Monday, July 22, 2013

A bit about entrances

Your entrance sets the tone for your whole house.

First your front door.  In the art of Feng Shui, it is believed that a red front door especially facing East keeps out bad spirits. I will let you know as I am going to paint my front door red, as it faces east.  There are many things in the practice of fen shui that are believed to bring one good luck.  I read one time, that in the Asian countries, that many large corporations follow this practice.  I will let you know a little every time I write about an are.

It does teach it though right from the front entrance. 

When a realtor looks at your house to list it, they talk about street appeal.  This is what your house looks like from the street.  Throughout the world, the few places I have traveled, street appeal seems important, unless it is an area where courtyards are the thing.

Back to the front entrance, the outside is as important a the inside.  Today there are multitudes o fancy pots, statuettes, furniture and lighting to enhance the front entrance.  Do you live in a community that people are always walking around.   Set up  conversational area on a porch if you have a porch.  It is the new thing in PUD'S ( Planned Unit Developments  where you can walk to the store, library or wherever.  Sort of old fashioned neighborhoods.  I love the idea.  Today instead of walking, I have noticed a lot of golf carts running around these type of neighborhoods.

I have noticed traveling abroad, that people in other countries walk a lot more than people in the USA.  It seems that in areas, people are more fit and rugged.   Here in the past decade, people are becoming more health conscious.  That is one of the purposes of PUD'S.

So how to make my entrance very attractive?  Again it depends on where you live.  If you live in a very cold climate, flower pots of concrete, serve you much better, or some of the resins.  Regular pottery or clay pots will break under extreme cold or extreme heat.  There, you can either plant seasonal things in pots, or plant a shrub that is cold weather tolerant.  Then at different times of the year, you can plant small pots with color in them.  In the south, I find shrubs do very well in pots.  Plan ahead and ask a garden professional because none of this is cheap.  I did mine little by little.
Better Homes and Gardens seems to have the best articles on what to plant when and how to showcase your plants.  I love their garden tips.  I am an interior designer, that has had to learn outsides to. 

At my studio, I have quite a few gardens in the back.  I have tried a lot of different things.  Because of the old oak trees, the soil is very acidic. I have learned the cheapest way to go , after spending a lot of money, is to go with natural habitat flowers and plants.  They thrive there as they are taken care of.

 
Roses grow well in sandy acidic soil.  I try and add to the soil.  This the actual rose that bloomed in my yard here in Florida.  I called it Mom's Rose as it was her favorite.
 
Name: Mom's Rose
Original  Watercolor
Size: framed - 33" ht. x 33" w.
Price: $800.00 includes shipping
 
 
 
 
 
 
Name: Colorful Nature
Size: 39" ht. x 33" w.
Original Watercolor
Framed: $850.00 includes shipping
 
These are seagrapes that grow almost wild in Florida and coastal regions.  They can be very colorful at certain times of the year.  They are not my favorite choice of beautiful things, but combining their colors the pictures are beautiful.


Mom's Rose:


 
 


 Colorful Nature:


 
So to start sprucing up an entry way, inside or out, there are a lot of different things to do.
 
Start with the door inside and out, and look for things to set on the outside, remember the library or online can help.  For outside, use pots, etc., as I suggested before, and start with a rug on the inside, and a mat on the outside.  That may give you other ideas.  Now is the time to look for outdoor furnishings as it is the end of the season.  Really, I have seen a lot of outdoor things at Joanne Fabrics on sale for up to 70% off.  Check online.
 
It now depends what entrance you use.  If it is in the front and the one you always use.  They will be definite things that you need to use there.  If it one only guests use, you will want it to look more in style with the rest of your home.  Are there sidelights or a glass door?  Or both?  No window or sidelights?  What is the style?  Is there wall space? Is there tile or carpet?  Just what is there?
 
Tomorrow a piece on what is there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

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