While the grand entry hall had potential for greatness, it looked like it hadn't been touched in 50 years. Garish pink wallpaper lined the walls above the wainscot, and the lighting was practically nonexistent. The floor desperately needed refinishing, and there were no electrical outlets in the entire hall. The single chandelier looked out of place and lost.


As we began work on the grand entry hall, we laid out four key goals to guide our progress.

1) Respect the style of the home, but don't be a slave to it.
Honor the home's era by introducing tasteful and sophisticated design touches that complement the original architecture. However, keep in mind that people today consider the High Victorian style to be too dark, too heavy and too busy.

2) Make it more livable.
Don't fall into the trap of designing purely for aesthetics and forgetting that people actually have to live in the home you design. Think of little touches that make the hall a true living space, not just a pass-through to another room.

3) Tone it down.
Create a design theme and palette that allow the adjacent rooms to establish their own identities gracefully. This is an absolute must for an grand entry hall, especially one with so many rooms off of it.

4) Be memorable.
Take advantage of the hall's great bones by restoring its sense of grandeur and designing with a bold touch.