Room by Room Design - Entryway

First Impression is everything! In a previous blog we discovered that improvements to curb appeal added the most return on your investment. Read what curb appeal projects got the most return here. 
The next step is right inside the door. Entryway, foyer, main hall, whatever word you use for the area, it sets the tone for the rest of your home. What does your entry say about your home, shoe graveyard, mail center or blank slate? 
Let's tackle that entryway with a few easy steps.
1. Declutter. 
Move the mail to the kitchen, the trash can is there for the junk mail and you are not going to stand in the hallway looking at mail. Also you don't want the kids stopping inside the door and dropping book bags and shoes etc. The Drop zone is near the garage or further down the hall in a closet or room.  The Entryway is for the guests and for you to have a kid-free or junk-free pretty area;)
2. Space Planning.
Is it a grand foyer or small galley?  It may not fit a table or a bench, you may just have room for a shelf and a mirror.  So measuring the area and determining what can functional fit in the space is key. 
3. Design.
This area is the first introduction to your home, your style starts here and is reflected throughout the other rooms. My entryway is the only space that shows my style and is completed, because it doesn't require a big budget and I don't have to decorate around paperwork and a TV;)'
A great way to discover your style preferences is to look at photos of similar entryways. You can do old school with magazine pictures or you can search Pinterest for entryway designs you love. Once you find that dream look you can build your own design based on that photo. 

I have created a mood board around an inspiration photo I found on Pinterest from House of Turquoise. A mood board is a way to place your style with furniture, structure and textiles that create the mood you want for the space. A concept board is what designers will use once your style is defined and create a 2D or 3D layout of how the space will look with shop-able items. The boards I create are somewhere in between. I create design boards of actual items I find in stores or online that blend the clients style and that will fit the space.
Wayfair and Overstock are great online resources for most things from rugs to lighting. West Elm is great for a mid century modern look. Which is my favorite style. You can see other style design boards below I put together. 
An inspiration photo is a great place to start when you're looking at redesigning a space. Pick one item, like a rug and pull colors from the rug into accessories and paint color. Painting the inside of your front door gives character to the entry and a pop of color. Lighting is the final touch, the bling. I love a good stand out entryway light fixture! 
Enjoy the other style design boards below, and if you need a designer touch with your space. you can schedule an E-Design Consultation. See my home page for more information. Which design board do you like the most?

~gtg    gather transform gain
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