01 · The vestibule
A tiny buffer from Richmond weather
A vestibule is the small enclosed space between the front door and the main part of the house. It gives you somewhere to close one door before opening the next, which helps keep cold air out in winter and cool air inside during Richmond summers.
They are a familiar sight in Richmond’s older houses. Ours still has its black-and-white marble floor, which gives this very small space more presence than its square footage would suggest.
02 · The starting point
An empty wall doing absolutely nothing
We use this entrance every day, which meant the empty wall was doing a terrible job in a very busy little room. Mail, shoes, keys, leashes, and umbrellas all needed somewhere to land. Bailey and Maggie also deserved a little closet of their own.
03 · The dog wall
A little closet for Bailey and Maggie
We added beadboard, simple wood knobs for their leashes, and a small stained shelf for the knickknacks that make an entry feel like part of the house instead of a loading dock.
04 · The other side
Shoe storage that does not block the door
Across from the leash wall, a narrow black cabinet holds our shoes without getting in the way. The black ties back to the upstairs bathroom, while the gold mirror warms up the black-and-white marble floor.
Somehow this tiny vestibule now handles mail, keys, leashes, shoes, umbrellas, and a little bit of decor without feeling packed.
More impressively, it may be the only project in this house we called “really quick and easy” that actually was.