Welcome! Come on in!

So maybe this should have been where we started as home renovations began.

It is, after all, the face of our home.

But, sadly it was not the "squeaky wheel" that was crying for help, so we are just now getting to the exterior and entryway of our new home.

But, boy are we pleased!

here is what the entryway looked like when we first saw the house 

(yes, more yellow!)

That wasn't going to do it. 

Besides the walls were so very dirty and there were multiple different sheens on the walls that were so obvious and tacky. 

So, it was time to paint.

This time though, with such high ceilings, Tom wouldn't allow me to do this one myself, so we had to get some painters to the house.

They spent hours prepping the area before starting and were very professional:

the inside entryway is now ready to be painted.

I'm sure the pictures won't really do them justice, but we chose a really soft (think almost white) shade of gray and we LOVE IT!

(note the incredibly faded and weather worn door)

We also promptly replaced the incredibly ugly 

(ok, it's my house, I can call it ugly!) 

chandelier that was hanging in the entryway.

Many years ago, my mother purchased this one for us when we got our first house. We've saved it for years in the garage and finally got to unpack it and get it hung again.

Much better.

the upstairs hall was painted the same color and we are so pleased. I can't tell you how it was bothering me that the paint looked so bad and was so dingy, but it had been empty for years, and not kept up.

The finishing touch on this space?

A decal that I bought months ago and have been anxious to place in our new home.

This large cross (45" x 60") is now at the top of the stairs for my children to see daily.

Now, time for a little love on the exterior!

(poor faded door!)

the shutters were only marginally better looking than the door, so our handy painters headed outdoors to get those a nice new coat of paint. 

Cooper watching them work.

Just LOOK at this front door!

It is amazing to me how something as simple as paint can create such a difference!

here is the new look at our entryway as you walk in from the front door.

I was a little surprised at how much of a difference this space would make in the "feel" of our new home. 

It makes me smile now every time I walk into this house when before it was that "eye sore" that I tried not to think about because I had too many other things going on.

Just in time to welcome Tom's daughter and her family to our new home for Thanksgiving.