Your front entryway is the first thing your guests see when entering your home, and the very first impression your house will make on a pair of fresh eyes. If you happen to have a big, grand foyer, that can be great – you have plenty of space to set the stage and elicit some oohs and ahhs. But for most of us, a front “entryway” is little more than a crossroads that splits off immediately into other parts of the home. But even if your space is severely limited, with the right furniture and accessories, your entryway can still start your home off on the right foot.
Cheerful colors and minimal furnishings can make even a small entryway feel inviting (by Jamie Keskin Design)How It Works:
The most important thing to remember when decorating a smaller entryway is that any furniture you put in it should fit the scale of the space, and it shouldn’t intrude on your walkways. Console tables are great for this; because they fit nearly flat against the wall, they won’t cause problems even if placed along the side of a hallway or at the end of the path of an opening door. This entryway by Jamie Keskin Design uses a console table to cover up the blank side of the staircase, adding a little style to what otherwise would have been an awkward and unadorned wall. Adding in a table also means you have a little extra room for storage (or just setting down items as you come in the door). For a front entrance, you probably don’t want all the accouterments of a mudroom, but having a decorative tray for keys or mail is a good way to keep things from getting cluttered, and decorative baskets (especially covered ones) make a great catch-all for anything you want to keep out of sight but easily accessible. In grand entryways, good lighting often means big two-story chandeliers, but even in a smaller entrance, you want to make sure you have at least one light you can leave on for anyone arriving after dark to ensure your home is welcoming at any hour of the day. Finally, it’s worth embracing your small entryway as a transitional space. Rather than having an area rug sized to the dimensions of your foyer, opt for a runner that will visually guide anyone who walks in your front door down the most prominent walkway leading further into your home, making it an invitation inside rather than a waiting area.
Get The Look:
Depending on the style of the rest of your house, a bright and cheery color scheme may or may not be right for you, but whatever your palette, it should be a coordinated one. The entryway above is built around the colors of the area rug, drawing from the green, beige, and blue in the pattern to give the space a unified feel. Once you have your base color scheme, start with a console table and top it with a small table lamp and mail tray (bonus for a potted plant). A pendant light will doubly ensure the entryway is well lit, and a few covered baskets will keep any spare accessories accessible but out of sight and out of mind.
