In interior design, first impressions matter. You may have heard this saying before when speaking about other areas of our lives but this really does ring true for our homes too! Our foyer or main entrance to our houses set the tone for the rest of the house so creating a welcoming area is key.
First impressions aside though, the entryway to any home needs to be practical! Getting this balance right between creating a good first impression while also having a functional area is crucial for all the family. Whether you’re leaving to do the school run or coming home after a busy day, your entryway will take a lot of heat from everyone so it needs to be prepared well in order to support you and your busy lifestyle.
We love using console tables to help define the entrance area of a home. Add helpful storage solutions and accessories.
Creating a welcoming entryway that is both visually pleasing and practical may seem like a near impossible task but I’ve learned a number of tricks over the years and want to share them with you today in this blog post!
Let’s take a look at how you can create a welcoming entry for your home…
Define the Entry
Defining your entryway in your foyer or main entrance is very important. Particularly if your front door opens directly into a room like the living room. By clearly defining the main entryway of your home, it provides a clear space for keys, coats and shoes to be stored before going further into the house. It creates an area to “pause”.
You should use a generous rug or runner to not only capture dirt but to clearly define the entryway space. Adding a coir matt nearest to your front door will allow people to dust their shoes off before entering the house. Adding a console table to your entryway can also help to reinforce a defined space.
Defining the entryway with an area rug, runner, console table or bench helps to provide a clear space for keys, shoes, and coats.
Storage Solutions
This storage bench is perfect for anyone short on space! Combine a comfortable seat with helpful storage with this beautiful farmhouse-style bench.
As I mentioned above, making the entry a practical space is just as important as making it look stylish. And the best way to make the entry a functional space is by adding some storage elements to the area.
Shoe storage will be crucial if you use your main home entryway regularly, rather than a mudroom. Shoes can be stored in storage baskets, on shoe racks, or in shoe-specific storage units.
Aside from the storage for shoes, stools or benches will be a great addition to your entryway for guests to sit and remove or put shoes on. These are also helpful for having if you have kids or prefer to sit while putting shoes on. There are benches like storage ottomans that would be perfect for foyers so you combine both the storage and comfort/seating element in one piece of furniture.
I love using storage baskets throughout the house to store various items away to reduce clutter. Using storage baskets near your front door will help to keep the area clear. Not only that, the extra storage will be helpful for any accessories that get used less often like winter gloves or scarves. You can put these baskets underneath an open console table alongside a pouf or small ottoman.
A is both stylish and helpful for providing a space to keep your keys!
Helpful Accessories
Aside from the furniture and storage solutions for your entryway, there are some other helpful accessories that are worth considering. These accessories will also help you to finish the area off in terms of styling so it looks well put together.
A keyholder is extremely handy to have in your foyer or main entrance area. This could be something simple like a leather tray on a console table or wall-mounted hooks – it all depends on the space you have to work with.
Another great decorative piece to include in your entryway is a mirror. It’s a great opportunity to add a stylish wall-mounted mirror above a console table to provide you with a last-minute check before leaving the house.
Use decorative accessories to your advantage in your foyer. A mirror, leather trays, table lamps, and storage baskets are all helpful items.
Lighting
Adding a wall mirror above your console table or storage bench provides a good point for last-minute checks before leaving the house.
Lastly, lighting. If you have been reading the blog for a while you will know how important lighting is in our homes. There are a few options for your entryway that will help you create a well-rounded space.
General lighting is hugely important for the foyer or entrance area of your home. This will be in the form of a central ceiling light such as a chandelier or flush mount light, depending on your ceiling height.
To supplement the general light fixture you can use wall sconces to add ambiance to the space, or a table lamp to a console table.
You need the foyer to be well lit throughout the day and night, while also providing some low light options for anyone returning home much later into the night or early hours.
I hope these ideas have provided you with some inspiration for your own foyer and entryway! How have you defined your entrance? I’d love to hear all about what is working for you in the comments below.