Foyer Details — Ceiling Light and Mirror Decisions, Sconces, and Upholstered Bench
My whole plan for our bedroom foyer is coming together very well. A couple of days ago, I shared that I had narrowed down my ceiling light options to five choices. Yesterday, I made my decision, and I went with this one from Wayfair (affiliate link).
The reason I selected that one is because it’s the brightest of the options with four light bulbs, but it’s also dimmable. But also, I do plan to have a gold-framed full-length mirror in the foyer, so using one of the options that were mostly gold plus a gold-framed mirror seemed like a little too much gold. Plus, I just love the shape of this one. I think it’ll be perfect in the bedroom foyer.
And speaking of mirrors, I’ve found the perfect mirror at Hobby Lobby. I couldn’t believe it when I saw it. It’s 60″ high and 30″ wide, which is a perfect size. And the shape is also great. I didn’t purchase it when I saw it because my van was full of molding, so I’ll have to go back today and pick it up. It’s only $99! Here’s what it looks like…
I really do want to use sconces on either side of the mirror, but I’m still undecided on those. My preference would be to use hardwired sconces because having lighting hardwired is just so much more convenient than having wireless rechargeable lighting. I’m not very good at keeping up with rechargeable lighting. And I do still have the sconces that were in our previous bedroom that I can reuse. I like the simple design, and those white shades would look beautiful against the teal grasscloth wallpaper.
But if I decide to go with the wireless/rechargeable route, I really like these sconces from Amazon (affiliate link). And you can’t beat that price! Two sconces for $59.99.
And finally, I’ve wanted to put an upholstered bench in the foyer where I can sit down and put on my shoes. Basically, the foyer is an extension of my closet. I didn’t want to take up valuable space inside the closet for a chair/bench and a full-length mirror, so those things are going in the foyer right outside the closet. And I just happened to have two benches in the breakfast room that I don’t plan to use anymore.
I have to laugh because I keep poaching things from this area to use elsewhere. I used the French doors to make a cabinet for our bathroom. The artwork is now in my closet. And now, one of the benches will be used in the foyer.
I thought one of these benches might work in the foyer, but I didn’t realize just how perfectly it would work. I mean, the size looks like it was made to go here! I’m pretty excited that I won’t have to build anything from scratch for the foyer.
Obviously, the color is all wrong, so I will need to reupholster it. And I still think that I’d like the bench to have a little pleated skirt on it. I don’t want the skirt to go all the way to the floor, though.
And even when the doors are open, there’s still plenty of room to sit on the bench. Again, I just need a place to sit and put on my shoes when I’m getting ready.
And with the bench in place, there’s still plenty of room to get by. There’s at least five feet of space between the corner of the bench and the opposite wall.
Reupholstering that bench will be a very quick and easy project. I just need to find the perfect fabric. That’s easier said than done these days since all of our local fabric stores have disappeared. I think all that’s left locally is Hobby Lobby, and they never have a great selection. So I might have to search online for the perfect fabric. Or maybe I’ll design one myself and have it printed at Spoonflower. I’d love to find something that has all the colors in it — teal, light blue, pink, orange — but I don’t want it to be busy. That might be a tall order. 😀
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Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
If you want to skirt the bench, maybe a slip cover would be faster rather than redoing the bench.
Great idea! And make it washable to keep it fur free- I know that’s the first place my cat would perch 🙂
For the bench – maybe order fabric that matches the wallpaper in the closet? Would help tie everything together. Just a thought!
That was my first thought, too–have the wallpaper pattern printed on fabric. But maybe that’s to busy…
Designing your own fabric at Spoonflower is a great idea. It’s so sad that all of the good craft and fabric stores are disappearing. Michael’s is doing a very poor job of picking up the slack in my opinion. Fabric is one of those things that definitely needs to be looked at touched and compared color wise. Heck I even have a hard time buying shoes online because I have to test drive them. In any event, the bench is a perfect fit, and things seem to be shaping up for you. And I hope you can find a good wallpaper installer.
Such great choices and how fun to shop your own home and repurpose what you already have. Seems to me the twin lamps you are storing would be perfect to use again.
That mirror is a steal.
Happy you chose the Wayfair light. Looks like things are falling into place for you and reusing furniture you already have is great
Just an FYI:
Hobby Lobby’s 50% off sales on mirrors, which are sometimes offered as part of a larger weekly ad, rotate on a Sunday, so you should check their weekly ad page or sign up for email notifications to find out when mirrors will be on sale next.
The ceiling light fixture will be very pretty in the foyer. I love the elegant wall sconces from amazon. Where to store the remote and recharging them would be issues for me. I think the sconces from your guest room would be a great option. The mirror is very pretty and only $99!!! I love the bench. I adore Louis XVI style frames and wouldn’t want to cover those up. I’m recalling a striped velvet you had looked at for your desk chair. Would those colors work for the bench in the foyer? I’m thinking a stripe would work well looking in to the floral wallpaper in the closet and floral/bird headboard.
I would respectfully suggest that the bench indeed fits there but is not a “fit.” Benches are plentiful and inexpensive. Perhaps use it as a placeholder for now and you may find another use for your pair in your future plans. My eye says it fills the space too completely and you can find something else that is a little smaller; maybe 2/3 of the current size.
I agree that the bench takes up too much space in that corner. I think something the size of the benches in your entryway (white and purple fabric) would be a better fit. I would either cut that one down, or find something else, perhaps as others suggested that you slipcover to match, and I would use a velvet. I love your lighting choices, and I would definitely buy that mirror AND the plant pictured next to it!!! A faux plant will warm up the space!
I just looked back on the photos here and saw the bench you had in the bedroom at the window – why not use that bench? It’s the perfect size! And it has a white seat, which goes well with the wainscoting, but you could slipcover it if you wanted.
I agree, Cyd, that was my first reaction too.
I thought a round one would be a better fit, too.
I agree! The beautiful wainscoting is covered too completely for my eye and also would prefer a 2/3 size. The entire main suite is going to be sensational Kristi- just love your work.
I agree.
Bench is perfect! Can you use the fabric you have for your bed?
I saw a commenter who suggested slipcovering the bench instead of re-upholstering it. Do you still have some of that striped fabric that you used on the stools in your entryway foyer?
All of your plans are falling into place and looking beautiful!
BTW, all Michael’s store have added an expanded Knit & Sew section after buying part of Joann’s
Do you have enough of your headboard material to recover the top? Maybe you have some other materials! The guest bath shower curtain? Just a thought.
Any upholstery shops in your area that have fabric?
I love it. Having moved 16 times, the idea of repurposing and reusing everything I had on hand seems second nature to me. Go with the lights from the bedroom, put that money towards a new handbag, you’ve been such a good girl lately. I love the bench, and I know that you will come up with the perfect fabric. For me, that would be where the litter box could go, or the Felicity snuggle zone when she has to be all by herself. The mirror is sublime; it’s like they knew you were coming to get that particular one. Love everything you are doing, and that light was secretly my favorite, I just like sparkly stuff, if I could hang a disco ball on the tractors, or even in the barns, I would.
I love the light fixture, the mirror and your sconces. I have to agree with cyd about the size of the bench. IRL it may look okay, but it does appear to be too large in scale for that space. As she suggested, perhaps something about 2/3 of the wall space will be a better scale.
What about that striped velvet you considered for the master headboard? If it is still available…
Have a look at Fabric Guru. They have good prices, especially on just a few yards and they have lower and high end fabric like Scalamandre. I purchased a few yards for a bench seat cushion. It came when they said would and was as advertised.
A bench with all the colors? A Stripe, of course!😉. How about a stripe on the bias?
Maybe the stripes your mom had suggested for the end of the dresser island in your closet would make a nice fabric for the bench – in the way she envisioned, not in the way you interpreted – roflol – that story still makes me chuckle.
I love that light fixture. It is perfect. I hate that JoAnn FAbric closed. What about driving to Dallas to Fabriktopia or Urban Spools? Or to the Richland Sewing Center or Quality Fabrics in Hurst? Or you could just order it on line. 😉
I just noticed the seat you had used at the desk in what was the guest bedroom.
Why not use that as the bench/seat in foyer. It has the gold, Ed with the sconces,
And I bet it will fit space better.
You don’t have stripes anywhere yet, right? That little bench might be the perfect place!
Have you thought about finding a small chair instead of the bench? Something feminine? The bench may crowd your room.