Give your entrance the attention it needs

Because most people don't use their own front doors, it's easy to overlook maintenance or see the signs of wear and tear. With the holidays -- and holiday guests -- around the corner, now's the time to give your entrance the attention it needs

The holidays mean company's coming, and you want your home to look its best. The best place to start sprucing up is at the entrance, where visitors get their first impression. Adding some unique embellishments and a little polish can make it a welcoming one.

Get green

Few things look as good as a front door with beautiful planters. As pretty as flowers are, they can take a lot of care and have to be replaced frequently as the seasons change. To make your home's entrance look terrific, and make plant maintenance easier on you, choose shrubs instead of flowers.

Consider a pair of specialty or specimen shrubs. These are often trimmed in pompom shapes or have a unique style. If you want to use flowers, use smaller planters to make changing them out more convenient. A pair of urns make for a quick spot to place pots of mums or other seasonal flowers that can be dropped in and changed out quickly.

Get symmetrical

If shrubs are too much to care for, consider using a pair of elegant statues. Biltmore, the Vanderbilt estate in North Carolina, has two lions that stand guard at its entrance. At Christmas, the lions sport green wreaths with red bows. You might not be able to pull off anything that extravagant, but you can achieve the same pleasing symmetry by flanking the door with planters and lighting. Make sure your lighting isn't dated, and make sure all of the bulbs don't work. Replacing outdoor light fixtures is a quick fix that makes a huge difference.

More spit and polish

Because most people don't use their own front doors, it's easy to miss the signs of wear and tear. Stand outside the front of your home and give your entrance a good look. Remove dead and dying plants, polish fixtures or replace them altogether, and add a coat of new paint or varnish to the door. Consider a lacquer paint that has a rich, deep shine. If your door is wood, add a couple of coats of marine varnish to give it a deep gloss and protect the wood.

Go inside

Don't stop at the door; continue the revamp indoors. Try a new area rug and be sure to have a bench for guests to place purses on or sit down on to remove shoes. A small table or console is another nice spot to add attractive accessories and a handy place for keys and mail. Give your entry way more than one kind of lighting, too, so you can set a mood. In addition to an overhead light, consider adding sconces or table lamps on the console.

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For more Home Decorating, Interior Design, Home Renovation & Improvement (Click Here)

For more Home Decorating, Interior Design, Home Renovation & Improvement (Click Here)

 

Copyright © 2010 Kathryn Weber, Living Space. All rights reserved.