Entryway Makeover

We have been renting and living in this house for almost 6 months.  We must have changed the rooms around at least twice each room!!  Personally, I need change, constantly.  I think I get bored of one way, but sometimes it's also for the area to be more convenient!

I am not a fan of front doors opening right into the living or dining area, but that's how it is in our house.
I had to somehow make a separation, as well as incorporate a space for purses, keys, change, and most importantly our shoes which we must leave by the door.  ~I insist on having a shoe-free house, because I think it's the grossest thing to walk in the streets, get poo and dirt or whatever on our shoes, then bring all those yucky things in our cozy nest...~

I got three Expedit shelving units from Ikea.  One of my friends from Florida had done this exact combination of the shelving units in her condo, and I thought it was a great idea.  It fit perfectly as my entryway separator.  A bit bulky, yet open since the squares were hallow from both sides.  I loved this setting.

On the bottom shelves, we had shoes, boxes with diverse items that we would need when exiting the house.  On the top shelves were little knickknacks such as pictures, candles, a bowl to collect change.  There also was a ceramic envelope made by one of our old neighbors to put our in-coming mail.

 On the right, against the way, were 3 Trones boxes from Ikea.  ~Ikea is my favorite home improvement store BTW, in case you didn't know yet!! haha!  With our bed, bedside shelving units and other pieces I haven't yet mentioned... We sure have a lot of Ikea things in our house!~
The boxes are adjustable, but in this case I just superposed them.  This set up was over the winter, so I put my boots in these big boxes.  It was very practical.

But then... Spring arrived, and we had a need for change!  So house rearrangement it was.  We flipped the TV/Living Room and the Dining Room around.  Literally.  We moved the TV Room in the Dining Room and, well you got it the Dining Room in the TV Room...  Why?! We got a new couch which wasn't fitting in the space where that tiny love seat was!

Then, with the dining table in its new room, the three Expedit shelving units did not inspire me anymore.

So, I changed that too, made it lighter, brighter, and cozier!! :)

This bench is part of our dinner table set which also has 4 chairs.  The whole set was taking too much space ~it's pretty tiny where that table is~ so I removed 2 of the chairs ~in the attic they went~ and wanted to use the bench in my entrance area.  It's much better to sit when you put shoes on! ;)

It's a wooden bench, it looks just like the chairs in the pics of the first set up ~see 3 pics above, in the corner~ just wider!  To make it more comfortable and fit in the warm welcoming feel of the entryway, I folded two blankets and covered them with a pretty fabric to make a cushion.  Our bottoms are happy sitting on there!
And as for the back, I covered it with yet another blanket!  That's what's good about having a cold winter, I have lots of blankets, and can re-purpose them during the summer to make comfy things! haha!!

The bench separates the entrance to the TV/Living Room.

This folding room separator is made out of wood, it's super heavy, but gorgeous.  I love how it hides the dining table nicely when we come in.  Re-purposed this piece thanks to my In-Laws!

On the right of the door is this small shelf hooky thing, perfect to hang purses or light jackets.  ~I found it at Goodwill for $1.~  And on top is that ceramic envelope made from our neighbor I was telling you about!  So cute!  I fixed 2 see-through tacks in the wood to prevent the ceramic to fall down and break...  You never now, hit the door hard a few times, I'm sure the wall will shake eventually moving the pottery to the edge or further...!

To the left of the door are two of the black boxes from Ikea, with the shoes we wear the most.  Each one of us has its own space: Top one is mine, bottom is Hubby's.  ~Honestly, I don't even know why I have two pairs of sneakers in there...  I don't even work-out...!  Yet...~

 On top is a dish to put our keys, change, and other miscellaneous things.

And that's the view when you come in our house!!  Welcome!

I like this setting a lot.  It's really nice to come and just feel as if we were in one separate room, drop bags, keys, take shoes off, and then enter the house!

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