Under construction: Better Farm's entranceway is getting a facelift.

We're re-imagining Better Farm's foyer. Our goals? To make the space significantly more energy efficient, organized, and lovely. The farm's entryway has gone through a few incarnations since 2009, with this final project bringing the foyer and front hall to completion.

Our timeline so far:

2009 project to clean up foyer and take a bunch of storage to the dump
2010 project to rip up carpeting on stairs, organize storage, and give a fresh coat of paint
2011 project to rebuild the entire staircase and railing

Here's a list of the problems we still faced:

Front door leaks a lot of warm air through unsealed gaps along its bottom edge
Without a storm door, we can't allow for cross-ventilation in the summer or get a great seal around the doorway
Outdated insulation in the entranceway means lots of air leaks and energy loss of up to 15 percent in that room alone
Sheetrock hung decades ago on the ceiling was the wrong thickness and wasn't strapped; therefore, it's sagging
All tape lines on sheetrock in the front hall are visible
Cobbed electrical meant mismatched light switches, electrical lines outside the sheetrock, and visible covered wiring
The foyer's storage solutions are imperfect. Boots, sneakers, and jackets need a better landing spot.

And—my favorite part—the brainstorming process. Here are some pictures we're working with as inspiration:

Overall look: