Today I want to talk about entryways. They usually are small, boring and used as a drop zone when you walk in through the door, right? But entryways are also the first place to give a good impression of your home.
An entryway greets your guests and provide storage for all the essentials that you will need before heading out of the door, like keys and wallets. By creating a functional entryway will help your family hectic life and keep the chaos at bay during the morning routine.
Have you thought about, what first impression someone will have of your home with your entryway right now? Does it create a welcoming space that invite your guests in? Is it clutter-free, so nobody will trip on shoes and bags lying on the floor? If you answered no to the last 2 questions, keep reading and I will show you simple steps to style a welcome entryway, create a clutter-free zone that will greet and make a great first impression on anyone that walk in through your door.
Console table
Console table is the must-have furniture in an entryway. Choose one that has drawers so you can store keys and wallets safely, add a drawer divider to keep things tidy inside. A shelf underneath is a plus on a console table, you can add baskets, a vase and some decor items to create texture, visual interesting and extra storage solutions for scarves, hats and gloves. If you don't have space for a console table, please keep reading, I will show you alternatives at the end.
Mirror
"I've never go out of the door without looking at the mirror for a last makeup check". I think that is normal for most of the people to check themselves in the mirror before leaving. But mirrors are not just for checking us but they also reflect light and as a result it brighten up the space making it more inviting. Any shape of mirror will do, round, oval, square, rectangular, as long they work with the rest of the decor style you are creating.
Now, if you already have a full length mirror on another wall in your entryway, you could replace the mirror above the console table with art or prints to bring some personal touch and colour to the space.
Everything in its place and a place for everything."
Lighting, Greenery, Books & Ornaments
The beauty stuffs, the items that will add a personal touch, character and create a welcoming space they also have their space at the entryway. Add a table lamp at one side of the console table and a vase with greenery or flowers on the other. Try to create a balance with their heights. Between them, add some books, ornaments, a little bowl with some natural elements inside and some candles. Create an appealing visual scheme by playing with different heights and texture
The decoration of the table is all about creating a beautiful scheme with different texture, pattern, shapes and heights. If your table doesn't have drawers, you can use a little bowl as a catch all for keys and wallets to keep the clutter at bay.
Seating area
Don't forget to add a stool, chair or bench, where you can comfortably remove shoes and put them away. Locate the seating area close to your shoe cabinet or closet to make it easier to store the shoes away immediately after removing them. This will avoid shoes lying around on the floor because it was difficult to reach the cabinet or closet.
Rug or runner
Add a runner or rug with a beautiful pattern to bring some colour and texture to the floor. Even if you have the area carpeted it's still worth to add a rug to create a finished look and add some extra layer of warmth.
Shoe cabinet or closet
"Lastly, the functional items that will contain the clutter is also a must-have. A shoe cabinet or closet, or even both if you have the luxury of space". An entryway without allocated space for shoes is prone to end up like a war zone. You must have some kind of storage facility for all the shoes, be it a shoe cabinet, there are some very slim version that won't take much space, or you can create a closet under the stairs, if you have one. Closet under the stairs can be used not only for shoes but for coats, bags and everything else that needs to be stored close to the entrance. Don't use the closet to store regular clothes, or as a damp ground. If you have the space under the stairs, try to make the most used of it, don't waste it.
Alternatives
I know some of you live in very small houses with very small entryways or no entryways at all, going straight to the living area. If you don't have space for a console table, add a narrow shelf to the wall close to the entrance or add a cover to the wall radiator (usually entrance has a wall radiator) and the cover could be used as a console table. A basket in a corner can be used to store accessories, a small stool for seating down to remove the shoes, and hooks on the wall to hold bags, coats and keys. There are plenty of wall storage solutions for small space at high street shops or online. Pinterest is a great source of inspiration. The shelf on the left is from Amazon with extra shelf for baskets, a vase and ornaments.
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