Design an Entrance Hall
An old saying reminds us how important the entrance to our home is. It’s how people get to know us and how we live. From here, we greet the world and make the first (and last) impression on family, friends, and other guests.
Warmth, light, and comfort. This is the message we want to send when we open our front door, no matter how big or small the hall is. Hallways are often seen as a waste of time, probably because so many of them are dark, small, and badly made. But with a little help from some fun decorations and smart lighting, this unloved space can become a sign to the world that we are here.
How to Design an Entrance Hall?
Many types of flooring can be used in an entrance hall, giving excellent decorating opportunities. Hard floors like stone flags, marble, terracotta tiles, or wood are all good choices for a traditional home. If you are lucky enough to live in a Victorian house, you might find some beautiful encaustic tiles under a more modern covering. The colors of these tiles could be the key to your design scheme.
Carpeting is also fine, but make sure there is a doormat at the front door. Ideally, it should be set in a well so that its surface is flush with the rest of the flooring. This will keep dirt from getting tracked all over the house.
Lighting is a big part of how people feel when they walk into a room. An exterior light (perhaps a lantern for a traditional home and a downlighter for a more modem approach) will signal your presence and guide the visitor to your door. The hall should have a lot of light and should be pointed at what you want to show off. This could be a floor with beautiful stencils, a sculpture on a pedestal, or a big vase full of fresh flowers.
Table lamps give off a very cozy, soft light, while an uplighter on the floor behind a beautiful plant will make shadows dance across the room.
How you decorate this room will depend a lot on how much space you have. Whatever you do, don’t put anything in here that will make it hard for people to move through this “terminal.” Important things to have are a place to put mail, newspapers, house keys, etc., an umbrella holder, a place to hang coats, and if there’s room, at least one chair.
If you want to store coats in a closet, make sure it has good airflow (louvered doors are great) so that damp clothes can dry out. A wall mirror is also very useful for making last-minute changes. It will also make a space feel bigger and brighter, which is great if the room isn’t very bright. The backs of the chairs will be very visible against the wall, so choose furniture for its looks.
