New Painting in the Foyer

We have been living with many naked walls since we moved to our "new" house almost 4 years ago.  I've been hanging things piece by piece, but only when I found something I really liked.  One more wall has been dressed.  I just hung a wonderful painting on the huge wall in the foyer.

Painting is by Mary Winterer, 1980 - Shirley said the painting came from the Theo Waddington Gallery in Montreal.  

Shirley, my booth neighbor and friend,  brought it to the store ages ago.  I was drawn to it immediately.  I find it very relaxing and fresh feeling.  I adore porches, so I suppose this painting was meant for me.

It stayed at the store for a long time and I thought about getting it, but never could figure out where it could go.  Then Shirley took it home. I missed seeing it.  One day, I asked her about it and one thing led to another.  Shirley's booth mate and master carpenter, Joe, built a wonderful rustic frame for it and now it's mine.

I still had no idea where it would go when I brought it home yesterday.  I didn't really think it would work in the foyer because I stupidly didn't think it was large enough for the wall.  I propped it on the bench and immediately realized - it was perfect for that spot.

The painting is much larger than I realized.  That's great because there's a lot of wall space to cover.  The bench (an old church pew from Rudy's grandmother's church) is around 8 feet long.

It's a painting I love and now I'll get to see it every day.  Doesn't art make a home more homey?

Since I had all the picture hanging tools out - level, stud finder, hammer, nails... - I hung 3 more pictures.  These are some I came across while yard sale-ing.  I had put them in my booth and put a great price on them.  One day I saw they were gone and I panicked.  I missed them.  I had fallen in love with the colors.

I hung them in the stairwell opposite the porch painting and church pew.  My husband, the fine art critic, says they look like giant boobs.  I tried to shake my head and act all mature, but I have to admit, they really do!  Oh dear.

My Colorful Foyer

My (Our) foyer is still very much a work in progress, but it's getting closer to being "ME".  It now has some color and life.  I have added a few things in the last few months which have brought the whole area up a notch.  The most important addition is the vintage chippy blue hutch that fits perfectly in my foyer nook.

When I first saw this hutch at the antique store where I have a booth (Rockin' B Antiques), I nearly swooned.  It was love at first sight.  It was priced higher than I was comfortable with.  Every time I went to the store, I was amazed to see it still there.  I continued to watch it and even helped decorate it when it was featured up front.  It was the focal point every place it moved.  One day, I saw it had been marked down.  The vendor was there and he came down even more.  It came home with me and even though it has been mine for several months, I continue to be wowed by it.  This hutch is ME.  My style.  My color.  I knew it from the first day I laid eyes on it.

It's functional, too.  It serves as my launch station - a spot for keys and phone charging and notes to myself as I get ready to leave the house.  Those things are corralled in a basket and a plaid vintage lunch tin.

The bottom holds a family heirloom crazy quilt and a red and white vintage chenille spread that I came across on one of my yard sale adventures. It's not in perfect shape and I had thought to make pillows out of it or something, but can't bring myself to cut it up.  It looks perky behind the glass doors of this hutch.

I'm not satisfied at all with the stuff on top of the hutch, but it will just have to do til I come across something better.

The foyer is long and fairly wide.  On the side opposite the hutch is a large church pew that came from  the little old church that hubby's grandmother went to.  We've had it for about 20 years and the wood wasn't looking all that great.  We recently painted it gray - the same gray we fell in love with in the cupboard Rudy made.  It needs better pillows.  I have a few ideas.  Meanwhile, these are the current make-do ones.  I switch my pillows around with my mood.

The wall above the bench is a large expanse of emptiness, just waiting for the right thing.  I want something big and colorful - like a vintage sign.  I'll know it when I see.  Sometimes, I'm tempted to stick something there, but I've never even found anything I like well enough for a make-do.

By the way, I love my rug.  I found it while out treasure hunting a couple of years ago.  You can see the colors a little better in some of my other photos - especially the one of Dolly.


I switch the two tables at the end of the bench every now and then.  I'm still loking for some that I really love.  I just switched out again today.  I brought the washstand down and am trying it out for size.  It needs new handles.  I didn't want a lamp there so I just stuck a few things on the table for height.  The tin on top has a fall arrangement.  I know.  It's not fall.  It's hot and muggy outside.  This arrangement is to help remind me that this hot weather will soon pass.  I don't want to wish my life away, but I sure do enjoy the cool, crisp days of fall!

The table at the other end has one main purpose.  It holds the basket where our old blind kitty, Dolly, likes to sleep.

Here's a view from the other end of the foyer.

That's all for now!