Create a Stylish Entryway

Before: Bland and Boring

"If a home's entry is an indication of its owner's personality, then I would have been mistaken as a complete bore," says homeowner Beaty Coleman. The two hand-me-down chairs with faded fabric and a wimpy mirror flanked by discolored prints were anything but inviting. Plus, there was no place to drop keys or hang a coat.

The bell jar light fixture was the only thing that Beaty and Cottage Living Decorating Editor Fran Keenan decided to keep. The armchairs got slipcovers and were moved to the dining room, the chest now makes a great bedside table with plenty of storage, and the mirror and prints went to the attic to be reincarnated later.