What Paint and (a lot) of Elbow Grease Will Do

I know you love Before and After pictures. This blog post is about a neglected foyer that transforms to a gorgeous stately entry, using paint and a lot of elbow grease.

Let’s look at the grand exterior of this 1920s historical house I restored/remodeled. This beautiful home is now owned by a wonderful young family. In spite of its deterioration, the house has such a gorgeous front door and impressive entrance.

The Before

As you may recall, this Jeffersonian house was built in 1922 and prior to my purchasing it, was locked up and unused for 20 years. This house spoke to me and it was so sad that it was in this state of disrepair.

The foyer is grand, albeit very shiny, very FUSCIA and very gold.

The previous owner was a little heavy handed with the gold paint. The plaster curlicues are glued to the walls and the staircase. But look at this arched door?

The entire home is in need of updated electrical. But can you see the potential in this space?

The pink madness continues up the stairs to the second landing.

But the bones are there, aren’t they?

During the Restoration

Under the heavy layers of paint there is a mahogany bannister. Using a heat gun, I carefully peel back years and years of paint. We remove the gold plaster accoutrements and prime the room a neutral paint color.

This is a tedious process, but well worth it in the end. I am concerned about how blotchy the railing looked. Will it take the stain the same way?

Here is the view to the inside of the front doors. There was a lot of trippy paint in this house….maybe too many hallucinogens? Go figure.

In stripping off the paint on the posts, we realize they are pine and will not stain like the mahogany railing. We decide to leave those white and repaint them the same color as the balustrades.

The front foyer looks better all ready just by toning down the paint color.

The handrail is carefully sanded by hand to remove any residual paint. After some research to solve the blotchy problem, I prepare the surface with a pre-stain conditioner by Minwax. It prevents blotchiness and conditions the dry and thirsty wood.

Here is the railing with the new stain on it. Using Minwax PolyShades, I am able to apply stain and polyurethane in a one step. I am very happy with the results.

After painting the walls and balustrades, the stair treads and flooring are refinished.

The upstairs linen cupboard is given a new custom door. The missing chandelier is replaced with this one from Ballard Designs (Claire 6-arm chandelier in Etruscan Gold). It is the perfect size and shape for the space.

The existing downstairs chandelier is too big and hung too low….plus the beads and crystals are plastic. Obviously not original to the house. Here is the Before picture again….

The After

And here is the finished After photo!

In the entry, the new small pendant is elegant with a short drop so it works better with the ceiling height. I could have sworn I bought it from Pottery Barn, but I couldn’t find it online. If anyone needs the resource, let me know and I can search through my files.

Structurally, this room was sound. It just needed some love. The floors are original and brightened up with light sanding and refinishing. The house is staged with furniture prior to going on the market.

The restored front foyer is now appropriate to the quality of this stately home. The darker handrail highlights the beauty of the staircase. Personally, I wanted to be the one to bring this bannister back to life. I would often imagine all the hands that have gone up and down this over the last 100 years.

Though this house was neglected and a huge eyesore, after a 9 months re-birth, it is now a neighborhood gem. It fills my heart to know that a young family have made it their home and are creating their own wonderful memories.

I did write a few blog posts during this renovation so if you would like to go back and read them, here are the links. The Willetta Remodel, click here. The Willetta Renovation is Finished, click here.

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Resources:

Professional photos: Adam Peter, My Haus Photo

Painter: John Cruz, Ultimate Interiors

Electrician: Tony Boyer, Boyer Electric

Flooring: Wildwood Custom Floors

Staging: Castle Designs

Hardware refinishing: My husband