Starting on the entryway!

I've been thinking about how to make our entryway a little more appealing. Its been like a suck hole for all my ideas. I need some sort of area for my husband to dump his crap daily treasures that always end up scattered all over the living room.

The area isn't very big and is more like the the fork in the road at the end of a hallway. Completely uninspiring and white. Not even ivory... WHITE. Some people look at an empty white room and think "blank canvas". I look at this space and think its the Bermuda Triangle for shoes, keys, wallets, purses, miscellaneous mail, etc. I need some sort of solution that was not only nice to look at but functional too.

I walked around Ikea and I found some hooks sold individually for just a couple euro. I have the matching row of hooks in my kitchen for all my aprons. I really like the rustic look of it, the metal is kinda beat up looking. Since the entryway has a walkthrough to the kitchen, I thought it was a subtle tie in.

Hanging the hooks all by themselves seemed a little dry to me. I had to come up with something different. I remembered that I had some old black wooden frames that I've used so many times they were all worn out. The little clips that hold the cardboard backing have all fallen off or gotten really weak. So I removed the backing and mounted it to the wall with the hooks inside. I think it turned out pretty dang cute.

During the same trip to Ikea, I came across a plant stand in the gardening section. I probably should've gotten it in black since I hung the black frames. But for now white will suffice. I can always get a can of spray paint-- and I just might. (Opinions??) This table sits underneath the hooks, I would like to get a basket to sit next to it to collect shoes.

Eventually we will start working on our hallway. My husband and I came across these shoe racks from the Hemnes line at Ikea. This exact set up would almost fit in my hallway if the contractors that built this house didn't hang control panels and smoke detectors all over the wall! It looks like they were throwing dice! I love that mirror but I don't think I could manage it. But, I will not be defeated! i will figure something out.

Now onto finding a catch all tray of some sort, or a bowl. I'm open to suggestions. This might be a new project in itself. I'm sensing this might be a job for something decoupaged? The creative wheels have already started spinning.

I currently have 2 framed mirrors with hooks hanging asymmetrically on the opposite wall-- those are going to come down. I need a replacement... maybe a mirror or a chalkboard.

I have some research to do!