The Hated Space {Please help!}

So, y'all...

What's it been?

Over a week since I said I was going to start on that darn entry way?

Picture taken during first walk through of the house.

Here's where I get real.

This is when you're going to hear and see 

the bad and the ugly about living in a turn of a century home 

 that needs TONS of TLC.

With all the character comes all the issues.

And here's an admission...

Here's how I tend to deal with those things:

I just ignore them and hope they'll go away.

Which they don't, but that doesn't keep me from trying.

;)

Now that I've finally realized that this area isn't going to magically transform itself with a  whole hoard of little HGTV fairies, I've got a problem.

COMPLETE FAILURE TO LAUNCH.

This weekend we bought the wall and floor paint, 

plus other supplies and yet, I'm still waffling.

Yesterday, I stripped the wall paper off, sponged off the walls, 

and scrubbed the basement door.

I think even the house is ready for change 

because for once, it didn't fight me.

The wall paper come right off in whole sheets 

without even applying anything.

Now, how often does that happen around here?

UM....  Never? 

So on that front, I made pretty good progress yesterday.

Today, I'm going to give you some advice, 

so don't say I never taught you anything...

;)

Never, NEVER, ever, EVER paint wood floors with cheap latex wall paint.

EVER.

It will NOT work.

See...

For the last seven years, every time I mopped this area 

pieces of paint would just come up.

{Thank you previous owner.}

Wall paint DOES NOT work on floors.

Kay?

Now that we've got that out of the way...

LOL!

;)

What I've got is a ginormous mess 

that is going to require A LOT of sanding.

Thankfully, the paint is so bad that I can wet it in sections 

and the cream paint just rolls right up.

In fact, I don't even have to scrape it.  I can lift it by hand.

Now...

Here's where I start to complain...

WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND DOES THINGS LIKE THIS????

Leaves the side of door trim and molding and builds walls AROUND it?

Uses particle board for a wall that disintegrates
and then later puts it BEHIND wall paper without fixing it?

To add insult to injury, the pantry that backs up to this wall?

I just now realized that the corners are TAPED 

with some kind of sheet rock tape and just PAINTED over.

And I can't take the wall down because guess what?

There's plumbing there.

SHOOT.  ME.  NOW.

This is a GREAT example of why I hate to start working on rooms, 

because I'm always holding my breath over what I'll find 

when I really start to look at things.

And then I'm shocked that I've managed to live here 

for almost 6 years and ignore this stuff.

LOL!

REALLY?  You don't cut the cheap-o board to fit,
so you stick a piece of quarter round in the corner.  Grrreat idea!  NOT.

Okay...

Thanks for letting me vent.

I feel better now.

:D

But here's where I need your help...

I STILL don't know how to decorate this space.

I know what I'm going to do with the walls, but as far as decor...

NO.  CLUE.

I stepped outside onto the stoop and took a picture 

so you can get a better idea of the space. 

Maybe someone can give me their epiphany:

There is barely any room here.

I'm standing on the top step of the stoop.

The door opens to the left and bumps into the door to the dining room.

And here's a picture looking from the back wall:

Kitchen to the left, Dining Room to the right.

Scott replaced the door this fall, but has YET 

to put up the trim because he's frustrated 

that he can't get the door square.

Story of my life.

NOTHING in this house is square.

I say live with it and he wants to fight it.

What is it with men and things having to be level and square?

It's an old house...

It AIN'T gonna happen.

LOL!

Anyhoo...

What can I do with this hated space???

I only have two major requirements:

1)  Whatever I do MUST be easily and quickly portable, 

in case we need to get into the basement during a tornado.

2)  The basement door opens up to the right, 

so nothing on the walls can impede that.

And because it's such a small space, I don't want it to look cluttered.

And no walls can be removed because

1)  They're load bearing.

2)  There's plumbing in the back one.

Honestly, I'm at a loss.

I tried to talk Scott into cutting the door in half 

and making it a dutch door, so anything placed at the end 

could stay, but we'd still have full access.

He says with the way the basement stairs are placed, 

we'd still have trouble getting down there.

So... 

No go on that.

*pout*

Really y'all...

I'm clueless.

Help a girl out?

Please?

So, I'll leave you with all that goodness to ponder 

and get started on the sanding and primering...

Welcome to life in an old house!

;)