The front entryway to your house is the first place you and your visitors see when entering and leaving your house. Decorating the entryway to your house creates a pleasing and welcoming entrance. This house decorating concept includes providing space for coats, gloves, and keys. Your house does not have to have a foyer to apply these house decorating tips. If the front door to your house opens directly into a room such as the living room, you can still apply these interior design ideas.
Furniture
Use a small chest of drawers to hold gloves, scarves, sweaters, hats, or other foul weather gear. A shallow table, with or without drawers, is a good place for keys or to lay down the mail while removing your coat. For added storage, use one or more bookcases set side-by-side and painted to match the wood trim. Include one or two small lamps for ambience or to illuminate the entryway when no overhead lighting is available. Use baskets under the table to hold small clothing items or a purse. A coat tree is an option to consider for holding coats and scarves when there is no closet. Include a chair or bench near the entryway to sit down when removing boots.
Floor
A tile floor or other water-resistant flooring extending at least four feet out from the door helps to ensure wet shoes do not damage wood floors or carpeting. Instead of water-worthy flooring, or in addition to it, lay a non-slip rug in front of the door to wipe wet or soiled shoes or boots. The rubber backing helps to hold the rug in place. Read the label of the rug before buying to ensure the rug is machine washable. During the winter, use a second rubber-backed rug to place snow boots.
Walls
The color of the walls of your house entry should complement connecting rooms. Without a foyer, when your entryway opens into the living room, the wall color may match the living room. Depending on the house design, if the entryway is in a niche or short hallway, consider painting the walls a color contrasting to the living room. For instance if your living room is painted beige, paint one wall of your niche entry blue; if your living room is yellow, try purple or orange as the accent color for your entry area.
Hang a mirror near the door. Coming or going, people like to check their hair, especially if they are wearing a hat. If your entryway lacks a closet then mount hooks on the wall to hold coats, scarves, or dog leash. In small areas, a “floating” shelf can serve as a small table for keys. Choose pictures, plaques, signs, or other decorative wall art that goes with the décor of the room closest to the entryway.
