In another post quite a while ago, I talked about placeholders (here).

 

You know, those things you use in your decorating that you don’t truly love.  They just fill in a space you don’t have anything better for at the time.  (Am I the only one who does this?)

 

The problem with placeholders is that (at least for me) they often overstay their welcome.

 

They just kind of hang around for a while, and before you know it, you barely notice them anymore.

 

You forget you don’t love them.

 

This rug was one such placeholder.

 

I bought it for our Kansas City entryway because it coordinated with the dining room rug right next to it.  It definitely looked better there.

 

But I never truly loved it (I’m so glad rugs don’t have feelings or I would feel bad saying that).

 

I also never loved this chandelier.

(do you sense a bit of foreshadowing with that ladder in the picture?) 

 

In fact, I didn’t really love anything about my foyer.

 

Blah.

 

Pretty much everything in it was leftover, and there was no place for guests to hang a coat or lay down a purse.

 

So about a year ago, I started to make some changes.  It’s been a slow transformation, but it’s really coming along.

 

Here’s how:

First I painted the chest I have there, which used to have painted flowers on it (unfortunately I did this before blog so no before pictures).

(The sun finally came out this afternoon after days without it, so I’m keeping this picture with its sunny light stream!) 

 

Then I replaced the leftover art hanging around the mirror with a few things I found here and there, like this antique printing block:

 

. . . and these Arhaus plates:

 

One day I decided I could no longer stand to look at the rug.  So I shopped online and found this one:

 

Next, when I saw this picture on the blog “Our Fifth House” . . .

 

 

I realized I had a little stool in my basement I could easily re-upholster using some toile fabric I already had.

 

dontcha love the moving tag still attached?

 

These fabulous hooks turned up while I was shopping for artwork with my mom . . .

 

and I found this cool “doorbell” at Arhaus and knew it would be perfect for the narrow space next to the inside front door.

 

 

Which left the chandelier.

 

I was considering something more modern, like this:

 

or this:

 

I also considered a lantern-style fixture, something kind of like this:

 

In the end, while shopping at the Ballard Outlet in Cincinnati recently, I found this extra-large, open lantern for a steal:

 

And that helped make the decision for me.  (Sometimes that’s how I operate, because budget counts!)

 

So last week we had the light installed, and the last big item was officially checked off of my list.

 

But honestly, the whole thing still looked a little bland.

 

Until I just happened to find something I’ve always wanted:

While at an architectural salvage place I’ve always wanted to visit, I found this salvaged piece and knew it would be perfect above one of the transom windows in my foyer.

It is perfect!

Here are a few shots of the whole area, which finally feels like me, and not just a collection of leftovers.

 

If I had done nothing else but replace this rug, I would have been happy.  Sometimes it’s just time to say goodbye to something you don’t love.  What about you — do you have any areas in your house that are full of placeholders?

 

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