Make the most of your entryway

First impressions are important, which means your entryway makes a big difference to how people perceive your home. You want it to be beautiful yet functional for both your family and your guests. And while you’ve probably seen beautiful grand ones that you’d kill for on Pinterest, most of us don’t have big enough homes that require that kind of entry. Here are some tips for an inviting, warm entryway that works for your family.

What kind of space do you have to work with?

The first thing to do is to figure out what kind of space you have to work with. Some people have long, narrow hallways that lead to the rest of the home while others have a big hallways with a lot of space to work with. Some might not have any space at all, as the front door opens right up to the living room or kitchen. The kind of space you have will determine a lot of what you are able to do. Here are some ideas based on the space that you have available.

 

• No entryway at all: If your home opens right up to a room leaving you with little space for an entryway, you can do a makeshift mud room in your coat closet. All you need to do is remove the door and add a bench and some hooks on the wall in the closet. For a more expensive look, you can add batten board and more shelving. It provides functionality and a place for you to put accent pieces to make your home feel more inviting.
• Long, narrow hallway: These types of hallways are hard because decorating them often makes it feel even tighter than it already is. One great idea is to get a front table for the space. They sell ones that are just a couple of inches deep, so you can put it in your space without taking up too much room and still have a place to set welcoming decorations for your guests.
• Larger hall: With a larger hall, you have a lot more room to play. Remember that for functionality purposes, having a storage bench is a really great idea. It can hold hats, coats, shoes, etc. while also giving everyone a place to sit while putting all those things on. Hooks for holding coats is also very functional for the space. A table or shelving work very well to personalize the space too.

 

Get personal

The more personal things you put up, the better. Of course, you should start by covering up anything ugly in your entryway such as getting baseboard radiator covers in place to disguise the ugly baseboard radiators, but adding little knick knacks to the space will make it feel complete. Functionality comes with the benches and shelving, but personalization is what really brings it home and gives the first impression that you really want for your guests.

Source: Huffington Post

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