Whether a grand, sweeping affair or cozy and understated, your entryway sets the stage for your home’s interior design. Entryway design can range from homey to haute, but it should always be convenient, organized, and tidy to welcome your guests properly. Not only does your foyer greet your guests, but it greets you, too! Uninspired entryway decor, littered with piles of coats and shoes, can deflate your mood when you come home.
You can take simple steps to brighten your entryway design to become a welcoming space. Interior designers use color, appropriately-sized furniture, and clever storage to elevate entryway design from a humble threshold to a showstopping room in its own right.
Below we divulge the interior design industry tricks for creating a gracious foyer and give you entryway design ideas to make your entryway work hard for your lifestyle and look good doing it.
Small space, big colors
Your entryway decor is your home’s first opportunity to make a design impact, so make the most of it! While your entryway design can be calming, it shouldn’t be boring. An intense color, even in a small space, can thrill your guests the moment they walk in the front door.
Wallpaper is appropriate in entryway decor, and your interior designer can help you choose the right pattern for the space. But if your budget is tight, a bold paint color can achieve the same result. You can even use removable wallpaper, allowing you to change your foyer decor as the mood strikes.
Coat hooks can be life-changing
Interior designers always include a row of sturdy coat hooks, and for good reason. It’s a simple but vital addition because your entryway will almost always catch your coats, hats, and scarves as you shed them.
All those discarded layers can get heavy, so take the time to find a stud in the wall before you mount your hooks. Choose deep enough hooks to accommodate bulky items, and if you have a family, include enough hooks for everyone to have their own.
Embrace the storage opportunity
Almost every home could use extra storage space, and your entryway design is a great place to add it. While your coat hooks can handle your coats, hats, and scarves, you’ll also want more storage space for your gloves, shoes, purse, and backpacks.
Built-in cubbies or a bench with hidden storage under the seat are a great way to add practical storage space. If custom-built units are outside your budget, pretty baskets or wall-mounted shoe holders can boost your entryway storage, too.
Offer a chair or bench
Your entryway furniture should include a seat, even if it’s only a little perch. You and your guests will find it handy when removing or putting on shoes. It’s also a common place for a purse or shopping bags to land until they’re put away.
Choosing the right furniture for your foyer can be tricky. Items that are too big will overwhelm the space and make it feel crowded and cluttered. Small items will make the entryway feel sparse and bare. Look for furniture that offers the maximum functionality without upsetting the room’s balance.
And if your entryway space is narrow or serves as a pass-through to another room, keep it simple. Skip the bench or chair and only add one if it will improve the space and how you use it.
Include an attractive table
An interesting or antique entryway table provides a convenient place to set your things as you enter the house. In most cases, a modestly-sized table will do perfectly; you don’t want a table so large that it invites clutter.
A console table may work for you if you have a small entryway. By definition, a console table is affixed to a wall and supported by its front legs. Console tables are a neat little way to add functionality to even the smallest entryways. If your entryway is truly tiny, a floating shelf could offer a place for your house keys, wallet, and phone when you come in the door.
Use statement lighting
Statement light fixtures are an entryway idea that shows attention to every last design detail. They elevate your entryway decor, so be bold and choose a playful or daring lighting fixture, especially in an entry hall. If you have space on your table, a table lamp looks attractive and can serve as a welcoming light when you return home in the dark.
If you’re decorating a backdoor entryway, think more practical. Backdoor entryways often double as a mudroom or laundry room, so ensure the lighting fixture you choose offers ample illumination.
Add simple design touches
As any interior designer will tell you, the best entryway ideas are often simple. Classic colors (like navy) or traditional patterns (like stripes) work well in small spaces where they communicate a tasteful aesthetic without being fussy or flashy.
Keep the decor pieces simple and classic, too, for utmost functionality and charm. Entryway ideas for adding charming decor pieces include:
- Mail sorter: Most people enter their home with hands full of life admin detritus. A convenient spot for your mail where it will be safe from the daily shuffle of shoes, sports equipment, and dog leashes is incredibly handy.
- Mirror: You can make your foyer’s wall space feel larger with a mirror, usually placed above your console table.
- Plants: Easy-to-maintain indoor plants, set in pretty pots or hangers, can add warmth to your entry decor. Fresh flowers can help create a beautiful entryway, too.
- Rugs: The right rug or runner can help define your entry space, especially in an open-plan entryway that leads directly to a kitchen, laundry space, or playroom.
- Painted front door: Paint your front door a color that complements your entryway design so your guests move seamlessly from your front porch to your foyer.
Whichever entryway decor ideas you apply in your own foyer, remember that it’s the details of the design that show focus and true design expertise.
Explore more entryway ideas
If you’re eager to start designing a showstopping entryway, talk to the team! We’d love to chat with you about practical, pretty entryway ideas that will welcome your guests, organize your outerwear, and make every homecoming a calming experience.
