I always intended plants to be the main decorative ornaments in the foyer and great room, instead of random knickknacks (although we do have a few interesting items). I started with the small stands and tables I’d had for years.
Then I found the wee benches at a now-defunct craft store, ordered some large Lechuza planters, and shortly before the big painting project, I picked out two console tables.
Once the painting was done, I rearranged things in the space to make better use of it. Keep in mind we rarely use the front doors–deliveries are directed to the sliding glass door near my office (although our regular delivery people put my parcels there and Agent Smith’s outside his office doors). I also picked up one more round rug for the space, a spiral motif that echoes the serigraphs.
The greenery started to spread from the foyer into the Great room proper–including into the fireplace. We decided quite a while back that using the fireplace for fires wasn’t something we were willing to try. The company that did the initial inspection during escrow used the words “big and hot” in terms of what sort of fire we should create if we use it. No Duraflame logs–aged wood, and lots of it, would be required. Considering the smoke and ash that would seep into the space, we never seriously considered using it. This meant it was a vacant space in the middle of the room.
Then I came up with an idea for a new use for it–a terrarium of sorts. Out came the grate and dirty metal mesh curtains (I found it interesting that the newspaper inside was dated just a few months prior to the house going on the market). After a good scrubbing of the interior and thorough wiping down of the six doors, I installed some shallow planters with vegetationin them, two of which I had had for ages and the other three I’d repainted using the same metallic paint used on the room walls.
The end result is a lovely change. Instead of a closed-off, dingy portal, it’s now a lovely little light well that adds a bit of sparkle and greenery. Here are: the original listing photo, then pics during our first year and a bit after the room was painted.
