Sometimes I ponder the deep questions of life, like what should I put on my wall?
Recently I was trying to decide what to do with a narrow, awkward space between my front door and the living room windows. The light switches sat right in that spot, and every frame or piece I tried to hang felt unbalanced, too high, or somehow drew attention to the switches instead of disguising them.
Dilemma.
What to do? Hmmmm.
I do most of my decorating by scouting my own home for solutions. Rather than buying something new right away, I wander through rooms as if I were browsing a shop, looking for an item that will fit the space and the mood. That day I found a woven basket that seemed perfect.
The basket did double duty: it neatly hid the unattractive light switches when hung in front of them (I simply unhook it to access the switch, then hang it back) and it added an organic, handcrafted touch that suits the craftsman style of my home.
While shopping, my daughter found a wire basket on sale at JoAnn’s, so I added that into the mix along with a small mirror—handy for one last look to make sure I don’t have spinach in my teeth before I head out the door.
For now that was all I had, though I may add more baskets over time as the collection grows.
After I finished that side of the entry, I worked on the opposite wall to create balance and flow. Using similar textures kept the look cohesive: another mirror and a smaller wire basket echoed the first grouping and maintained visual harmony across the entry.
Right about now I admit the mirrors could have used a quick wipe before I photographed them. Busy season—I’ll get to it eventually.
I used a small decorative hook—one that looks like a nautical rope hook—to hang the wire basket. Usually I use nails, but swapping in a decorative hook or knob can add a bit of personality and finish to the display. (An observant reader pointed out the hook is actually meant to hold a blind cord, which is a handy discovery.)
Edited: I replaced one of the baskets and updated the photo above.
The woven and metal baskets bring texture, warmth, and a bit of personality to the entry, making the small space feel intentional and charming. Simple, functional, and decorative—another decorating dilemma solved.
Oh, but now I have another decorating dilemma in my entry and I think I’m going to ask for your help in my next post, so be prepared to put your creative problem-solving thinking caps on for me.