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thanks, bj

Sunday, November 8, 2009

I LOVE AN ENGLISH COUNTRY ENTRY HALL....REPOSTED to add a comment that thrilled me to death !!

To my eyes, the photo below of an English Country entry way is so warm and inviting and just
beautiful...I love the front door ....A LOT !!
I love the things hanging on the wall.
I just love everything about it and it just sings with English charm......
***
I like a lot of things on my walls and around me....
just like this...I like the warmth, interest and personality it gives to rooms..
I am looking high and low for a hall tree kind of like this one...and I think I might
have found it today at....KIRKLANDS..
O HONEY !
O SANTA !!
O SANTA HONEY !!
***
MY entry way is a long, narrow hall that needed some layering and warmth added...
being "bare" works well in the heat of the summertime...but, come cooler weather, I find myself
wanting to warm things up a little....
Not having very much WIDTH to work with, I have a long shelf, serving to hold a lamp and some pretties...
BUT, IT NEEDED MORE...
sooo, along with the vintage mirrors I have hanging on the ONE wall, (and I am on the watch for more...)
I also added a delightful bench, made with the loving hands of MR. SWEET..."thanks, honey"..
and then I started layering...some colorful pillows, a white wicker basket with some of the MANY magazines I have around the cottage...my little ceramic pumpkin (that held Halloween candies)....
***
I added a small starter of ivy to one of the shelves...
did you know you can start ivy in water, adding it to a pot of soil when the roots are large enough.
I have several pots of the pretty green ivy...all started from a single plant.
(did you notice my tiny hand waving at you??)
***

The little tiny, hand painted tiles are a gift from an old friend.
I've had the miniatures for almost 30 years and just love 'em....
Can you love little miniature hand painted tiles? You bet your little paintbrush you can! :O)
(excuse me, Shelia...)
***

*** This photo shows how narrow this long hallway is...
I tried putting things on BOTH walls, but it felt as if the walls would come tumbling down...
I am claustrophobic and the hall just seemed to close in on me so I removed everything on the left wall except for one, larger mirror. It serves to reflect the other little mirrors across from it...

Then I could breath again..:O)
**
It was a VERY dark and smothering hallway until we added the French door...since the hallway
doesn't go into a room, we didn't have to worry about privacy...
**
I NEED a larger, longer shelf in this entry (some of you suggested this very thing) but, for the time being, I added another small white shelf.
It will work until I can sweet talk Mr. Sweet into building another bigger, longer one with the most beautiful of corbels . (and also when Social Security gives us the raise we need!! Is THAT gonna happen..? I think NOT!)
***
***


Cute little light yellow pillow with the cutest little pocket...
Clearance at Big Lots...Have you been noticing the pocket pillows becoming so popular? I love having "popular" things,.....don't you? NOW, I want some burlap ones ...you know...the ones with numbers on them...Pottery Barn style.....
The plaid and floral pillows, Moi made and altho I am not a roses person, I do like this pillow. I am thinking this might be a Cabbage rose (?) and if so, I do love Cabbage roses.
***
I think when I add a long, pretty runner to the floor,
my entry will look warm and inviting and welcoming for the cold weather that's just around the corner...
Maybe I need to change out the pillows and the little faux flowers for something more fall/winter ?
or just maybe, through the colder wintertime, I might just LOVE seeing a spot of spring!
********************
MY THANKFULNESS:
30 DAYS OF THANKSGIVING...
My thankfulness posts are not necessarily in order...just what comes to my thankful heart and mind at the time.......
Like all of you, I have so many thankful things to shout about.

I AM THANKFUL FOR MY.....
HOME...
"Our home is a "Separate Peace" from the rest of the world...decorate from your soul"...
Andi's English Attic said...
That's a very welcoming hallway. I think your hall is more typically British than the first pic. I've lived in three houses where the hall was similar to yours. That first pic, the front door reminds me of the one in The Vicar of Dibley - have you seen this tv programme?.
*****************************************
Thank you, ANDI....I appreciate your comment so much and it thrilled
me that an English lady such as yourself thought my long hall was very British !!
:O)

I am linking with

SUSAN for MET MONDAY


MARY for MOSAIC MONDAY

DIANE for 2ND TIME AROUND TUESDAY

62 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Dear BJness! Oh, I love your hallway. Love all of the whiteness of things you have on your wall and especially the little bench. Your pillows look so lovely! You just have the touch!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia :)

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Your hall looks very inviting. I love all of the mirrors and the shelves. The bench is just perfect. I havn't seen the pocket pillows before, what a great idea. All of yours are gorgeous. Hugs, Marty

Anonymous said...

Oh Ms. BJ...I love it! So inviting and very charming! (just like you) You are such an inspiration!

ch said...

I love your hallway, all the white wicker and that beautiful tiled floor. I'm keeping you bookmarked as a reference(I will be doing over my bedroom and I love the inspiration of your space)

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Bj, I love your hallway. It is very inviting indeed! Love all of the mirrors.....The bench is wonderful too!
Hugs,
Penny

Rhondi said...

Hi BJ
Your hallway looks great. I love the bench Mr Sweet made you and I like all the things you hung on the walls. You did a fab job. I also wanted to mention that I enjoy reading what you are thankful for each day.
Hugs, Rhondi

Kathleen said...

Very welcoming, but it is an Irish song I'll be singing on the way in!
And oh, that check you are looking for? It's in the mail...:) Maybe next year!

Amy said...

I am in love with your bench! Did you have a pattern for it or just make it up as you went?! I would love to have one of my own!

Pink Roses and Teacups said...

Hello BJ,

Oh your hall looks mighty Purdy!! I love the little shelf, and how you cozied everything up. :)

Debbie

santamaker said...

Your hallway looks soooo pretty! Love the mirrors and bench. Those pillows add the perfect touch!

Happy To Be/ Gl♥ria said...

Oh BJ, I heart that pocket pillow...Oh I mean I really ♥ that pillow...as a rule I don't do the new things that hit real big because I know they'll be out of style in a New York minute....Your entry looks just war and says WELCOME in a BIG way...my kind of decorating, love the mirrors the shelf all of it...awesome job girl goes with the reat of your beautiful home...How close are you BJ to Fort Hood...any hoo I can't start in on that right now ha ha!! May you have a great week my dear friend...Hugs and smiles Gl♥ria

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Well, I think YOUR entryway is charming! I love the bench, the mirrors, and the shelves. How pretty to stick flowers in the pillow pocket! Oh, and I do love those sweet tiles also! laurie

Jeanne said...

Very cool, love the mirror collection.

visit me at....
http://www.jeanneselep.blogspot.com/

fitty's pinky rose cottage said...

Hi BJ.. wow.. you got lots of Mirrors! Love the way how you arrange it on the wall.. and the cushions underneath the mirrors.. look so cozy..

Have a good day
fitty

lillie mae acres said...

It looks beautiful. Very inviting and cozy. You layered it real well and I hope you get the hall tree you found at Kirklands if that's the one you want.

Susan @ Blackberry Creek said...

I love your entry hall, BJ. The white wicker and mirrors are wonderful.

Anonymous said...

What a creative idea for a sticky area!! You have done a great job and I love those pretty pillows! Can see this all dressed up for Christmas!

Kathy @ Sweet Up-North Mornings... said...

Hi BJ...Your very inviting and beautiful hallway is beconing me to enter... I adore all the light, airy details. Mirrors and shelves...your bench is perfect. What a lovely way to welcome someone into your sweet home. We do have a lot to be thankful for don't we!Have a grand week my friend, xoxo~Kathy @ Sweet Up-North Mornings...

Unknown said...

Hey BJ... I love it that you put up mirrors on the narrow hallway... it makes it more open and something pretty to look at as you enter... Fantastic!
Have a wonderful week :)
~Really Rainey~

Anonymous said...

I just love how you did your hallway. It is just beautiful.

Willow

♥Mimi♥ said...

Absolutely stunning! You certainly have done a lot with a narrow space. All I would have come up with would have been the mirrors to reflect the light and make the space seem less narrow.

Next to need to come over to my place to help me with a small landing area that needs a little bit of your touch!

Simple Home said...

Hi BJ,
I love your entry hall. I have some floral pillows that I made with similar fabric. I love the plaid that goes along with them though, and the little pocket pillow. What a great idea. Thanks for sharing.
Blessings,
Marcia

love lives in the kitchen said...

beautiful pictures! i love this style!
wish you a sweet monday!
justyna

Anonymous said...

Oh, I just loved this blog, Jean! You know, I think my little runner that I don't need now that we found a big rug for my livingroom would probably just fit in your hallway. Let me know if you'd like to try it. Your hallway always looks just beautiful just like your whole house.

Love,
Martha

Natasha in Oz said...

Oh wow...those cushions are divine!! I love everything about this hallway transformation because just like you wanted it looks so very English. Beautiful work BJ!
I also love the renovating you've done on your blog too. The pledge looks perfect in that corner.
I love coming to visit your blog because you make me feel like part of the family!
I hope you have a lovely week.
Best wishes always, Natasha.

Theresa said...

Hi BJ, I love your hallway with all it's sweetness! I have that same bench at the end of my bed, I left it natural but yours is so pretty painted white:) Love the pocket pillow AND the ones you made are my favorite. Have a blessed day dear friend!

Kathleen Grace said...

BJ, your hallway is as beautiful, warm and inviting as you are, and that is saying a lot! Love those pillows and the pretty mirrors that bounce the light around the room. This is gorgeous!

Justine said...

Wow BJ that truly is a very narrow entryway! But... what you've done to it is spectacular! One of the first things I noticed was how you tucked those flower sprigs in the pillow's pocket. I LOVE that. I think I love just about everything you've done here!

And I'm already thinking ahead... see, Christmas is just around the corner, and with all that white you have going on, throwing in some red accents instead of pink would be sooooo pretty! Don't you think? I KNOW you love red!

Great job, my BJ!!!

Justine :o )

Stacey said...

BJ, I am in love with your entry! It's so fresh and inviting. I wouldn't worry one tiny little bit about a bigger shelf. It looks collected and perfect the way it is! Mr. Sweet Nothings is so good to build you a pretty bench! Great job! Really... you amaze me!

Rebekah@Red's Nest said...

Oh I do too. The colors, pillows and bench. How charming.
Blessings

Anonymous said...

BJness, I just had to come back! Oh, yes I've seen Buddy's statue in your fair town. Now that's a great story about Mr. Sweets and the One! :)
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Marigene said...

Oh, I ♥ the way you have decorated your narrow hallway, it is just adorable! All the white gives the area some width.

Twice as Nice said...

I love your entry. Glancing from the first picture to yours I thought you were still posting entries that you love and didn't realize the second one was yours. The bench is wonderful and I love the pocket pillow.

Bonnie said...

I love your entryway. It is inviting and warm as it is. I'm waiting for my invitation to tea :o)

Lee said...

Love, love, loved your take on this narrow space... very inviting. The white approach was perfect for making it look as large as possible. Genius!
Lee

sherry said...

I have been so blessed to discover your wonderful blog just after my dad passed away in Aug. 2008. Your pictures, thoughts and ideas are so uplifting,I am truly thankful.

God Bless You,
Sherry

Kelee said...

Hi BJ!

Love your hall transformation! So charming and warm.
The runner sounds good too. I agree on thankfulness.
I adore the personal home--that emerges from the soul!

love, kelee

Deb said...

BJ great hallway....love it...

Ana said...

Hi BJ,
My entry hall is kinda long and narrow too. So hard to decorate...:-) Yours looks so inviting and oh so cottagey. Love it. Thank you so much for sharing. Have a wonderful Monday.

Blessings,
♥Ana~A Petite Cottage

Vicki said...

Hello, BJ,
You have a lovely cottage home! Your entryway is wonderful. I love the bench your husband made and all the things you have placed upon it, especially those pretty pillows! Have a beautiful week! Vicki

Brenda Pruitt said...

It's so light and bright and cheerful, BJ! You outdid yourself with pretties and now it's quite beautiful in that hall. Can't imagine it without that door. Must have really been claustrophobic! I have a narrow hall and paintings on it, but so hard to get snapshots of. You did great!
Brenda

Carol at Serendipity said...

Love the hallway! It is so inviting. The pillows are wonderful and the mirrors are awesome. Makes we wish I had a hallway....
Carol

Beverly said...

You did a great job out of a very difficult area! LOVE it.

Unknown said...

Love your hallway, you did a great decoration.
Its a very special place, love the idea how your display all.
Hugs
Charo

Unknown said...

Love your hallway, you did a great decoration.
Its a very special place, love the idea how your display all.
Hugs
Charo

Sue said...

BJ, it looks lovely and you certainly captured the "warm and inviting" look you wanted. I thought it was interesting that you said you were claustrophobic and yet you like lots of things around you. I love to look at pictures and visit homes with lots of things...but, in my own home, too much stuff makes me edgy and as you say...makes the walls close in. Sue

Pat@Back Porch Musings said...

I love this post, BJ!! Beautiful images!

I am visiting a little bit, between trip prep etc. That old internet is wonky here at home, too. Same provider both places...I saw a billboard that said they are "improving" things...well ya know how that goes.

We got the ground coffee at the lake and love it. We brought the beans home and made coffee with them yesterday and today. So good!!

Amy said...

Oh my goodness, is that really your house? I am so jealous! Can I move in with you? Or can you come and fix my house? I LOVE it! It is absolutely beautiful!

Dena Pickle said...

What an awesome job! you found the perfect english country combination and still have room for traffic, sweet!
Dena
sweetpicklesandchocolate

jeanne said...

Hello BJ, your hallway is full of lovely things and tons of charm. I think you have done a wonderful job of decorating a difficult space. I would not change one thing. It works just the way it is. All very cottage like and the bench is wonderful. Mr. Sweet did a great job on your bench. I especially love the English ivy. The perfect touch. I knew an English woman whose name was Ivy. There you go!!! Big smile here.

Come over and meet our new puppy BJ. She is adorable.

Love and hugs, Jeanne

Scooterblu's Whimsy~Rhonda said...

How pretty, BJ! Love the little painted tiles! They are so unique and pretty! Your entryway looks so cozy and inviting, the way you have everything arranged! :) ~hugs, Rhonda

Amy said...

Hi Sweet BJ,
I love what you did with your hallway, I also have a long narrow hallway and just bought a skinny,black bench for it. It really is tough to widen it,but your idea of those mirrors has got me thinking...Thank you for the inspiration. Your home is so lovely. Great job! Amy :)

Andi's English Attic said...

That's a very welcoming hallway. I think your hall is more typically British than the first pic. I've lived in three houses where the hall was similar to yours.
That first pic, the front door reminds me of the one in The Vicar of Dibley - have you seen this tv programme?

eileeninmd said...

You have a lovely home and a welcoming entryway. Great photos.

Susie Q said...

I loved the comparison to the Vicar's hall! We LOVE The Vicar of Dibley and her house! Er..cottage!!
I too adore that first photo...I think it is from Kate Winslet's cottage in The Holiday.
But I agree that YOUR hallway is glorious and VERY british. I love what you have done with it. It is a huge WOW! From the cute doorway into the hall with teh mirrors and bench and pillows and...well, it is ALL just to perfect! Job well done sweet BJ!
Love,
Sue

Stacey said...

BJ, I just came back to admire your hallway again. I saw the comment! How neat...the truth from someone who knows.

arkie said...

Your hallway is very welcoming! Our house is so small, we don't have an entryway at all! The bench is great! Love the little tiles also!

Carolyn said...

Lovely hallway!
Carolyn

Patricia said...

Thanks for visiting my blog for Cottage Mondays - I love wicker and your wall display is beautiful. Have a good week !!!

Unknown said...

BJ, You have a real knack for accessorizing!

Love what you've done, and that bench is awesome!

Thanks for linking to 2nd Time Around!!

my home sanctuary said...

Oh how pretty. I love what you did. And I love the inspiration. I have to steal that photo for my collection of inspiration photo's!
Your pillows are pretty I love the little pocket so sweet.
Thanks for sharing have a Blessed Day,
Sherry

Melissa @ The Inspired Room said...

Oh, you are creating a lovely hallway BJ! Beautiful!

xo

Melissa