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Make an Entrance
Your entryway is the first thing you and your guests - and potential buyers - see when entering your home. To learn how to create a foyer that functions well and makes a great first impression, keep reading.
Starting from the ground up, consider your flooring. Because entryways are high-traffic areas, you'll want something durable and easy to clean, like hardwood, laminate or tile. For the "wow" factor, go for natural stone, slate, marble or granite - pricey, but a foyer is a great place to splurge since it's usually a relatively small area to cover. Consider area rugs, too; they help protect your floor, stifle noise, and lend warmth to hard surfaces.
A place to set down things like keys, mail and cell phones as soon as you walk in the door is a must. If your foyer is large enough, a table right in its middle looks impressive. For those with smaller entryways, a proportional table or even narrow wall-mounted shelving will provide enough space to stow such items.
If your entryway doesn't have a closet, where will you store coats and footwear? Larger foyers can accommodate an armoire or hall tree. Smaller spaces can be outfitted with a small mat or an attractive shoe rack so guests know where to put their footwear; items like coats, hats and umbrellas can be hung on a freestanding coat rack or attractive wall-mounted hooks.
Seating is another essential element of any fabulously functional foyer - many people like to sit when putting on or removing footwear. Where space allows, bench-style seating is great, especially when it incorporates underseat storage, convenient for keeping things like gloves, leashes and bike helmets handy but hidden. Many hall trees incorporate bench seating with storage. In small, tight-fit entryways, a chair will do the trick - opt for an armless one with a slim profile.
A mirror is every entryway's must-have accessory. In small entryways, mirrors create the illusion of more space; in dark entryways, they help brighten things up; and in all entryways, they're handy for giving yourself a once-over before going out. Consider installing a floor-to-ceiling mirror on one wall of a small entryway to really open it up.
Last but not least, your entryway should be well lit. You don't want shadows, lest anyone trip upon entering or exiting your home, or party guests to struggle distinguishing their pair of black shoes from the half-dozen other pairs by the door. Overhead lighting with a dimmer switch is ideal, so you can switch between mood and functional lighting.
Go Green
Swap out your incandescent bulbs for compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). ENERGY STAR® qualified CFLs use 75 percent less energy and last approximately 10 times longer, saving you about $30 over their lifetime and paying for themselves in about six months. By switching to CFLs, you'll save money buying fewer bulbs and lower your utility use.
