Entryway Turned Nature-Inspired Art Piece

My feeling with tiny spaces is generally that they are under-utilized, under-appreciated, and a big opportunity to play.

The entryway in the main home at The Island is not necessarily anything special- just a front door and maybe a 4x5 footprint to step into the house. This space sat with a broken front door and a bare subfloor and construction grade bifold doors from an upstairs closet removal leaning against the framing for 3 years. Those 3 years gave me plenty of time to dream up how I wanted to finish it though! To say I was excited to finally finish it is an understatement. I was hoping to find an antique front door but after much searching, I settled on a new prehung front door that had high energy efficiency ratings but also contained glass to let light in because our house gets so dark in winter (and my seasonal depression kicks my ass). It would save us the money not having the labor of a contractor trying to force fit a frame (hanging a door is much more complex that it would seem- we’ve tried). Swapping the front door made a huge impact. It felt like it was meant to be there the whole time. I turned the tiny bit of extra space into a closet for cleaning items and coats- solving for storage in this house is definitely a challenge. I really wanted to make this space feel a little more historical so when I came across some old quarry tiles at an architectural salvage shop I decided to use those for the flooring. An antique light fixture of copper and brass and glass (which will tie in with the kitchen remodel) has been sourced (but not installed yet). A railing was reinstalled behind the piano using antique chestnut beams found in an old barn as the newel posts. I really wanted this space to be special and feel like a big welcome as guests step from the outside- where the nature is vast and stunning- into our house which is cozy with low ceilings. So the piece de resistance was essentially a large art piece I painted with my partner onto the upcycled pine bifold doors. Inspired by a beautiful piece of art I found thrifting that had been hanging on the wall by the entry, I decided to paint the panels to match this piece (lots of very late nights and back pain from crouching over). The design reminds me of a native clematis vine but featuring berries. I used the negative space of the wood paneling and my husband- a visual artist- sketched the design free hand onto the panels so I could paint around them. I used wood stain pens to complete the effect of the varying grains on the original piece of art. Then sealed them to create a stunning pair of closet doors that really make the space so special. I think the final effect truly brings the enchanted feeling of the outside in and celebrates one of the highest values my partner and I share- art.

Click and Swipe through to enjoy the transformation.