A little bit of this...a little bit of that...

So I've been concentrating lately on one of the most troubled rooms in our home.  Unfortunately this so happens to be the front entryway/mud room/sun porch(?) Our house has many multi-purpose rooms as a colonial style it is very open and has had some creative little additions.  This is what gives it the character I adore.

As we moved in it became the dumping room for all the boxes and slowly it has evolved into a giant pile of clutter. It looks like hoarders and it's giving me anxiety...ack!

I drew up a plan of all the materials and shelving I wanted to build on my desktop computer, but the next day the whole system died on me. Such is my life.  So I decided I am going to share my ideas here so they will never be lost-and we can go through this together.  

yaaay.

Let's start from the very beginning, a very good place to start...

This is the outside of our Amityville horror house-I mean dutch colonial revival.  The enclosed porch is an old add on to the original front of the home.  Probably was an open porch facing the front lawn originally. 

The front door is on the left side attached to the driveway/carport.  As you walk in to your right are those 3 big windows.

To the left is a nice little coat closet and the door into the house...also along this wall are the original windows in the

front of the house, now enclosed, looking into the living room.

Dead ahead is a giant empty void of space that is dying to be filled with shabby chic treasures.

I found this bountiful lass on craigslist...She's $100 and only 45 minutes away in Oswego.  It say's in the ad however,  "SOLID & EXTREMELY HEAVY."  I don't foresee this happening considering my vehicle of choice.  But it hit me when I saw this.  That is what I need underneath the old windows along the wall.  Perhaps I will have to ask my crafty father for his engineering skills to make this a reality.  

P.S. It's a church pew...L-O-V-E.

Look at this shabby chic church pew.  How cute would it look

all chippy and faded under the old 1920's craftsman windows?

Sighhh...Check out the neat-o storage space.  Get a couple old crates to have peak out below, stash away goodies.

These are the original craftsman windows on the front of the house now enclosed.  I like how they peak into the living room.  Such great character.

Adjacent to those windows is a wall with a window looking out.  It is very similar to the photos above.  A beadboard paneled built in bench would be perfect to stow away all our cluttered shoes.  I would paint the wood a crisp white and install a piano hinge along the back so it can swing wide open. It wouldn't hurt to add some additional shelving to the side to display lovely vintage treasures.

A long, cozy canvas colored pillow attached with Velcro to the top of the bench so I can change the fabric if I want to try something a little different later on. 

The area around this part of the room 
has a brown and tan Berber carpet.

When you first step in the door-
there is this honey colored wood laminate flooring.  

Very resilient and easy to clean!

Snazzy runner to wipe your feet when you arrive.

"Wipe your Paws"

The new door leading into the living from the enclosed porch.  Stainless steel coat rack on the cute wall.  This was the original front of the house.  

Makes an adorable enclosed porch if I can just get all the clutter out!

These dressers are to die for!  

I see so many of these unpainted wallowing away in thrift stores all around Syracuse.  One would look dashing under the windows that face the front lawn.

Another example very similar to the one above.

Make a nice little display like this.  With a little dish to put your keys as you walk in so I am not running around like a mad woman before leaving for work everyday.

Sheer white roman blinds would line the windows for privacy, yet letting in the natural light.

For the cherry on top hang up cool photographs of favorite people or places.  Pictured above is Big Edie & Little Edie from the wonderful documentary "Grey Gardens."  If you haven't seen it, I insist.  Their Hamptons home is the most beautiful disaster I have ever seen.  A true inspiration.

He is calling my name.
I am going to purchase this one for sure only $10 how can I resist?  The artist has a shop on etsy named, "Coco de Paris."  You can click here to shop now!

UPDATE!: He officially has been purchased and is on his way from France...oh la la!

Finally, I decided on this sandy color for the walls.  I want it to have the feel of walking into a beach side resort back in the 1930's.  Not like attack of the nautical and red, white and blues.  I was thinking more so like mute sea tones like foggy grays and dusty blues. This color is perfect to brighten things up.