Décor dilemma
THE CHALLENGE
Belinda Roux of Witbank writes I have no idea what to do in the reception area at my front door. We only use this space when we receive visitors but my Jack Russell’s basket is kept here, as is my inverter. What do you suggest we do?
THE SOLUTION
Home contributor Shelly Bergh replies Even if you don’t use your front stoep for anything other than welcoming guests, there is no reason why it should be neglected. I suggest you decorate this space in a shabby-chic style with a collection of eclectic pieces. Try the following:
1 THE COLOUR SCHEME
Start by painting the walls in a very light grey (Cloud Pearl 1 from Dulux would work well) to brighten up the space and create a more contemporary look. Then paint the dark wood window frames white; prepare them by sanding the varnish off, then prime with Dulux Supergrip before coating them with white gloss enamel from Plascon.
Remove the voile curtains from inside the house; this will create a much better flow between the interior and exterior. Paint the ceiling a crisp white and the front door in a romantic dirty pink such as Shy Pink or duck-egg blue like Lazy Afternoon, both from Plascon. Use furniture in a colour scheme that includes duck-egg blues, dirty pinks, sagegreen, cream and grey.
2 SET THE SCENE
Search for a few shabbychic pieces at second-hand shops or online on Facebook bric-a-brac groups and Gumtree. Another handy way to find stockists of shabbychic décor pieces is to look for shops that stock chalk paint such as Annie Sloan or locally-made Tjhoko Paint – they often upcycle furniture in a shabby-chic style. You could also upcycle your own old furniture using a paint technique.
I recommend that you use a tall potting table under the smaller window, two benches (one with a back and one without), a table and a chair. Position the bench with the back against the wall with the big window and the other one against the trelliswork. Add a Malawi cane chair and a patterned outdoor rug to complete the picture. And, of course, your Jack Russell’s basket gets a prime position next to the bench. If you’re unable to relocate your inverter, consider concealing it with a box made from pallet wood. Round off this romantic look with gingham and rose fabric scatter cushions.
Fill the space with pot plants. You can display smaller pots on the potting table and a larger one with a delicious monster in the corner. Succulents are forgiving in any area and don’t need a lot of maintenance or water. Install a beautiful chandelier in the centre of the room above the coffee table and hang a big mirror against the back wall to reflect natural light.