Entry + Powder Bath

Our home is a refuge, and it’s also a statement. Every room reflects a space that is bold, stately, and inviting. You might think — hold on — those are contradictory terms! But any of you that are familiar with JessaKae can expect our rooms to be filled with the same energy that fuels our fashion: Sophisticated and classy, flirty and romantic, and always focused on a sense of family and belonging.

Shelby Homes was integral to the whole process, and we hope it hits you from the very front step.

We custom ordered our wood double doors, both for their timeless appeal as well as the much-needed accessibility, and Original Painting, LLC took on our exterior and interior painting, completing the doors and casing trim in a deep, bold teal (BM teal 2055-10) to contrast against both the painted brick exterior and the interior wall (BM Olympic Mountains). Many of the walls in our home feature a traditional picture frame molding, which is reflected in the custom doors for a seamless transitional space, connecting the french style with a modern aesthetic. 

Outside, we wanted a covered entry, safe from the elements, and lit up with chic, traditional black iron street lantern style lighting from Hudson Valley Lighting. Inside, we opted to accent the sophisticated, traditional look by weaving in elements that are more delicate and glamorous. The space packs an impressive blend of materials, textures, and colors.

Our entryway space sits on a framed diamond-patterned tile that creates a subtle separation from the transitional wide wood plank flooring. Bedrosians supplied the Remy tile, with the diamond pattern in smoke and snow, and the framing in charcoal. The tile pattern peeks out from under a distressed ornamental rug (a must for winter), and the traditional tiled diamond pattern and its dark frame is complemented by the furniture — the sidebar, column, and bench — painted a bold, modern black.

Our brass Belmont hardware on the door, from Emtek Wilshire, is similarly complemented in the brass mirror frame, the mustard yellow on our velvet cushioned bench and the “branches” of our chandelier.

At night, the entrance is lit up with our amazing statement chandelier we found from the Reimagined Home, with delicate crystals suspended from its antique brass “branches” reflecting light into the entrance as well as outside through the transom window. A captivating chandelier was a must have for me, and Reimagined Homes helped us find an amazing selection for both the lighting and the furniture. 

You really can’t have too many lighting options to ensure the perfect balance and lighting at any time of day and occasion, but it does take a little planning and finesse to ensure your lighting options blend in with the space.

During the day, the space is lit up by the transom window, where Sierra Pacific installed grid molding, matching our overarching french modern look, while keeping the back plain to prevent unnecessary distractions from the view. As we mentioned before, Sierra Pacific also installed our floor-to-ceiling windows along the back of the house, and visitors get an immediate view straight out to the valley from the entrance as they walk through our doors.

The 8-inch wide, white oak wood flooring is the Kensington line, purchased from Anderson Tuftex (use code JESSA for a free flooring sample) and installed by National Flooring Brokers, found on the rest of the ground floor and stairwell. The carpet runner is also an Anderson Tuftex find — from their Chase line in “Fern” — which was durable for a highly-trafficked stairwell while providing a soft texture to keep the space interesting. The stairwell pulls in the wrought iron accent from the exterior with a subtle square pattern to blend in a modern touch.

The final look is incredible. Looking into the entryway from the inside, you feel transported to a romantic, timeless adventure. It’s (almost) enough to forget the challenges in finding and placing each piece, and the prolonged discussions on how to approach the custom rail pattern. It can be laughably easy to get lost in the details of any project, but isn’t it nice to see the final result?

Modern Powder Room Ideas: Make it moody!

Our entryway isn’t the only place we wanted to make a splashy statement. Our ground floor powder room follows the popular “moody” design trend, with a bold green (BM boreal forest af-480) covering the walls and trim, also painted by Original Painting, LLC. 

The vanity has exposed pipes finished with brass, which looks incredible against the dark walls and white tiling. The look was inspired by a Gramercy vanity, but to adhere to our budget, I took a DIY approach and found the frame from Restoration Hardware, cut the countertop with the same team who cut our other counters in the house, and picked up the faucet from our local plumbing company, saving more than $2,500 for the same look!

The frameless mirror (from Reimagined Home) emphasizes a minimalist design, completing the look with brass clamps. Even our window has a simple, sleek drop shade from Uptown Drapes, who helped us select the perfect style for every room.

The trim in the powder room resembles the picture frame style found in the rest of our home but is topped with a circular patterned trim for a unique look that helps draw the eye up. Combined with our tall ceilings, you immediately find a glamorous, vintage brass chandelier from Hudson Valley, bringing the whole look into a blend of the 20s and modern design for a space that stands apart.

We didn’t want to overcrowd a small room with unnecessary design flourishes. To help it look larger, the floor showcases a smaller tile with a subtle marbling. The tile was a Bedrosians Classic 2.0 mosaic floor tile in Calacatta Oro (you might recognize the pattern in our Master Bathroom reveal) installed with the assistance of Tule Tile, LLC.

What do you think of the final touches? In what ways do you like to decorate your entryway and guest powder room? Let me know in the comments!

Paint Colors // Entry: Olympic Mountains by BM // Front door: BM teal 2055-10 // Powder Bath: BM boreal forest af-480

Entry Links: Carpet Runner // Door Knob // Tile // Sconces // Chandelier // Flooring (use code JESSA for a free flooring sample) //

Mirror // Bench // Pedestal // Temple Jar // Chest // Lamp // Art // Faux Florals

Photographer: Rebekah Westover

Builder: Shelby Custom Homes

Architect: James Carol

Windows: Sierra Pacific Windows

Designer: Alice Lane Interior Design

Painter: Original Painting, LLC

Decorator: Edit Design House

Flooring: Anderson Tuftex & National Flooring Brokers

Tile: Bedrosians

Hardware: Emtek

Tile Installers: Tule Tile

Window Treatments: Uptown Drapes