the best laid decorating plans

 I had mentioned in my last post that I had ordered a bench from Overstock and was

going to try to make my little front entrance area more foyer-like and guest friendly.

I had it all planned out...a bench to sit on when coming or going to take off or put on

shoes and boots, plus a good spot to dump purses and packages. I was going to

remove the mirror and hang a cool coat rack. I was thinking of trying to find a long

piece of reclaimed wood and installing various types of vintage hooks and knobs

on it. I'd hang that on the wall above the bench and then put some pretty art prints 

above the rack. 

The bench was delivered yesterday and Brian put it together. I put it in place and...

NO.

I actually love the bench itself. The retro look, the color, the texture, the cool legs.

But, there's a couple of problems. First of all, it turns out that trying to turn that little

 wall space into a foyer just doesn't work. That area needs to be blocked off somehow

 and as you can see by the (terrible) design of my small living room, there is no room 

to do so. Blocking off that area wouldn't leave any room for foot traffic. Secondly, the

color of the bench is all wrong for this room. All the blue accents in the living room are

turquoise, not aqua. I thought this lighter blue would blend in, but when you see it with

the turquoise wicker chair (it's hard to see the color of the chair in this photo, I know)

and the turquoise blanket on the couch, etc., you see how the aqua clashes with the

 turquoise.

When I think of blocking off a small, open area to make it into another space, I think

of a friend's house where she did just that. You see how she used a bookcase right

inside the entrance to her living room to make a little office area? I love this. But it

doesn't block the flow of foot traffic, so this idea works perfectly in her home.

So, it's back to square one with putting the console table back in place. (No, the sun

didn't miraculously just come out - this is an older photo.) I wish I could use the bench

elsewhere in the house...it would be lovely at the end of our bed, but we don't have

any room. So, the little blue bench is going to be taken apart, boxed back up, and 

sent back.

 Brian's now taking the bench apart and boxing it all up for me. All without 

complaint or saying a word about my continual rearranging. What a smart man.

And one who now deserves dinner, so off I go.