harvard avenue home tour // the entryway

Although we only lived in our home on Harvard Avenue for a couple years, we really fell in love with this little corner of the world.  So many happy memories & friendships were made in this home and in the charming streets and parks and shops that surrounded it.

And although I never got around to posting pictures here, we actually DID finish our remodel!

 

I loved this home and felt like my soul & the soul of this old house bonded through our renovation journey!  

It was such a fulfilling creative project, but it was also really exhausting to live in a state of constant contractors and project messes.  And I don't think I'm going to feel like tackling a big project like this for a few more years, so I wish we had been able to stay awhile and enjoy it a little longer. . . like 50 years longer. . . but on to the next adventure eh?!

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So when we purchased the home, the entryway was super crammed & kind of dark -- the front door couldn't swing all the way open -- just to about a 90 degree angle, since the entry wall was. right. there.  

This was taken after demo began, but if you look at the picture below, the original entry wall was right next to the casing around the door.  It was soooo crammed when guests were coming and going, so we decided to remedy that by pushing that wall back by four feet to give the entry a more spacious feel.

After moving the wall, it felt so much better -- there was even room for a little armchair! 

One of the details I loved about this house was the three beautiful archways.  When we tore this wall down we asked our contractor to replicate the original archway leading into the family room.  He did a beautiful job.

with grandpa the day before the movers arrived
photo by carin davis photography

The floors were covered in thick yellow shag so we pulled those up within the first few days, which exposed old wood treads with very beat up yellow & lavender risers.  Giving those risers a fresh coat of white paint, instantly brightened that space up considerably.  White paint, I tell you.  It's like magic in a can. 

I lived with the dark brown banisters for the first year, trying to decide whether or not to paint them--since I was 99% sure the wood & paint treatment (notice the little gold and dark green details) was original.  Ultimately they never did grow on me and so we painted them.  I like keeping original details as much as possible--to me, they tell stories and add an abundance of charm--but at the end of the day, it is my house, so I'm going to change what I really don't like.

(my only before pic has our oh-so-spooky halloween decorations in it. . .)

When we bought the home, there was a door on this little coat room off the staircase hiding my favorite window in the whole house!  We pulled the door off so we could see the leaded glass window and let in all the natural light onto the staircase.  I loved this pretty view walking down the stairs every morning!

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