The glass entry in this new construction allows views from the front steps, through the house, to a waterfall feature in the back yard. Wood on walls, floors & ceilings (beams, doors, insets, etc.,) warms the cool, hard feel of steel/glass.

New built-in mudroom cabinetry, hidden closet door and return grille for HVAC
Transitional foyer in DC Metro with white walls, a single front door and a black front door.

This well proportioned entrance hallway began with the black and white marble floor and the amazing chandelier. The table, artwork, additional lighting, fabrics art and flooring were all selected to create a striking and harmonious interior. The resulting welcome is stunning.

Transitional mudroom in New York with white walls, a single front door, a black front door and grey floor.

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional mudroom in New York with grey walls, ceramic floors, a single front door, a black front door and black floor.

Inspiration for a transitional front door in Portland with white walls, light hardwood floors, a pivot front door, a black front door and beige floor.

This is an example of a large transitional mudroom in Minneapolis with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a single front door and a black front door.

Governor's House Entry by Lisa Tharp. 2019 Bulfinch Award - Interior Design. Photo by Michael J. Lee
This is an example of a transitional front door with white walls, painted wood floors, a single front door and a black front door.

Photo of a transitional foyer in Omaha with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a double front door, a black front door and brown floor.

Hamilton Photography
Large transitional foyer in Other with white walls, limestone floors, a double front door, white floor and a black front door.

Meet Meridith: a super-mom who’s as busy as she is badass  — and easily my favorite overachiever. She slays her office job and comes home to an equally high-octane family life. We share a love for city living with farmhouse aspirations. There’s a vegetable garden in the backyard, a black cat, and a floppy eared rabbit named Rocky. There has been a mobile chicken coop and a colony of bees in the backyard. At one point they even had a pregnant hedgehog on their hands! Between gardening, entertaining, and helping with homework, Meridith has zero time for interior design. Spending several days a week in New York for work, she has limited amount of time at home with her family. My goal was to let her make the most of it by taking her design projects off her to do list and let her get back to her family (and rabbit). I wanted her to spend her weekends at her son's baseball games, not shopping for sofas. That’s my cue! Meridith is wonderful. She is one of the kindest people I know. We had so much fun, it doesn’t seem fair to call this “work”. She is loving, and smart, and funny. She’s one of those girlfriends everyone wants to call their own best friend. I wanted her house to reflect that: to feel cozy and inviting, and encourage guests to stay a while. Meridith is not your average beige person, and she has excellent taste. Plus, she was totally hands-on with design choices. It was a true collaboration. We played up her quirky side and built usable, inspiring spaces one lightbulb moment at a time. I took her love for color (sacré blue!) and immediately started creating a plan for her space and thinking about her design wish list. I set out hunting for vibrant hues and intriguing patterns that spoke to her color palette and taste for pattern. I focused on creating the right vibe in each space: a bit of drama in the dining room, a bit more refined and quiet atmosphere for the living room, and a neutral zen tone in their master bedroom. Her stuff. My eye. Meridith’s impeccable taste comes through in her art collection. The perfect placement of her beautiful paintings served as the design model for color and mood. We had a bit of a chair graveyard on our hands, but we worked with some key pieces of her existing furniture and incorporated other traditional pieces, which struck a pleasant balance. French chairs, Asian-influenced footstools, turned legs, gilded finishes, glass hurricanes – a wonderful mash-up of traditional and contemporary. Some special touches were custom-made (the marble backsplash in the powder room, the kitchen banquette) and others were happy accidents (a wallpaper we spotted via Pinterest). They all came together in a design aesthetic that feels warm, inviting, and vibrant — just like Meridith! We built her space based on function. We asked ourselves, “how will her family use each room on any given day?” Meridith throws legendary dinner parties, so we needed curated seating arrangements that could easily switch from family meals to elegant entertaining. We sought a cozy eat-in kitchen and decongested entryways that still made a statement. Above all, we wanted Meredith’s style and panache to shine through every detail. From the pendant in the entryway, to a wild use of pattern in her dining room drapery, Meredith’s space was a total win. See more of our work at www.safferstone.com. Connect with us on Facebook, get inspired on Pinterest, and share modern musings on life & design on Instagram. Or, share what's on your plate with us at hello@safferstone.com. Photo: Angie Seckinger

Photography by www.mikechajecki.com
Transitional foyer in Toronto with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a single front door and a black front door.

Formal front entry is dressed up with oriental carpet, black metal console tables and matching oversized round gilded wood mirrors.
Photo of a large transitional foyer in Philadelphia with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a single front door, a black front door and brown floor.

Dean Matthews
Inspiration for an expansive transitional entryway in Miami with white walls, a single front door and a black front door.

This beautiful laundry and kitchen renovation features KraftMaid Cabinetry in Dove White with Husk stain accents and Berenson Hardware's Epoch Edge Collection pulls.

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional mudroom in Seattle with white walls, limestone floors, a single front door, black floor and a black front door.

This mudroom opens directly to the custom front door, encased in an opening with custom molding hand built. The mudroom features six enclosed lockers for storage and has additional open storage on both the top and bottom. This room was completed using an area rug to add texture.

This beautiful home located near a central Connecticut wine vineyard was purchased by a growing family as their dream home. They decided to make their informal entry into their home a priority. We truly are believers in combining function with elegance. This mudroom opens up to their kitchen so why not create some amazing storage that looks great too! This space speaks to their transitional style with a touch of tradition. From mixing the metal finishes to the herringbone floor pattern we were able to create a timeless, functional first impression to a beautiful home. Every family can benefit from having a space called “Home Central” from pre-school on…come in and take your shoes off. Custom designed by Hartley and Hill Design. All materials and furnishings in this space are available through Hartley and Hill Design. www.hartleyandhilldesign.com 888-639-0639

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional entry hall in Orange County with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a black front door, brown floor and a dutch front door.