Entryway Makeover on a Budget

September 26, 2018

Let’s look back at where this entryway makeover started and how far it’s come. Our entryway has gone through quite the transformation over time. Can you believe the state of this area above? How did I let it get this bad? We had just moved in, all of our furniture was meant for a smaller place and we were using what we had in the meantime. I loved this vintage side table, but it didn’t really work for this entryway. Plus what is that rug, a bath mat, lol. I think it was a high pile entry rug, it looks so sad there in front of the door. From here I decided a storage ottoman would work best at the front entry, both for storage and a place to sit.

The first entryway makeover was inspired by an ottoman. I had seen an ottoman with tassels and thought what a great idea. I found this ottoman at the thrift store and decided to DIY something similar. This storage ottoman has worked great over the past couple years and definitely transformed our front entry. The problem with the storage ottoman is we started to throw everything in there we didn’t want to deal with, jumper cables, loose change, bike locks, sunglasses, you name it, and it was probably in the storage ottoman. A storage ottoman is worse than a junk drawer because it’s larger and everything get’s lost at the bottom. I finally had enough the other day when I was looking for my bike lock key and had to pull everything out of the ottoman. Then I really realized how much was being stored in there. Time to makeover the entryway once again.

Mark made this key hook for our front entry and it was the only piece staying. The ottoman and other junk had to go! In true Plentiful Life fashion I sold the ottoman to fund part of this refresh. No point in keeping or storing an item I no longer have any use for. I think it can be easy to refresh a space, big or small, and then keep items you are no longer using “just in case”. There will be other storage ottomans if I ever find myself needing one. Plus selling the ottoman put $30 towards this entryway makeover.

Let’s start with the décor for this entryway makeover! I’m sure some entryways on Pinterest cost thousands of dollars! The rug alone is probably that amount. We can’t all compete with beautiful pictures on Pinterest or designers on Instagram but we can definitely find something that is right for us but still looks great. For the entryway I needed a flat pile rug because our closet is right next to the door. I bought a rug and didn’t realize it was high pile, which meant we couldn’t open the closet door. This area rug is from Birch Lane for only $49! A rug that would bring a pop of colour to our entryway and was affordable. Check out these rugs all around $50! Great pops of colour and would look great in an entryway.

We can’t have an entryway makeover without a plant! Greenery by the front door is always nice! I am really turning into a plant lady as of late. They bring such a wonderful energy to a space. This fiddle leaf fig is happy he grew a new leaf! Fiddle leaf figs can be an expensive plant, but not this one! You won’t even guess where I found it! Loblaws City Market! They have a growing plant section at the store by our house. I happened to be there one day and noticed this fiddle leaf fig was only $20 which It seemed like a great deal. Since I have been using the new Optimum card for all my purchases I actually used my points and was able to get the plant for free!

Even better. The wicker basket I found at my local Salvation Army Thrift Store for only $2.99! It was in great shape and fit the plant pot perfectly. If you ever need wicker baskets the Salvation Army Thrift Store is a great place to find them on a budget.

Next I wanted to get a little side table as this seemed more functional for the space. Do you know how hard it is to find a small side table this height? It’s not easy. I ended up finding it for only $80 at my local Home Sense, it was definitely a lucky find. The best thing about the side table is the wood matches our dining room table which is right next to this space. I also really liked the smaller legs which allowed for more space at the entrance. If you have a small entryway I think a side table is a perfect way to help you stay organized and keep clutter away.

What’s a side table without décor? Of course I couldn’t leave the side table completely empty! I found this beautiful vase at Home Sense, they really have some great décor pieces! It’s a good thing I can’t shop Home Sense online or I would be in trouble. I decided to pair the oversized vase with some vintage books I found at the Salvation Army Thrift Store. These vintage books have been a décor staple in our home for many years. I always love reusing them in different ways. I also found this vintage silver vessel at the Salvation Army Thrift Store for $2.99. It’s the perfect piece to hold my palo santo because you never know when you are going to have a bad day and need a smudge when you come home.

Ok let’s look at the entryway makeover as a whole! This refresh idea started with the straw hats. I found these beautiful straw hats at the Salvation Army Thrift Store this summer for about $3 each and at that price, I needed to buy them all! I used them for some of my Frugal Fashion Friday posts with the yellow linen pants and summer overalls. They are difficult to store in the closet and I didn’t want to crush them. I figured hanging them was the next best option.

Let’s look at the cost of this space refresh because I think it’s good to breakdown the costs so you can see a realistic room refresh.

Entryway Makeover: Cost Breakdown

3 Straw Hats: $9 (Salvation Army Thrift Store)
Key Hook: Already owned, a Mark DIY
Side Table: $80 (Home Sense)
Area Rug: $49 (Birch Lane)
Fiddle Leaf Fig: $20* free with points (Loblaws City Market)
Wicker Basket: $3 (Salvation Army Thrift Store)
Large Vase: $15 (Home Sense)
Vintage Books: Already owned (Salvation Army Thrift Store)
Black Pouf: Already owned, simply moved from another room.

TOTAL: $176

If we take away the plant cost and the $30 I made from selling the ottoman than this entryway makeover came in at $126.

Although the entryway makeover has more décor now it actually feels more spacious because the space is being utilized more efficiently than before. The side table actually takes up less room than the ottoman did! I will share a few key tricks that helped me bring this space together as well as how to shop on a budget in another blog. If you are wanting to makeover a space in your home but worried you don’t have the budget perhaps look around at what you not longer need. There may be some items you could sell to fund your room refresh!

Is it bad that I already want to find some wool hats for winter to replace these straws hats? I think I have a problem! Good thing I don’t hold onto items and are happy to resell or donate to create a space I enjoy.

The grain of the table looks really nice with our light coloured floors. I am so excited for this Entryway Makeover on a Budget! Do you have any questions about the refresh? Any items you have difficulty finding or perhaps you are not sure how to get started? Let me know in the comments below. I would love to help!