I’m of the firm belief that your foyer (and hallways for that matter) should never be an afterthought. They are the very first thing people see the moment they step into your house, and it’s a really wonderful way to make a lasting first impression. Much like the rest of our home, our foyer is teeny tiny, but that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t worthy of a little love.
We started by ripping out the heinous ceramic tile in the vestibule and replacing it with something truly wow-worthy. I knew I wanted something with pattern, as there’s not much room for anything else so it needed to really stand on its own. After going back and forth on a number of different patterned options, we landed on this insanely intricate patterned marble, from Stone Impressions , with a simple marble border. This change alone instantly transformed the entire vibe.
Next, still along the whole “statement” front, we decided we’d add wallpaper going all the way up the stairs. Much like our vestibule, our hallway upstairs is pretty tight, with little room for anything other than a piece of art or two. In order to ensure that every last bit of spacec in our home got a little design love, this felt like a really lovely solution. We opted for this incredible hand-painted pattern from Farrow & Ball , and I almost cried when it went up it’s so beautiful. The pattern is super quiet and subtle which means I won’t tire of it, but there’s no doubt that it still makes a statement and holds its own. In addition, the organic tree-like shape and its application feels traditional and in keeping with the bones of our home, but the pattern is done in a modern way so that it doesn’t feel stuffy. Basically, this wallpaper is my design sensibilities embodied.
Next, we replaced our wall sconces (which you can really only see in the mirror in the shot above) with those of the unexpected variety (you can see a better image here, if you’d like). They’re soft and playful, but still super elegant. We then added a small console, which has become the perfect spot to drop our keys and hold our mail as we come and go (plus, I’m oddly excited to decorate this little spot for each season – is it just me who thinks of these things?).
And because design is in the details, we made sure we had them en masse. The prettiest vintage-inspired mirror from Wayfair set the stage. It arrived fast, shipping was free which was awesome, and it was by far the most reasonably priced mirror of its variety I could find. I then made sure to infuse some soul through little touches the likes of the vintage candlesticks and coat hooks (that I picked up at an estate sale near my cottage in Prince Edward County).
In addition, because I firmly believe that every room should have a hint of black to ground it – we painted out our existing door and handrail, which added some much needed drama (keeping things from feeling too light and airy) that I simply adore.
If you want to check out the rest of the rooms in our house, you can do so right here.
Photography: Heidi Lau
Design: Myself (Lark & Linen)
DESIGN SOURCES:
Patterned Floor Tiles: Stone Impressions | Marble Border Tile: Stone Impressions
Wall Colour: Farrow & Ball – Strong White | Wallpaper: Farrow & Ball – Hornbeam
Mirror: Wayfair | Console: Wayfair | Wall Sconce: Arteriors | Door Knob: Schlage
Vintage Candlesticks: Etsy | Vase & Marble Ball: Homesense
Umbrella Stand: Carte & Barrel | Coat Hooks: Vintage
I’M WEARING:
Pants: Nordstrom | Sweater: H&M | Lipstick: Dior | Shoes: Old Navy
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Really gorgeous–I love your entire house! Would you ever be willing to do a video walk-through of your home (if you’d share)? I always think it’s fascinating to see how layouts can inform design decisions. Just a thought-love your blog, read it every day!
Thank you so much, Meg. I posted a before home tour, but I should definitely consider an after! Something for me to think on for sure :) You can check out the before here if you’re interested/missed it: https://jacquelynclark.com/2016/08/10/our-new-home/
The tile and the wallpaper are particularly stunning! I find that the hallway is the trickiest place for me to design because it does give such a powerful first impression.
It’s true! There’s definitely some added pressure. But at the same time, it’s a room you can have fun with because a) it’s typically on the smaller side so you don’t have to spend a ton and b) you don’t spend a significant amount of time in there so you can be a little bolder and go a little more playful!
It’s absolutely beautiful, Jacquelyn! And you look so happy and proud, too!
hahaha I love that that’s coming through! It was the last space we finished and I felt SO relieved! Now we can just enjoy our home
Jacquelyn,
Stunning…Everything about this radiates beauty and love! 💗
I am so glad that comes through. Thank you for your thoughtful comment!
It’s beautiful, Jacquelyn! And your dog is TOO much, mine is exactly the same way – can never be too close or get enough attention!
bahaha oh man she has to be involved in EVERYTHING. It’s outrageous and hilarious. She’s sleeping on my feet as I type this #shadow
It is so “homey” and welcoming!! Great job. Perfect entrance for children? a large family? xo
LOL! Calm down, Mom <3
Beautiful! I love how the black accents make it look so elegant. Love the wallpaper!
The wallpaper is my favourite. It makes me smile every time I come home
Gorgeous transformation! I love it! Since your mom just commented, may I add one tip that my mom, who has been gone since 2012, and taught me so much about entertaining, home decorating, style, etc., taught me? Always burn the tips of the wicks of your candles. Even better if you let them burn down enough so that a little bit of the top part of the wax starts to melt. Otherwise, absol7stunning!
YES! It’s funny because I have an aunt who has an insane number of candles and none of them have EVER been lit. It has always weirdly bothered me, haha. I am of the belief that nothing is for show – it should all be enjoyed – so YES!! I will definitely be burning those wicks <3
*absolutely
Love this! My entry is so wide and huge, hard to decorate!
Yes that can be challenging, but it’s definitely doable using similar principals!
Looks absolutely incredible! Amazing job :)
Thanks, Jackie!
Such a pretty and classy space, and the tile is so stunning! I had to laugh wondering what was going through Sage’s head while you were going up and down the stairs. Some new game, probably. I’d love to see a close-up of the transom over your front door. It looks so pretty.
This is just stunning!! Love everything you do!! xoxo
It’s so gorgeous! I love how calm your house is when you walk in.
But I do have to ask, where do you keep your coats and shoes? Our front entrance is our only entry, and is also tiny, and I find it easily becomes overwhelmed with coats and shoes. We have a shoe cabinet that we use as a drop zone as well and storage for shoes and outdoor accessories. We also turned our wall beside the door into a coat hook wall with faux board and batten. But it always looks so cluttered! We try to keep the items pared down to two coats each for hubs, me and the two kids. And no more than 3 bags at the door.
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absolutely stunning! would you mind sharing the paint (including finish) you used to paint the handrail? I’d like to do the same thing.