Christmas Tour: Styling the Entryway for the Holidays
Moving right along with my holiday home tour… today, I wanted to share the entryway with you! I’m excited about this one, because it’s a space I’ve yet to really show you. While a full reveal of this newly renovated room is still to come, I didn’t want to waste an opportunity to decorate and photograph it for Christmas. Click through for a good glimpse at the entry, staircase, and upstairs hall- decked out for the season and looking quite beautiful, if I do say so myself. It’s a space we’re really proud of!
Sure, there are pesky line items left on our renovation to-do list before this space is neatly wrapped with a bow… paint touch-ups, vent covers, and art installation, but there is much to celebrate because this room has come FAR. The painted stripes make me smile on a daily basis, I’m loving my newly upholstered antique chairs, and the entryway cabochon tile is what my dreams are made of. I had the most fun hanging wreaths and garland, tying ribbon, and styling this space for the season! Scroll on to see it.
The Entry
What do you think? It came together nicely, right? After installing the artwork, this room really began to feel complete. Did you read my post on how to easily layout and install a gallery wall? For a room of this size and height, I had to do some serious planning. The art gallery is compromised of works from my shop, as well as vintage pieces we picked up over the years from our travels.
In regard to furniture, we keep a table and at least one seat in this space. A place to corral keys, candles, mail, and anything else that’s functional or pretty enough to welcome guests into our home. The seat comes in handy for tying shoes or taking a break before existing the house. Of course I also had to include my demilune table makeover. It’s like it was made for the bottom of the staircase. Even before we dreamt of renovating this room, that’s where I styled it. Looking for one of your own? Check out 15 black demilune tables for any budget (by price) in this post! They’re the most versatile.
The Stairs
We totally reworked the entryway millwork and I think that’s most evident within the staircase. I love the high contrast look that emphasizes those designer details. Since moving into our home, I’ve envisioned draping garland from stair railing that looked exactly like this. It may have taken me six years, but I think it was worth the wait.
Not only is the staircase beautiful and classic, but it’s functional for our family… dogs included. After removing the existing carpeted stairs, I knew we needed to install a runner for the dogs. Check out this post on how to install a stair runner with an easy landing for a timeless aesthetic. It’s durable, functional, and provides much needed traction for our four-legged family members.
To keep the garland installation simple, I just used ribbon to secure it to the lower side of the railing. I draped it, so the hand railing would still be functional and easy to grab. We have lots of friends and family (of all ages) visiting for the holidays this month (every week), so ease of use and safety were definitely a concern when decorating the stairs. I also like the look of a simple swag!
Lighting
We sprinkled sconces throughout the entryway and hall- we have three, as well as my beloved Windsor chandelier.
To make things feel a bit more festive, I added ribbon, wreaths, and of course performed my favorite trick of the trade… candelabra shade swaps. Be sure to read how to choose a clip on sconce or chandelier shade– it can totally change or elevate the aesthetic of existing light fixtures, and is a great way to switch things up seasonally.
The Hall
Oddly, the upstairs hall has become one of my favorite parts of the entry. It bridges the gap connecting our primary bedroom, the maroon guest bedroom, the celadon guest bedroom, a bedroom I’ve yet to show you (or renovate), and the guest bathroom.
I snagged this secondhand wood demilune and stumbled across the antique mirror at an estate sale… it’s still one of my best finds! I doubled up a piece of garland, added a ribbon, and one of my favorite candles.
FAQ
I sure do! Be sure to read how to find & shop home estate sales, as well as my estate sale shopping guide, strategy, and etiquette tips.
I actually grabbed this golden spool from a local shop a few years ago. I have no idea what the brand is, but I did share 20 ways to decorate with ribbon this holiday season, along with my top ribbon finds from Amazon! Hopefully those will be helpful.
I shared them in this post… designer tips for making outlets & light switch plates look better. They’re from Amazon and really elevated the space.
Related
I’m going to link some of the entryway projects we’ve tackled leading up to finishing this space… along with some holiday decorating favorites for you! If you’re looking for more, start with these:
- How to Easily Layout and Install a Gallery Wall
- Christmas Tour: Decorating the Kitchen for the Holidays
- 20 Ways to Decorate with Ribbon This Holiday Season
- Christmas Tour: Holiday Basement Bar & Media Room
- Entryway Renovation : Before Images & Demo
- Our Entryway Tile + Alternative Options
- Entryway Renovation : Demo, Stair Parts, & Flooring
- Entryway Renovation : Millwork Details
- How to Reupholster Antique Chairs (Step-by-Step Tutorial)
- Entryway Renovation : Painted Stripes
- How to Faux Paint a Vent Cover to Seamlessly Blend with Stone
- How to Install a Stair Runner with an Easy Staircase Landing
I will be sharing an actual entryway reveal post… complete with before images, the process, and non holiday styling. Definitely keep an eye out for that post in the year ahead, as I’ll be sharing the entire space, to give you a closer in-depth look. In the meantime, I’d love to hear what you think! Here’s to a wonderful holiday weekend ahead! I’m off to prep for my favorite things party tomorrow.
