD. oUR HOUSE IS FULL OF IT…IF IT WERE MINE, i’D LEAVE IT AS IS. BUT ITS YOURS…SO DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY:)

  8. It was fun looking through the comments. Can’t wait to see what you end up with, I’d say pick a color for the mirror too and surprise us all.

  9. Mustard yellow is an awesome neutral… The green is beautiful, and my favorite color, but so trendy right now! Mustard. Mustard! Mustard! =)

  10. Mustard Yellow. I have a small bench in my kitchen about that color and I love it. It’s acctually a pretty good neutral. Have fun 🙂

  11. avocado green would be lovely and maybe leave the back part brown or sand paper off some of the green(?). I have a similar style bench that is screaming for some color… just not sure what color :). can’t wait to see how yours turns out. Good Luck!

  12. Much as I love greens, I think a mustard yellow would be so cheerful and fun, and you can always add a print with a touch of avocado…

  13. #2! It is a color that will change in the light, is bright and cheery, and will use look fab I bet! 🙂

  14. I’m really loving the way the wood looks, it’s so pretty, but if your gonna paint it….gotta say I like the green.

  15. I wouldn’t paint the bench. But instead the wall in another colour. Maybe a lighter green than #3 or a turquoise. Or how about a turquoise? Or instead just paint the frame of the mirror in green or turquoise?

  16. I choose #2 the yellow! I was thinking that the heads would be neat/funky painted, then I saw your color choices-I would paint them the green or the blue of the pillow!

  17. Hi Lisa, hmmmmmmmm a tough choice… the cream would mean you could switch up the look with any colour cushions and quilt, but my eye was immediately drawn to the gorgeous avocado green! Smiles..

  18. I guess, I go with several others here, don’t paint it! Change the cushions! My choice of color is the mustard yellow!!

  19. I love the bench and would leave it exactly as it is, such a beautiful colour in that wood. My suggestion (not that you asked for it!) would be to chose some lovely fabrics and make a seat cushion and a couple of new throw cushions. And I would add a nice big rush basket next to the bench for the kids to throw their shoes in.
    I also use the laundry as my “hide all the clutter that doesn’t have a home” room when we have people over but inevitably something gets spilt and one of the guests goes in there in search of cleaning up cloths and is almost killed by the mountain of stuff I have stashed there falling on top of them when they open the door.

  20. I vote for the not offered number 4 of not painting it. My mother paints wood furniture, and it just makes me so sad! New accessories are just as good at changing the look! 🙂

  21. The natural wood is so nice!
    I vote for leaving the wood UNPAINTED!
    PLus, the natural wood makes for such a neutral backdrop for all you fun and eclectic accessories!
    Could you just change out the wicker or leather seat cushions?
    I truly believe leaving it as is provides the best backdrop for all your creative ideas!
    PS
    I think it would be interesting to paint the frame of the mirror… a nice turquoise blue!

    Good Luck with your decision!

  22. I think the yellow would be fun to work with…
    My mom always used to tell us to just close our doors…I guess she finally gave up trying to get us all to clean up…but the next best thing was to “Close the door…then I don’t have to see it.” haha

  23. Can I vote for option 4…leave it wood-colored? 🙂 I know however you do it, it’ll be adorable, and you’ll find great accessories. But I like the simple beauty of the stained wood.

  24. The green doesn’t look avacado-y, it looks like the color I painted my kitchen. I did 2 shades of bright green and I love it! It’s so happy and I smile every time I go in there. I think the bench would be cute in green.

  25. I know the green would be a great pop of color for the area but I would leave it as it is or use cream. That leaves you all kinds of options that the green won’t. The bench has some great details that I think would be lost if it is painted and as it wears, the wood just looks more loved.

  26. If you must paint it, I vote for cream and then add green & yellow pillows,e tc. It’s easier to change out accessories as trends change than to repaint the bench!

  27. While green is my favorite color, i would go with mustard yellow for the bench. It is unexpected + yellow reads as a neutral with many colors, so you can change out accessories with the seasons as you do on your mantle.

  28. Mustard yellow….you can incorporate many different colors with mustard yellow….the green, brick red looks great with this color yellow………

  29. I love painted furniture. But, that bench looks so eclectic and cool in its natural state. But, if you must paint it, I would go with mustard yellow. Can’t wait to see what you go with and see the final result. 🙂

  30. i vote cream because it would allow you to bring the afghan and the heart garland back next VD without there being the other color there to compete with. i wouldn’t paint it at all, but i’m not you, so you get to do what you want! cream’s my vote.

  31. I kind of like the punchy green to really add something fun to the space and then going more neutral with the accessories.

  32. cream – then add whatever colors around it you want and its easy to change the color skeme around! 🙂

    xoTiffany

  33. I think the wood goes so beautiful with the walls and the floor, so my suggestion is to change the wicker back to pale yellow #1, then the seat coverings to the same with maybe #3 as the nail things!!

  34. Love that mirror – what an awesome hand-me-down! My vote is for the green. It would look absolutely stunning against the light walls. Can’t wait to see the end result, which ever colour you pick!

  35. GREEN! It’s unexpected, especially if you go a little more to the kelly side rather than avocado/pea. That being said, my coffee table is bright yellow (not mustard) and it gets tons of comments.

  36. I love the wood but I also love the mustard yellow, so that’s my vote!
    And I also got this kinds of organizational strategies 🙂

  37. Oh no!! The wood of the bench looks to be in pristine condition! I’m all for painting a piece that’s a bit distressed, but not beautiful wood. I know you didn’t ask for that opinion 😉 (I do like the mustard yellow though!)

  38. It looks beautiful as is (I wish my hallway could be this clutterfre!) and my vote is for the green x
    (Hey does, that make me trendy??!?) ;o)

  39. First, love the nailheads in the bench! My vote is for #2 Mustard Yellow!!!!

    I think the cream would blend in with the wall too much and avocado green is just too trendy!

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