Entrances

It seems full circle to me to be starting my first blog post, which I have titled “Entrances,” as I sit at my desk about to enter the blogging world while holding an article from 1994 titled “Entrances.” But more on that later. Allow me to make my entrance. I’m Kelli, a married dentist and mother of two, who wishes to tap into my creative side through hands-on design, decorating, and writing about my process.

As I look around my desk and begin to open drawers—both procrastinating and searching for inspiration—I stumble upon drawers lined with paint swatches, fabric and wood samples, and an article from Better Homes and Gardens circa 1994. This article, titled “Entrances,” was once torn out of my mother’s magazine. The page shows several traditional wooden staircases with dark-turned newel posts and white balusters—the kind of staircase that makes you feel like you’ve just stepped into the most welcoming home. It’s the kind of entrance that makes you feel you could kick off your shoes and run right up them, where a cup of tea and a warm blanket are waiting for you. You only see the entrance in the magazine, but you can picture what the rest of the house looks like just from that first impression. Just like this magazine, I want to make a good first impression. I aim to discuss design decisions and projects with you and take you along on the process. Most of the work is done by myself, so it is a slower process, but I enjoy it, like savoring your favorite dessert; once it’s finished, you wish you hadn’t eaten it so fast.

You might be asking yourself why I have this 1994 article in my desk drawer. Well, my plan at 14 years old, when I tore out this article and tucked it neatly away into my manila folder, was to gather photos and inspiration that I would bestow upon my architect husband, who would take my collage and build our dream home with its contents. Fast forward to the present day, and that did not happen, but it did not stop me from creating and designing my own dream home with my non-architect husband and two children.

I have always loved creativity, even with a push toward a science degree. My science projects always had an artistic flair. It wasn’t until I reflected on this that I realized design was always a part of me. While I waited for a home of my own growing up, I spent time decorating and furnishing a dollhouse. As I got older, my parents would take me to pick out furniture and wallpaper with them. When I had my apartment, I decorated with detail in mind. When it came time to design and decorate my home, I couldn’t wait to jump into it. I grew up watching my dad do a lot of renovations, so I knew I had a little of that in me as well. At first, it was me designing and my husband building, but his love for design and construction was not as great as mine, and he did not enjoy doing it in his free time. Tired of coaxing him into projects, he asked me if I would like to learn how to use a saw. At the time, we were working on millwork, and I had to have him cut various boards for me. You know the old saying, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” Well, that is exactly what happened. After seeing how I could safely use a saw, the process didn’t seem as intimidating, and I gradually started acquiring new skills and tools. I learned how to use wet saws, table saws, miter saws, a hammer, nails, and a nail gun. I mastered the art of painting a room with rollers and a paint sprayer, as well as putting up both millwork and wallpaper, and even some simple electrical and plumbing work. I learned I didn’t need to marry an architect to make my dream home come true; I just needed an idea, my own two hands, and YouTube—lots of YouTube.

The Better Homes and Gardens article did not resurface until I was cleaning out my old room at my parents’ house. When I saw the article, I realized not much had changed with my design style. The picture of the staircase was still the one I wanted in the present day. I decided to keep this magazine clip and tuck it away until I found it again while looking for inspiration to write my first blog post. Peering at this article titled “Entrances” gives me the motivation to enter into my next chapter, and I hope that you will join me.