Did you know that when I first looked at our house
I stood at the top of the front steps and paused?
It wasn’t in anticipation of what was inside
or the excitement of touring a 1940’s house.
It was because there were 2 front doors right across from each other.
One where the door is now- and one on that wall right next to it.
It was an entrance that left you saying ‘hmm’ as you pondered.
Left or right?
This door or that door?
Are these doors supposed to be some type of fancy 1940’s double door
that isn’t really a double door?
Our realtor and I stood there for a moment trying to decide just which door we should open-
and when she retrieved the key from the lock box-
it was a padlock key.
Which meant,
the door on the wall that was closed with a padlock and gate latch was the one.
Do you wonder why I didn’t turn around right then
and why in the world I thought it was a good idea to buy this house?
I question my sanity at the time too.
But after the whole front door debacle-
we took out that padlocked door
and tossed away the key
and then rebuilt the wall and fixed up the other front door.
We used fluted trim and a dentil moulding topper
to create a more prominent look
and I painted it black and added gold numbers
but we definitely kept it simple at the same time.
I have this thing about front doors.
And when they are loud-
in color, style, stuff- they don’t feel so welcoming to me.
So when dressing the front door for the holidays –
I am all about keeping that simplicity.
I want a natural and quiet look for my holiday front door
I want something that says
‘Welcome- Come on in’ in a quiet and serene type of way.
No shouting allowed.
My number one starting point?
#1. Garland
Whether you choose fresh or faux garland-
cedar garland draped around the door is classic and charming.
I added a few bits of eucalyptus to fill in some of the less full areas
but you can add magnolia leaves or any other type of foliage
if you would like as well.
#2. A wreath on the door.
Simplicity at its finest- a wreath on the door.
I love fresh- but again- you can use faux if you prefer.
This was one of those $10 wreaths from the market that was dressed with
white berries & eucalyptus. Again- super simple.
And that Fleur de lis wreath hanger is pretty perfect for me I think.
Are you loving it as much as I am?
#3. Oranges
Yes, oranges as in fruit.
I love oranges and tangerines especially for Christmas decorating
because they are fruit and they are just a sprinkling of sunshine
with their warm color.
With the old urn planters next to the door – I filled them in a bit
with eucalyptus and fresh clippings and then topped them with a $5 bag of oranges.
I should note that you will probably need to replace the oranges often
if using fresh if your house is like our which means they are enjoyed here and there each day.
Or you could just go with faux oranges
and leave it at that.
#4. Lanterns
If you have a front porch area large enough- lanterns gathered on the steps
are perfect for bringing a bit of extra charm to your entry.
I filled three of these heavy lanterns with LED candles
and placed them near the planters for an added charm.
Seriously simple ways to say welcome.
And easy to do if you have one front door,
a double front door
or even a double front door that isn’t actually a double front door.
😉
You can see more of my Holiday Home in my tour HERE
Hope your first week in December
is off to a great start!
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Courtney, your front entrance looks beautiful! I'm waiting for our oranges to ripen just a little bit more before adding them to our holiday home. xo Lidy
Thank you Lidy!! I hear you- these were not as 'orange' as I would have liked but it was what was available at the time. I bet your home will look gorgeous with them as well!
It's nice to hear someone else faced the double door issue. Our house also has 2 separate doors. The one we use as the main entry, and another on the side wall facing the same porch. The side wall door is sealed shut, but it's still a door. I was told in the olden days, one door led into the parlor for visiting company and the other door led into the functional part of the house for the family. That might explain why a lot of older houses in our town have front doors that lead directly into their kitchen. Weird. Your door is beautiful!
That is so neat!! I never heard that before- but you know- that door that we closed up (that was padlocked) went into the kitchen. It was just so strange to have two doors within reach of each other. Thanks for sharing Jennifer!
Just beautiful – LOVE those lanterns – but especially love the oranges – what a fabulous idea !
Your styling is very professional in an inviting way. Absolutely stunning. You should have a book out, just looking at the beautiful pictures will make a person feel serene. Kathleen in Az