Today, we’re back with an update on the foyer progress! Since our chat with Sabrina, we’ve been able to find the essential “base pieces” we needed. We still have a few more things to find this week, but here’s where we are now…

First up, we have the Distressed Metal Sofa Table from Target. I’ve been eyeing this table for months. Before we got it in, our plan was to replace the glass tops with reclaimed wood planks, but when we put the table together, we liked the glass tops a lot more than we thought we would. On top of that, Sabrina suggested that we mix glass and reflective surfaces with natural elements, so, we decided to run with it.

The table size looks like it was made for the wall. It’s the perfect size and depth. I’m super anxious to dress it up with a lamp, a few books and other pretty things. We might also re-finish the frame of the table with some RustOleum Hammered Spray Paint to give it a more even finish and a less “distressed” look. That said, we’re going to wait on that until everything else is put into place.

Next, we have a mirror we picked up a while back (this one from Lowe’s). It’s so heavy, so Greg used drywall anchors when he hung this bad boy.

The bronze color with black undertones ties in well with the table without being “matchy matchy”. The frame is made out of wood, but totally looks like weathered metal in person. We’ve only had it hung for a few days, and everyone that has seen it wants to marry it.

Sabrina suggested we hang some large wall art on the wall across from the front door. Rather than going with one big piece, we picked up three 18″ x 18″ gallery frames. Hanging them together will have the same impact of one large piece of art. Our plan is to fill them with old black and white family photos. There’s a super cute photo of my great grandparents just after they got married (my great grandma was just 15!) that I’ve been dying to put somewhere in the house.

Knowing the silver frames weren’t going to show up very well against the gray wall, we spray painted them with a few coats of Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint. Now they tie in nicely with the table and the mirror.

So, yeah, at this point, everything is the same color. Keep in mind this is just the “base” of the space. Color is on the horizon, I promise. A fun lamp shade, a few colorful books, a knick knack or two, and we’ll be in business. As for what’s up next on the to-do list…

• Find a table lamp. Preferably one made with natural materials.
• Find a rug. That’s the right size!
• To paint or not to paint? Lighter shade of gray?
• Accessorize! Using color.
• Print photos for the frames. Call Grandma : )

After Ash and I got back from vacation a little over a month ago, we got sucked into a major “let’s-do-take-out rut”. Outback and Cracker Barrel being our go-to dinner of choice, we were so busy with work and everyday things that we didn’t really take time out to plan a menu every week, do “serious” grocery shopping or cook. After a few weeks of this, we realized it was high time to put away the take-out menus and get out the pots and pans. Not only is cooking at home a lot cheaper and healthier, it’s also a fun thing to do together.

Since we’ve been spending more time in the kitchen over the last few weeks, we thought it would be fun to bring a “kitchen edition” to the table. So, without further ado, here’s a round up of our personal favorite kitchen tools we love and use…

ONE // Cuisinart CrockPot – Being that our schedules are still really busy, we’ve been trying to find easier, faster ways to cook. The crockpot is a great way to do it, and some seriously awesome stuff happens in there (Taco Soup FTW). TWO // Commercial Salt / Pepper Shakers - Ashley’s mom has a set of these, and I absolutely love to use them, so we had to buy some ourselves. They’re great for seasoning large dishes. THREE // Pancake Spatula – I’m the Pancake King in our house. In other words, I make the pancakes. I like to make plate-sized pancakes, but normal spatulas just don’t cut it. Fortunately, this one gives your huge pancakes the side support they need for proper flipping. FOUR // Cuisinart Coffee Maker – This is one of the most essential items in our kitchen. With the hot water dispenser on the right, it’s a great multi-tasker, too. FIVE // PalmPeeler – Ash bought one of these when we were prepping for Thanksgiving dinner (there were a lot of potatoes to peel), and it has been a staple in our kitchen toolbox ever since. The ergonomic shape makes the peeling process just seem faster and easier. SIX // Rubbermaid Premier Food Storage – Of course, with cooking comes leftovers. These stackable containers are great for the fridge, but they also snap together for easy transport to the office. (I love leftovers for lunch!)

ONE // Amaryllis Spoon Rest - I never realized how useful a spoon rest was until I started using one. Like my grandma pointed out, you could just use a plate instead of buying one… but this ons is a lot cuter. TWO // KitchenAid Hand Mixer - This mixer is great for times when I don’t want to use the big stand mixer – like last night when I mixed up the mashed cauliflower. And, obviously, I love the color. THREE // Batter Bowl - This is easily one of my favorite things to use in the kitchen. It’s super light, has a handy rubber bottom, durable and dishwasher safe. I love it so much, I want to buy a backup just in case something happens to this one. FOUR // Mini Ramekins -  We don’t just use these for baking. They’re perfect for single servings of snacks like salsa and humus. FIVE //  Rachel Ray Stainless Steel Cookware - We’ve had a cookware set like this since we’ve been married (they don’t carry it anymore, but the link it to something similar) and we absolutely love it. I love the comfy red silicone handles, and every piece still looks as new as the day we bought it. SIX // Utensil Holder – Like the spoon rest, I didn’t think a utensil holder would be as useful as it is. It’s so helpful to be able to pull out a spoon when you need one. It also frees up valuable drawer space around the stove.

So, how about you guys… Any favorite kitchen gadgets we need to know about?

Are you getting geared up for Easter weekend?! As for our plans, we’re hosting Easter lunch here this year (and yes, cooking every bit of it, haha!). Time sort of got away from me, so I’m going to be trying to come up with a cute Easter table on the cuff. Here’s hoping!

Oh, one more thing! I don’t know if any of you guys get the MeTV channel, but it’s one of our favorite channels around here. They air classic TV shows 24/7, including our favorites, The Dick Van Dyke Show, I Love Lucy and Donna Reed (with the exception of Saturday mornings, when they air the oddest children’s programs ever). On Sunday starting at 3:00 EST, they’re doing an entire marathon of classic TV episodes about decorating – including the Mary Tyler Moore Show episode when Rhoda redecorates Lou’s living room. Hilarious! Last night, I saw a commercial for the marathon and thought it might be something our classic-tv-home-design-loving readers would want to jump in on. We’ll be busy with Easter festivities, but the TiVo will get getting a workout!

Okay, so we didn’t necessarily paint the town red. Just the front door. Our current mission is to spruce up the foyer and turn it into a real, bonifide, cozy, inviting entry. As we mentioned on Monday (in this post), we were given the chance to pick the brain of one of our favorite designers, Sabrina Soto (Ashley is still having random fangirl fits). During our Q+A session, she mentioned that painting the front door would add some needed visual interest and certainly make a statement – which is something we really need in this space. Our original plan was to paint the door black, just like we did in the laundry room, but after realizing we really liked the pop of color when the front door was open into the foyer, we decided to ditch the black and go with red.

The red we picked out is the same color as the other side of the door, Posh Red by Valspar (10114). We really like this particular shade of red because, as Ash says, it has a classic vintage vibe along with some deep black undertones. The black undertones make it not so “bam in your face candy apple red” and more “hey, I’m red and you know you like me”. All in all, it’s a great shade of red for us.

To refresh your memory, here’s what the door looked like before…

After five, yes five, coats of paint, here’s the crazy-cool after…

Bam! Every time we walk through the foyer, we think to ourselves, “Why didn’t we paint it sooner?!”. The door looks like it was meant to be red. Once we get a rug down and something like a ceramic umbrella stand to the right of the door, this area will look much more finished and will help the red door look even better.

We really like how the oil rubbed bronze hardware really stand out now…

Rather than going through a long and drawn out post about how to do something that’s pretty self-explanatory, I put together a few bullet points that you may (or may not) find helpful if painting a door is in your near future:

• If you’re painting over a door that you didn’t previously paint (ie: the previous owners did), you need to determine which type of paint was previously used. Dab some denatured alcohol on a rag and rub it on the paint. If the paint comes off, it’s latex-based paint. If not, it’s oil-based. Word on the street is you can put oil-based paint on anything, but latex won’t adhere well to an oil-based painted surface. If you find out the paint is oil-based, you should lightly sand the door (just to scuff the surface) with high-grit sandpaper, clean it off, then proceed to the next step using a latex-based primer (which will adhere to an oil-based undercoat).
• You should definitely prime the door. If you’re painting a white door red, it’s probably a good idea to prime the door even if you’re using a paint that has primer built in. On top of that, you can get a tinted primer that will make your job even easier. You’ll get much better coverage and it won’t take five coats (like ours did!).
• Don’t be hasty in applying a second (or third… or fourth…) coat. If the paint on the door isn’t quite dry yet, don’t try to slap a second coat on–you’ll leave nasty-looking brush strokes in your door’s brand new paint job. As far as I know, the only way to fix that is to sand the surface flat and try again.
• Don’t let your paint dry out. If it’s looking a little soupier than normal, get some fresh paint. If you use paint that’s a little too thick, you could risk leaving brush strokes, just like in the previous tip.
• Try to put on a few thin coats rather than one thick coat. This is a good general painting tip, but it goes doubly for doors. If your door has some inset details like ours, paint tends to well up in all the little crevices. You don’t notice it at first, but 5 minutes later, you’ll notice little drips forming at the corners if you’re using too much paint. If you don’t catch them in time, more sanding is in your future!

• Oh, and last but not least… as this Instagram picture shows, if you run out of paint pans, an extra plastic storage box seems to work out just fine in a pinch, haha.

Hopefully those tips will help someone out. We’re really excited about our newly-painted door and the effect it has on the rest of the foyer area. Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll continue to update you on our foyer progress, leading up to the final product. We’ve got some really fun things in store, so stay tuned!

PS: Don’t forget to enter the Bluelounge giveaway!