Question: My husband and I live in a 1,500 square foot town house. The problem is the entry. As you walk in, there is a door to the garage on the right and straight ahead is a door to the half bath. On the left is a short wall and on the side with the entry door is a tall, vertical window. How can I make the entry dramatic and welcoming with all these doors?

The area is painted pale green with white doors and trim. There is an antique cabinet between the garage and bathroom doors and a small trunk with a plant in front of the window, and a small Oriental rug on the wood floor. Any suggestions would be most helpful.

Luana of Benecia

Answer: Dear Iuana:

The entry area to a home is where your guests are welcomed and is often the place where the person who lives comes home into, can shut out the rest of the world behind them and say, "I'm home, at last."

Unfortunately, this critical area of a home is sometimes where the least attention was paid when the house was designed. And it's not a problem limited to smaller homes; small entry foyers with lots of doors and passages into other rooms is a common problem found in both large and small homes alike.

When homes with this dilemma were designed, whoever planned the space and layout neglected to take into consideration how important the entry is. This space wasn't considered "living" space with multiple functions, therefore, it was given the least amount of square footage possible.

But the entry foyer does in fact have a lot of different purposes and spatial needs. The functional aspect is not only to create entry into the house and passage to other areas, but to prove a space to leave coats, house keys, small packages and mail. If that weren't enough, it's also where you greet your guests upon their arrival and say farewell upon their departure. Of course, the esthetic aspect needs to be warm and welcoming.

So our challenge is how to make this small space not only functional, but inviting and attractive as well.

The first and easiest thing to consider in making this space warm and inviting is the use of color on the walls. Cool colors will make the space seem foreboding. Dark colors will make the space seem even smaller. Both these color choices have the opposite effect we want to achieve, so when designing the space keep this consideration in mind and work with light colors in warm and rich tones.

Wallpaper can also help create that inviting feeling. The pattern should be fairly small, or even have a "faux" finish to it that creates the illusion of a slight texture on the walls.

The second item to consider are the floors. Area or "scatter" rugs are necessary to protect the floors and carpets in the rest of the house from dirt. But at the same time they make the space seem smaller. They're a practical necessity that should be selected to visually blend rather than contrast with the color of the floor or carpet. This will keep the space open to the eye.

Furniture placement may be necessary to perform the function of catching the stuff we carry into the house and need to drop off until it can attended to later; mail, cell phones, packages, etc. It's probably where most people leave their house keys until it's time to leave again. If the furniture is placed on the floor is will use up "eye" space. "But where else can it go?" you ask. How about placing this furniture on the wall. On the wall? Yes, use a small table that's attached directly to wall. These tables are available in a variety of shapes; half circle, or "demi-lune," square, or oblong. These little wall tables can be attached directly to the wall and are perfect for a functional and esthetically pleasing solution. You might even find one with a drawer in it to store your house keys and garage door opener!

Don't overlook how important the lighting is in this small space. An attractive, albeit small, overhead light, chandelier, or wall sconces will create the light you need without taking up more floor space. Be sure that the lights you choose are on a dimmer switch. You can set the dimmer at a lower level to create a soft glow and add warmth but still have the option for stronger light when you need it.

The final phase is to find and create attractive decorations to make this area even more inviting. Place a small vase of flowers or plant on the entry table and hang a piece of art on the wall over it to create a "tableau" for the eye when you enter the foyer. Consider the possibility of hanging fabric swags around the entry table or as drapes around some of the doors to the other rooms. If the entry has a low ceiling use fabrics with vertical stripes; it will make the ceiling appear higher.

Whatever you choose to do to enhance your entry, remember that it's the first impression your guests will have of your home, and the last they'll have when they leave. It's also the first and last thing you might see when you come in and leave. In either case, be sure that it gives the impression of your home that you want to convey and have remembered.

 

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