The entryway of a home serves so many purposes, not the least of which is to make a great first impression. It’s the space where the mantra “phone, wallet, keys” starts chanting in your head as you get organized and walk out the door, and where you first catch that familiar, comforting scent of home after a long work day. Regardless of the layout of your home, there are several entryway essentials and tricks that are sure to help you create a knockout entrance for greeting yourself, and your guests.
Storage
Create a chic, designated space for all of your stuff, whether it be keys, shoes, coats, or umbrellas, without putting it all on display with some of our favorite storage tips.
Coat Rack & Hooks
A home affected by snowy winters or long rainy seasons will undoubtedly need a rack at the front door to hang those heavy (and dripping) coats. Keeping them organized on hooks for easy visibility will make your mornings that much smoother. If you’re planning on having people over, it’s a great place to keep everyone’s coats and bags together so no one is left scouring the house for their purse at the end of the night.
Console Table
For the space sensitive, small console table is all you need if you’re just looking for a place to set down your keys and that latest bundle of mail. Use it create a beautiful vignette with table lamps and your favorite decorative objects. Tuck in ottomans or bins neatly underneath for extra seating and storage (more on this later!).
Chests & Cabinets
If you’re not much for organized clutter, hide everything behind cabinet doors. A chest of drawers can neatly store items like mail and documents, or even winter-wear in warmer seasons, and has a surface that can be easily styled up. Jackets and purses can be hung out of sight in a shallow armoire.
Bins & Baskets
With several styles available, bins and baskets are a chic solution for storing anything from scarves or shoes to umbrellas. They can also be conveniently hidden under a console or inside of a cabinet. A basket can serve as a place to organize mail or function as the all-important trash bin to help you immediately recycle junk mail before it gets too far past the door.
Lighting
While natural lighting from windows around the entryway is a refreshing way to start the day, it’s important to have a good light source in the evenings as well.
Chandelier or Pendant
Hanging a chandelier or pendant can help set the tone for the style of your home and act as a focal point of the entryway. Whereas a chandelier will cast a more diffuse light throughout the entryway, a pendant can shine a spotlight of sorts on a console setup. Think sputnik chandelier for a mid-century modern home, or an industrial pendant for a more eclectic space.
Sconces
A pair of sconces will illuminate a long hallway and can be a real space saver, especially if surfaces are in short supply. From wall lamps with a sleek, modern design to romantic numbers dripping in crystal tear drops, there are several styles available to light up your entryway. Hanging your sconces at a height of 66-72” should do the trick.
Table Lamps
Table lamps are ideal for a furnished entryway, i.e. one with a chest of drawers or table. A pair of lamps will look chic flanking stacks of books and decor accents along a console or on top of a dresser. Table lamps tend to add a sense of coziness, and also work as mere accent lighting if sconces or a pendant are already getting the illumination job done.
Decor & Artwork
Your style should extend to every corner of the house, including the entryway, so don’t forget to include some of your favorite art and decor pieces here as well!
Framed Art or Photos
A saturated painting or photograph can instantly brighten up an entryway, and can be displayed in several ways. A single oversized stunner can fill a large space and make a statement, but pieces can also be displaying in a gallery wall arrangement, or in a collection of casually leaning artwork.
Mirrors
We all like to make sure we’re our “best selves” before walking out the door and heading off to work or play, so hanging a mirror in the entryway is ideal. It also helps create the illusion of more space within a small entryway.
Rugs
Adding a stylish runner will protect your floors from trailing mud, provide a soft surface and coziness after you kick off your shoes, and also make your entryway design look finished.
Decorative Accents
Items like vases, figurines, and other decorative accents are must-haves for styling an entryway and are a get way to set the tone for your home’s style. Like larger artwork, wallpaper can make a big statement in a small entry. A bowl or catchall is the perfect functional accent for holding your keys and mail.
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Seating
Let’s face it. Some shoes are just harder to put on (and take off), so a nice seating area in the entryway never hurt anybody. Avoid that awkward one-legged jump and pull up a seat.
Chairs
Designing your entryway presents a fun opportunity to use that a single accent chair (or two) you love. Plus, a seat beside a cabinet or table will allow you to work in a lot of style, even in a small entryway.
Bench
A bench is one of the most versatile pieces you can add to your entryway. It can function as both seating and storage, and is the perfect solution to seating in a narrow space. Baskets can easily tuck underneath for extra spots to stash things away.
Ottomans
It’s always helpful to have an ottoman or two at the ready. Like bins and baskets, ottomans can also be nested beneath a hallway table and pulled out for guests. Extra points for storage ottomans!
Lead Photo by Nicole LaMotte