Reader Kate — who has a 1961 ranch and a darn nice name, te-he — also has a Retro Design Dilemma. Her entry way has a beautiful random multi-color slate floor, a tall window that lets in loads of light, and an original built-in corner planter. Her problem — how to put the planter area to good use in an area that’s kind of a tight squeeze. So, she is asking for our ideas to decorate this this space — which is small, but still so important, because it’s where “welcome” happens.
How to decorate a foyer with a built-in planter?
Here’s the full backstory. Kate writes:
Hello Pam and Kate!
I am looking for ideas on how to decorate my entry way planter. We recently purchased our 1961 ranch and have been working very hard on getting it cleaned up and fresh. We bought it for the amazing woodwork, built-in china cabinet, shadow box, and original kitchen and bathrooms.
It has a great retro feel that we searched hard and long for. It has been a lot of fun to start collecting mid century furniture and décor. However, we have not been able to find the right thing to fill the space of the entryway planter.
We are open to taking the planter back to its somewhat original state, but we were not fans of the fake, dirty palm-like tree that was in there when we moved in. We are also open to covering it with a nice piece of wood to be able to set whatever we fill the space with on. Another thing we were thinking of was covering it with the wood and then just showcasing art on the wall above it. There is nice natural light that comes in the window and a recessed light in the ceiling above.
The entryway opens to the basement stairs, main level hallway and living room. We would love to have the area make a statement when people walk in the door but we need your help!
Thanks,
Kate
Thanks, Kate, for sending in your question. This is a good one — we haven’t talked about foyers much. Fun!
Kate’s idea to decorate this entry way with built in planter:
In order to make Kate’s entryway more inviting, add mid century style and make it feel more put together — I made a few key changes that focus on highlighting the planter — helping make it feel more unified in the space:
- Remove the shelf on the wall opposite the stairway — the shape was chunky and it sticks out into the space, obstructing the clear path and view to the front door.
- To break up the beige and add more interest, I’d paint the wall with the entry door one color (I chose a burnt orange) and the planter wall another (like the deep teal I chose). When selecting colors for the entryway, it is important to make sure they complement the colorful slate flooring.
- As an improvement on the dirty, plastic palm tree that was in the planter when Kate moved in, an easy to care for snake plant is a period appropriate plant choice that is slow growing and compact to fit the space well. Covering the remaining exposed soil in the planter with river rocks makes for a finished look.
- Kate has a recessed light fixture above the planter — so it would be relatively easy to swap out the recessed light for a pendant light fixture like this great mid century pottery pendant lamp from Etsy seller lovintagefinds — which coordinates nicely with the chosen accent wall colors.
- To finish off the space — a mid century starburst clock like this model from Ebay seller katsajie (link now gone) would be the perfect finishing touch.
Pam’s idea to decorate this entry way:
Well, you didn’t quite ask for this, Kate, but after staring at your entry way a long time, over several days, I thought that this situation might be one where, if it were my house, I might decided to rework the architecture.
So why?
- I think that Retro Renovation Kate’s solution is quite nice, if you want to keep the planter as is. Of course, you could choose different pendant lights, different plants, different wall art.
- Moreover, after staring and thinking… I came to the conclusion that the entire entry way looks kind of… scrunched. Like, too much jam-packed by that front door: a front door, the sidelight (name for tall skinny windows next to doors), the planter, the closet, and then Boom the staircase to the lower level. Interestingly, before RRKate and I posted our ideas (a few hours after we posted the question) — numerous readers commented that they thought the planter did not look original. I tend to agree – it may have been added later.
- In addition, that planter… it’s not big enough to hold much. In fact — I think RR Kate’s plants look… scrunched.
- And NOTE: I don’t really like what appears to be a sharp edge on the planter. In particular, if you have a weebit (a child) in the house, you need to consult with a properly licensed professional to look at that edge to decide whether/how to protect someone from accidentally falling on that edge and hurting themselves. Story: When I was in junior high, we lived in a house with a fireplace hearth made of sharp-edged Bedford stone. Sure enough, one day my toddler sister tripped and teetered and fell face-first onto that edge. She came within a mere inch of slicing her right eye open. I still remember holding her in my lap — I could see bone through the gash! — while my mother rushed us all to the hospital. My sister still has the scar.
- So back to the design dilemma… I thought: What would it look like to remove the planter… to restore that portion of the floor with slate to match (okay, this will be tricky to tray and match, but random multi color slate is still available, and a skilled craftsman could match the grout, I bet… Then, center the front door… and add sidelights to both sides. I think that the Photoshop mockup that RR Kate made looks quite nice.
- Also note, I believe there are door installations with sidelights that are more integrated. For this mock up, we just replicated the sidelight you already had.
And reader Charles makes this entry way design:
There have been tons of great reader comments on this story — including one from reader Charles — who even took the time to create a mock up for his solution (above). Charles writes:
Kind of a Kate/Pam combo here, but I would lose the shelf and mirror, remove the planter, and make both the entry-wall and (ex)planter-wall the same color. Toss in a Crestview entry door and sidelights, and you’re good!
Homeowner also contacted us after all these comments started coming in, and says that in response, her husband peeked under the planter and found that there is slate flooring underneath. Now it is up to them to decide the degree of time, money and change they’d like to use in their retro entry way.
Kimberj says
I agree with the majority of comments that the planter is not original and would look better pulled out. We had a huge add-on planter in our mid cent vaulted living room. The original owner laid white brick right on the carpet. Inside the planter (on the carpet) was enough mulch to fill a flower bed. It had been there for literally decades. Then she cemented in plastic bushes as the planter was not near enough to a light source to grow anything. She also put in a rather huge long (12 ft) planter in a very dark basement, again filled with mulch and plastic bushes. It took a sledge hammer to take it all out.
It does look like you bought a beautifully maintained mid cent home, congrats!
Robin, NV says
Holy moly. I lost track of the bad ideas on that one. Brick on carpet . . . People are so strange. Interesting but strange. Thanks for sharing such a weird story!
Melissa L. says
I also think that living plants would look best in the space. I’d probably go with short plants so that the lovely window could be seen and the light wouldn’t be blocked. I like the idea of succulents (with sufficient light) with a smooth pebble mulch or maybe ferns spilling over the edge. If cold weather is an issue, how about some teeny-tiny dwarf conifers–the kind for rock gardens. Again, they could be underlain by a pebble mulch. Very slow growing and relatively easy to maintain.
jennifer says
My family lived in one just like this in 1962 Michigan. My mom in potted plants ….those big tall ones that were popular back then, and English ivy. The windows gave enough light for them. It was great to have green living plants as we walked in the door. Not overwhelming. Other families did the same in this nice modern neighborhood. That’s my sugggestion….follow the lovely original plan.
DLynne says
I would put an easy care pathos or ivy in the planter, but more importantly, since I’m crazy for mid-century lighting, I’d get a long George Nelson style cigar pendant or a long tube style pendant light, or even a multi-pendant mid-century swag light set of some type to hang there. A long Capiz shell light would look great and would give a windchime effect when the door was opened or people moved around. Even a large Eichler style moon or ball light would look good. I’m really bored with can lights and they have kits now that transform can lights into pendant lights without having to do any rewiring. This is such a great opportunity to hang a light! Bonus, it will be seen from the outside too!
DLynne says
If you don’t want a light or if the light isn’t enough the great wall space would be perfect to display some vintage artwork (even though you already have a mirror on the opposite wall).Something “modern or something in wire like Frederic Weinberg’s things, a bold mid-century graphic fabric sample, perhaps a tile mosaic or a vintage gravel/sand/pebble/glass artwork type set would look great.
Ethan says
This is kinda long. Sorry but I am trying to be specific because this might a little confusing without looking at my planter to see what I did.
Here’s what I did with my built-in planter. I wanted to keep it and I wanted two larg plants in it as I think it was intended. It is made out of avocado color brick. BUT, I did not want to fill it with dirt because I think that might be very dirty and attract bugs. Also, my cats might think it’s a litter box.
I built a wood platform out of 3/4 inch plywood and 2×4’s and made sure that the platform fit with only a very small gap between the inside edge perimeter of the planter and the 3/4 inch plywood platform. I also made sure that I built the platform to sit down inside of the planter a couple of inches below the top edge of the planter.
Then I cut two holes in the plywood so that I could set plastic plant pots all the way down in the holes so that the lip of the pots rested on the plywood. That way the pots don’t fall through and sit up an inch or so above the plywood. I used pots that have big rounded lips/ edges on them. These pots are not meant to have dirt in them. They are only meant to act as a sleeve to accomodate another pot that does have dirt/ plant in them. So I used ones without holes in them that will catch any water that might drip into them because I didn’t want water dripping onto the floor underneath the platform.
Then I painted the plywood platform a brownish color that matched the color of Lava Rock. I bought some Lava Rock at Lowes and spread it out evenly on the platform. I used enough rock so that the Lava Rock is about level with the edge of the built-in planters edge. I made sure that no rocks could fall into the pots that I had slipped into the holes of the plywood that I cut out earlier (thus the reason for the thick rimmed pot so that the edge of the pot rises a good inch above the plywood. Of course, you could cut your holes a little small so that the pot does not slide all of the way into the hole).
Then I took potted plants and simply dropped them into the pots that I had put into the holes of the plywood. I did not plant the plants in the pots in the plywood. I left the plants in their original pots and simply use the first pots (the ones I slipped into the holes of the plywood) as sleeves. That way I can take the potted plants in and out of the planter without ever leaving a void where rocks could fall through. Also I can water the plants without worrying about water falling through because the first pots in the plywood holes act as a sleeve.
I also trimmed out the back edge with 1×2’s (attached to the plywood not the wall, and painted to match the rock).
The planter lookes great, it doesn’t leak, I can take the plants in and out without any problems and the cats don’t mess with it.
I hope all of that made sense. I kinda made it sound complicated but It was actually quite easy.
Ethan says
I didn’t proof read my post. Sorry. I see that Large is misspelled. Also, I didn’t mention that the 2×4’s were only used as legs to support the platform.
Jay says
Great solution as it’s always easier to just slip the pots in and out for plant maintenance. Ditto on the cats, mine will find a potted plant with exposed dirt minutes after I set it down and like a kid attracted to mud she has her paws in the damp soil.
Kelly Wittenauer says
Another thought – if you do continue to use it as a planter – would be a glass mobile hung above, rather than art on the wall. The play of light from the window & spotlight above would be wonderful with some glass.
Annie B. says
Another thought: if there is matching flooring under the planter, remove the planter and hang a pendant light fixture from the site of the can above. Maybe something like a milk glass globe…..or some other, dramatic, vintage entryway pendant, which could be seen from the outside through the frosted window pane.
Diane in CO says
I think I would cover it over (wood? stone? polished concrete?) to make a ledge/bench — but not to sit on. Place on it some sort of larger vertical sculptural piece, very modern and swanky, and nothing else.
Water always has potential to cause problems so I wouldn’t do real plants that need watering nor a fountain!
This may sound crazy but the more I think about it the better I like it: what if you also PAINTED right over those stones, with the same color as the wall!? The mortar joints are too wide for the stone work to look pleasing – so why let it dominate? I would paint it.
Sculpture would then have no competition from the busy-ness of the stone.
Are you planning to use any kind of rug in the foyer?
JKM says
My thoughts exactly! Cover it with a piece of wood but have a recessed 3/4″ reveal (painted black) under and along the edge of the wood cap so it looks like it’s hovering slightly. Then a simple piece of tall glass or ceramic – in a shocking color – all by itself would be stunning. It was be visible from the outside, too, and would glow at night.
Mikey says
If you want real plants look for these plants. Cast Iron, Horsetail or Parlor Palm. The Parlor Palm and Cast Iron are pet friendly. You’ll need to put an inch and half of slate gravel on the bottom for drainage and then any potting soil will do.
My wife and I have two planters in our home. One in the bathroom and one in our entrance way. We have planted Cast Iron and Parlor Palm plants and they are doing very well. The Cast Iron plants are known to really clean the air in your house.
Good Luck!!
Jay says
Nice plants but with the door right there they might get bushy and intrude on the entry space.
BungalowB says
I love the idea of a bench, but I also like the idea of a low maintenance succulent garden. And if you really wanted to push that – make it a terrarium – cover the triangle with clear acrylic, giving you a living spot in the house as well as a bench!
Looking forward to seeing what you decide!
Good luck!