Your porch is all ready to greet your holiday guests when they pull up to the house. But how’s your entryway looking once they cross the threshold? Creating a welcoming and noteworthy entryway makes a wonderful first impression. In fact, the “tone” of the household is set here, so it’s worth taking a moment to assess your entryway and make any small tweaks (or large ones) that can spruce it up and make it worthy of your home.
6 Ideas For Creating an Entryway That is Guest-Ready
- Give it a deep clean. These days, many of us enter our homes through a garage and/or kitchen door. Even neighbors and frequent guests may use a side or back door. That means the entryway is often a rather stale and lifeless mausoleum – a collector of corner-anchored fur balls, cobwebs and a layer of dust. So, first things first! Get your bucket and scrup brush, the feather duster and wood polish – and then do a thorough cleaning from top to bottom, including the light fixtures and wood details.
- Give it a little color. A fresh coat of paint can continue the goal of the entryway cleanup, making it look even more fresh. Choose a color that complements your current décor – but maybe one that ads a little more warmth or va-va-voom to the space.
- Create a wall gallery. When guests walk in the front door, what do they see? Is there a blank wall ahead or alongside of them? Create a more interesting visual by using a single, striking piece of art – or arrange an eclectic cluster from mismatched pieces you have stuck away. I’ve even seen clients frame scraps of unused wallpaper from other rooms in the house, which is a fun way to “set the tone,” as I mentioned above.
- Add or change out the area rug or runner. Do you have a welcome mat only? Anchor the entryway space a little more using a properly sized area rug. If your entryway forms a narrow hallway that spills into the rest of the home, use a runner that draws the eye and leads guests “down the red carpet”. Make sure your front door can clear it easily and that it doesn’t get caught up on any other furnishings.
- Add an interesting light fixture. Odds are your entryway has a ceiling-mounted or suspended fixture. But, is it truly interesting? If you moved into a subdivision, odds are you chose from a standard collection or a home where the standard option was chosen for you. Switch it out for something more interesting. A table with a lamp or a floor lamp is another homey addition, and it will create a nice ambient blow in the evening time. Whatever you do, make sure the light isn’t harsh or glaring, which can cause people to squint when entering from the outdoors on a dark night.
- Take advantage of reflection. If your foyer is tiny, take advantage of a mirror or reflective surfaces. Not only will they provide the illusion of more space, when they reflect the existing space back at you, they will also capitalize on any natural or artificial light. If the space allows, be thoughtful about what is reflected in the mirror, placing an attractive or interesting object directly opposite if possible.