Making the best of what you have: the entry

Let me ask you something.

So you use events in your home as a motivator/ deadline for completing projects?   For as long as I can remember, there has been no better way to accomplish projects than planning to have people over.  Need to paint the living room?  Schedule a game night.  Time to stain the deck?  How about hosting a barbeque?

We had a little tree trimming party this weekend, and it was no exception.  Most of the projects were not particularly pretty.  We decided to include ping pong in the festivities, which meant letting people in the basement, which meant reorganizing the storage, utility, AND project areas down there.  I did manage to accomplish one little project that I can show you.

Remember my little entryway transformation?  I used a hand-me down church pew, gifted poufs, and art and accessories I had on hand to create an inviting vignette in the entryway.  Only problem: the pillow was really too small.

I happened to have a yard of fabric from the Iman line at Calico Corner's that I got for less than $10 (bolt-end special) and planned at one point to use in this living room.  When the color palette changed just a bit over there, I kept it for myself.

I love the larger scale, the way the fabric has a sort of "grain," like the old wood, the stripe and ikat mix, and that it picks up most of the colors from my "whole-house color palette":  The green from the living room, office, and master bedroom; blue from the dining chairs; raspberry from the guest and girls' rooms, and a hit of bright yellow, a color found in very small doses just about everywhere.  (That yellow is also really textural, like a boucle.  It's cool.)

I will say, Dave thought it was a funny project to take on when there was food to make and floors to scrub, but it made me so happy that this was the first thing guests saw when coming into our home.

So, fess up.  Ever scheduled an event for the major purpose of getting something done in your house?