Entryway Renovation : Painted Stripes
The last entryway update I shared was back in October, and since we’re nearing the home stretch- I wanted to give you an update that includes fresh paint! Before we even began demo on the entryway, I knew I wanted stripes in this space. With super tall vaulted ceilings, this room needed something… and initially I thought that something was wallpaper. We landed on paint, and I’m super pleased with how things are coming together. We’re currently headed home from Japan and I can’t wait to get back to see our newly painted entryway! Before I left, the stripes had just been finished. Click through for the latest update…
This renovation has been two years in the making! We knew it would be a long haul once Emmett began work on the stair parts… so many tedious carpentry skills, such a big area, and a lot of moving parts. The entryway tile was actually the fastest part of the project, while the millwork in the entryway also proved to be time consuming. We’re finally to the fun part of the process where my vision is really beginning to take shape. We went back and forth on whether to tackle the paint ourselves, or to hire it out… and ultimately landed on the latter. I’m so happy we did. I don’t think the outcome would have been nearly as beautiful, and the stress & time we saved was huge.
Paint Colors
I struggled to choose paint colors for the this project, which is very unlike me. I’m not sure if it’s because this is the first time we’ve hired professional painters, and the expense felt like a big deal- or if I was just having decision paralysis. Regardless, I kept second guessing myself and it took me a full two weeks to nail down paint colors. We swatched quite a few, but ultimately I landed on two colors by Benjamin Moore for the stripes: White Chocolate for the lighter color, and Royal Silk for the darker color. If you’re also struggling to choose paint, here is my best advice for choosing the perfect paint color.
Designing the Stripes
The stripe layout came much easier to me than selecting swatches. I experimented with 6″ – 10″ stripes, and landed on 8″. It ended up being the perfect balance, and the painters did such a fabulous job appeasing my request to spend awhile planning with me, so we had no weird small slivers or odd intersections with the millwork. Somehow, they perfectly centered them in the space, and there is not a single weird striped moment to be found. I’m ecstatic because I was incredibly nervous about that.
The Upstairs Hallway
The upstairs back hallway that connects the maroon guest bedroom, guest bathroom, and celadon guest bedroom is also apart of the entryway makeover. I decided to have those walls painted a solid color (Royal Silk, the darker of the two), instead of continuing the striped pattern.
Sometimes you’ll have a bigger impact when isolating a pattern, and the hallway still feels cohesive in color. I’ve got some fun art for the hall that will add plenty of interest, and I believe the millwork and gorgeous Grandeur hardware speaks for itself!
What’s Left On The To-Do List
While it may look like we’re basically finished, we’ve got a bit left to do. We’re definitely rounding third (I’m a baseball fan), but here’s what is left on our to-do list:
- Stair paint (painters)
- Touchup paint (painters)
- Intall stair runner
- Adjust door hardware
- Replace light switch and outlet covers
- Reinstall custom air returns
- Install sconces (these are the ones we’re using)
- Install artwork
- Source vintage runners
- Deep clean
- Decorate & style
FAQ
The paint itself cost $800 (roughly 1,000 square feet of paint), and that’s with my trade discount. The labor cost around $4k. That’s for the entire “entryway”, which really includes the upstairs hallway, the stairs, all the doors, and the entryway space.
Cost. Believe it or not- wallpaper (material only) was double the price of paint & labor.
I got so many messages saying this! Emmett also tried to convince me to go vertical (he has since admitted horizontal was a good call). If you’re interested in hearing more about how we compromise on design- I shared a post on how to design spaces with your significant other! When starting this project, I had always envisioned horizontal stripes. They really accent the odd shape of the room, and feel a bit unexpected.
While I played with paint color percentages, I ended up landing on two regular swatches by Benjamin Moore: White Chocolate for the lighter color, and Royal Silk for the darker color. Both have a golden undertone and are chameleon colors… they remind me of buttercream frosting when the light hits just right. They’re cooler in the morning, and warm as the day unfolds.
It’s our longest (maybe largest?) renovation to date… I think mostly because there are SO many intricate details and carpentry work that had to be done. I’ve said this before, but Emmett & I are into “slow renovating” and improving our home for the long haul. I really want to be intentional about the design and we both care a lot about quality craftsmanship. We also do everything ourselves, which takes much longer since we both have full time jobs. This was the first time we’ve hired painters, which felt like such a luxury! I will say- we’re to the fun part now, and things will be wrapped up shortly. This pace feels realistic for us (and probably many others). It’s also an expensive undertaking, which has meant a lot of saving, pausing, saving, and starting again.
I would LOVE to hire them again in the future- they were fantastic! If you’re local and need painters, please let me know and I’ll put you in touch. They are fabulous and I’d highly recommend these guys… great pricing, quality work, awesome attention to detail, super nice, and so respectful. 10/10!
Entryway Renovation Posts
If you’ve missed any of this project, feel free to catch up below! From the before images to the design plan and everything in between… these are the project posts that cover all things entryway:
- Our Entryway & Staircase Plan
- Entryway Renovation : Before Images & Demo
- Our Entryway Tile + Alternative Options
- Entryway Renovation : Demo, Stair Parts, & Flooring
- Entryway Renovation : Millwork Details
- Entryway Renovation : Millwork & Electrical
- Entryway IG Highlight (if you want to watch the renovation unfold via video!)
That’s where we’re at! We should be arriving home to painted stairs. I’m excited to begin sourcing runners and styling. I think hallways and entryways are often under-designed, can be boring, or unappreciated. My goal is to create something welcoming, functional, and interesting. Unpopular opinion: I love a middle moment (hallway, entry, landing, loft, nook, etc). We’ll see how things play out. Here’s to a great weekend ahead! I’ll catch up on your comments ASAP.