Set the tone to your home! — A Day With Lauren

Is your entry solely designed for functionality or do you use it to introduce the style and feel for your home?

Why not make it both!

When I bought my condo 3 years ago I was beyond excited to decorate it the way I wanted, a clean slate - a blank canvas. First thing I did was paint the walls with a neutral gray, and off I went furnishing 700 square feet. My credit card was getting quite a workout to say the least and, after investing in some big ticket items, I had to slow the decorating down. I put off the entry way til the very last because I didn't know what I wanted to do with it! The space is a little tight, so I didn't have the option of making it its own separate room. I spent many hour Pinning and still couldn't come up with anything I liked or I was too nervous to try...In the mean time, Jim Morrison hung behind my door.

I finally came across this Pin and it inspired me to do a circle mirror gallery wall combo. I liked the simplicity of all the white frames, but there are some super great gallery walls that combine lots of different colours and textures. I'll try on my next wall - baby steps!

I have so many photos I've collected over the years and enjoy framing pictures of my travels, so I knew I wanted a mix of both art, words, my favourite places with my favourite people. This was the mix I came up with!

Heart of Gold - this was a gift from a dear friend AND my favourite Neil Young song. (similar one here)
A Banksy Art Piece "There's Always Hope".
London's skyline (dear to my heart from when I lived there briefly in 2014).
My friend Kathryn and I with a backdrop of Manhattan.

I'm definitely not a knick knack person and there is a fine line between too much accessories and just enough, but details are a great way to add personal touches of you... even in a small entry way!

The IKEA side table was upgraded with a new mustard rose handle (an easy inexpensive way to update a piece!). This knob's an oldie from Anthropologie, but you can find a similar one here.
My keys hang on the slogan my mother feels she needs to repeatedly tell me: "Keep Calm and Carry On".
My mail has a home on a cute heart envelope dish - it also holds left over change from world travelling (note the British pence). It's also a great dish to store other grab-and-go items (like my sunglasses so they don't get lost in the black hole of my purse!)
An anchor door mat because nautical is always in and I need to display my constant life dilemma of Converse vs. Metallic heels.

This is my current entry way, I'm happy with the progress I made and my first gallery wall but I think an entry way might just be one of those spaces that's ever evolving... I'm thinking wallpaper next?

How will you welcome your guests into your home?? Get creative!

aaaaaaaaaaaand one last quick check before heading out!