Neutral Painted Foyer Update: A Bright, Timeless Refresh

My hand might be permanently locked in the paintbrush-holding position. Picture Jim Carrey’s “The Claw” from Liar Liar—that’s me. Totally worth it, though, because we finally checked another room off the to-do list: the foyer is painted.

About a month after we moved in, the foyer was filled with a lot of sunny yellow. As much as I love yellow, it overwhelmed the space and a faux-aging finish made the walls look dingy. The finish felt out of place in our home and highlighted how trends like distressing can sometimes make things look worn rather than styled.

Painting this foyer took a few weeks of on-again-off-again work between Robert, my father-in-law, and me. I also learned that lots of trim and detail features look lovely in theory, but in practice they require time and patience to paint. Still, the transformation is worth it—the space feels fresh and much more cohesive.

We’ve been repainting every inch of trim in the house because the previous almond/beige trim read as dark and dated against the new ceiling color. Once we painted the ceilings in Benjamin Moore Simply White, the contrast made the old trim look dingy, so we switched the trim to crisp white throughout. White trim instantly brightens and sharpens spaces, and for us it feels more timeless than the almond trend.

We painted all the way up the staircase as well. My father-in-law climbed a ladder from the landing to the second-floor ceiling to tackle crown molding—I would have been terrified to do that myself. For the walls, we chose Benjamin Moore Classic Gray, a very light, true gray that keeps the foyer bright and airy despite the lack of windows and the eight-foot ceilings. Ceilings and trim were painted in Benjamin Moore Simply White to match the rest of the house.

I haven’t decided what to do about the chandelier. It’s likely an antique, but its frilly style doesn’t match our aesthetic. For now we’ll keep it intact and plan to sell it to someone who will appreciate it more. We haven’t settled on a replacement yet, so it stays until we find the right fixture.

I recently found an entry table for the niche beside the staircase and shared a peek on Instagram. Once it’s spruced up and placed there, along with new lighting, wall decor, accents, and possibly a rug, the foyer will gain texture and personality. Right now it’s intentionally neutral to serve as a bright backdrop for those future layers.

On the staircase landing, we replaced an 80s-style sconce with a black-and-wood fixture I found on sale. Modern Edison-style daylight white LED bulbs give the vintage look without the dim amber light of old bulbs. They brighten the stairway and make nighttime trips safer—clumsy me appreciates that.

We also painted the coat closet door and the inside of the front door in Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron to match the other painted doors in the house. The exterior of the front door still needs scraping to remove layers of chipping paint, but that’s on the list for when we tackle the exterior refresh. The door’s knocker is staying—forever.

The only downside is the view into my office—currently a catchall with a giant pile of things. It’s been our temporary storage while other rooms get settled and I decide what to keep. Since this house leans less primitive and rustic than our last, some decor will likely be destined for a yard sale. Still, having a fresh start feels pretty spectacular.

There’s still more to do, but we’ve made major progress. Over the next few weeks we plan to finish the last projects in the living room, tweak the breakfast nook table, and complete the laundry room updates. For now, I’m enjoying this brighter, more neutral foyer and looking forward to layering in furniture, lighting, and accessories to make it feel finished.