The grand foyer in our home was one of my favorite details when we first toured the property. I immediately imagined our kids taking pictures for prom on the winding staircase and my daughter posing in her wedding dress. It took a few years, but we finally got our two story entryway makeover right!
The front entry sets the tone for your home and ours has great bones! The cathedral ceiling, decorative wall moulding, and winding staircase make this the most impressive room in our house.
Table of Contents
- Entryway Makeover Before
- Two Story Entryway Makeover Updates
- Foyer Flooring Update
- Painted Entryway Walls
- Fresh Light Fixtures in the Foyer
- Decorating a Two Story Foyer
- Two Story Entryway Makeover Final Thoughts
- Future Foyer Updates
- More Content You Will Love
Entryway Makeover Before
Two Story Entryway Makeover Updates
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Foyer Flooring Update
The first thing we changed in the foyer was the flooring. We pulled up the blue carpeting and had wide plank white oak floors installed.
Painted Entryway Walls
Remove Wallpaper
I loved the wallpaper and the high ceilings could handle the large pattern we decided to pull the wallpaper down and start fresh.
Neutral Wall Color
The original traditional box molding wainscot was here to stay and gave it a fresh coat of white paint. We also painted the walls of the 2-story entryway which was a bit tricky with the ceiling height. Admittedly, we were on a time crunch to choose a paint color for the walls and I chose a color quickly.
While I was hoping for a more dramatic color, my husband was leaning more neutral. In the end, we chose Pediment by Sherwin Williams.
The front of the house faces north, so it doesn’t get direct sunlight and the voilet undertones of this paint color were much more visible than I wanted. It wasn’t my favorite paint color, but it was better than the blank white walls!
*Check out how to hang garland on your staircase for the holidays!
Warm Green Wall Color
In 2023 a tree fell on our house and the damage to our roof caused some water damage in the foyer. Our insurance covered the repairs and included new paint for the foyer walls when the damage was repaired. This was my chance to finally get the paint color right for the foyer and I wasn’t going to mess it up again!
For weeks I had paint swatches of different green paint colors on every wall of our entryway, but nothing was feeling right. Finally, someone mentioned Evergreen Fog as an option and I decided to put up the paint swatch. I love Evergreen Fog and have used it on our shed door and was planning on using it for the front door of our home. This is why I didn’t consider it for the entryway in the beginning.
Once I put up the paint color I knew it was perfect. The contractor also changed the black front door to white to match the trim throughout the foyer.
The foyer is the room that connects all of the other areas of our home so it had to feel cohesive with the paint colors throughout our home. Evergreen Fog is the perfect neutral green that works perfectly as you enter the other rooms of our home.
The wall color works perfectly with the colors in the living room, Alabaster and a dark gray on the fireplace.
Fresh Light Fixtures in the Foyer
The fixtures in the entryway were original and beautiful, but we wanted something a little more modern. The large candelabra chandelier is the perfect size for the foyer and we knew that we had to replace it with something just as beautiful and grand.
Because the style of our home is more traditional, it was important to choose a new chandelier that didn’t feel out of place. I was thrilled when I found this modern traditional chandelier that both Chris and I liked! It looks so good in the entryway and was worth the splurge! We also replaced the sconce at the top of the stairs with a double brass sconce with lampshades.
The shape is more modern while the candlabras give the fixture a traditional feel. The black and gold accents work perfectly with the metals we have used throughout our home.
Decorating a Two Story Foyer
The footprint of our entryway made it a little tricky for me to choose furniture the first few years we lived in our home. To be honest, I am still tweaking the furnishings throughout the space.
For the curved wall next to the winding staircase, I chose a skirted round table that is elegant and practical. The table is large enough for a table lamp, design books, a candle, fresh flowers, and a few framed photos.
Above the table is an original piece of art that Chris gifted me at Christmas. The artist is Artie Vanderpool and it is part of his Lizzie series.
The large, gold mirror hangs opposite the skirted table and was owned by Chris’ grandparents for over 40 years. I love filling our home with furnishings and artwork that have a history and this mirror is exactly that.
Two Story Entryway Makeover Final Thoughts
Our updated entryway finally feels like our family and I am so proud to show it off to friends and family. I am also super excited to decorate this space for the holidays! Maybe some festive lampshades for the chandelier or a red and gold Christmas tree welcoming guests as they enter?!
The earthy green walls feel elegant without feeling dated and stuffy.
Future Foyer Updates
The entryway makeover is pretty much complete, but I still have a punch list of projects to complete in this space:
- New rug: I would love to find a beautiful wool rug for the foyer to welcome guests
- More painting: While most of the paint is complete, I still need to finish painting the doors and staircase spindles
- Doorbell: Our doorbell is dated and an ugly shade of brown. I would like to replace it or paint the existing fixture
- More artwork: I would like to hang more artwork and photos throughout the entryway
- Ceiling fixtures: The flush mount fixtures in the foyer hallway need to be replaced
What do you think of the updates we made to our foyer? We took a budget-friendly approach to some of these DIY projects, however, we also splurged on items in this space because it is the first impression of our home. I hope you found some inspiration for decorating the entryway in your home!