What Does Your Entry Foyer Say About You?
First impressions are very important. The entry foyer is a designated area that creates a sense of place and is a transition from outside to inside. It is more than just the room you pass through to get to the rest of the house. As a professional interior designer in Bergen County, NJ, the entry foyer is a space where I am asked to unleash my creative juices and make a strong design statement.
What do you need to consider in the entry foyer?
#1. Set the tone.
Welcome home! This is where you put your best foot forward to welcome visitors to your home. All the elements need to be coordinated to make it all come together and establish your personal style. It is your first chance to make a statement with your home and gives guests a glimpse of your beautiful home beyond.
#2. Have a Focal Point.
Where do you want the eye to rest when in this space? Is it the chandelier or wall sconces, an unusual table or console, or a great a mirror? What about a beautiful piece of art or wonderful flooring? Maybe it’s the personal items on display that express your love for the collections you have put together? A unique wallpaper? A lovely area rug?
You need to determine this before you continue on. This is the space where adding interest pays off.
#3. Banish clutter by including storage.
Often having a specific place to put things helps to eliminate the messiness that can happen in the entry foyer. An easy to access bowl for your keys, a tray for the mail, a drawer for gloves, electronics etc. all help to eliminate the clutter that often accumulates.
A place to sit can provide the best way to put or on or take off shoes and/or boots in the entry. If there is storage inside that’s an added plus for scarves and hats.
#4. Embrace the light.
Depending on the size of the foyer, the ceiling height and style of the home will determine the main lighting fixture in the entry. It can be pretty dramatic. Or not, depending on your taste. But adequate lighting is very important for the functions of the entry…especially when you need to find your keys! You also need to see up the stairs. Consider a variety of lighting for this space and dimmers to keep the mood.
#5. Be practical. This is a functioning room.
This is the room that takes a beating. Visitors bring the outside in with them including pebbles, wetness, grime, leaves, and all sorts of dirt. Your floor selection must be durable and low maintenance but still be beautiful so you don’t have scratches all over.
Coats must be hung up, boots and shoes must be stored, purses are put down on furniture while freshening up. Your furniture should be able to withstand all that too.
#6. Use patterns or not?
This can be a dilemma for some. There are many options for flooring and walls. The paint color used in the entry foyer can be the best way to establish the color palette used in the whole house and emanates from the foyer.
