A Warm Welcome

Entryway? Foyer? Mudroom? Vestibule?

Whatever you call your home’s entrance, it’s a very special area of transition. Cultures around the world have specific requirements for home entryways—from the balance of elements in China’s Feng Shui to the directional rules of India’s Vastu Shastra. The entry is important because it’s where you welcome your guests into your interior space—and where first impressions are formed.

All too often, entryways are an afterthought. In some homes, they’re purely functional: think coat hooks, indestructible floor mats and backpack cubbies. In other homes, entries are void of personality or cues to help visitors know what to do next.

A warm welcome

While your home’s entrance shouldn’t be cluttered, it also shouldn’t be empty. A great way to immediately welcome guests is by warming up your entryway with soft colors and textures.

A single, high-backed, bench settee fits into a small space. It gives guests a comfortable place to sit for removing shoes or boots. The durable, stone-colored upholstery provides a canvas for throw pillows of various patterns and textures in the same color family. Changing out throw pillows allows you to create different looks, depending on the season.

Black and white abstract artwork wraps around the settee, picking up the neutral colors while adding interest to the area.

Opposites attract

A glam chandelier on the ceiling creates one of our favorite contrasts: formal versus informal, shiny and new versus vintage and weathered.

A large sprawling white botanical in an elegant metal floor vase creates a spring-like feeling in the entry. Updating floral arrangements for each season is an inexpensive solution for keeping your interiors fresh.

Placing a larger piece of furniture in an entryway might be unusual. But in this case, a long, narrow entry hall and an unusual hutch form an ideal combination.

Constructed from weathered oak and raw metal, the hutch is uniquely informal, again adding to the tension between refined and casual. The base contains storage space for throws, pillows or even boots and winter gear.

The glass doors of the hutch are defined by the raw metal pattern with a medallion-like center. Inside the hutch are photos in glam frames, creating a contrast with the vintage books. Magnifying glasses and a mercury glass vase add shine, while full white blossoms create a feeling of anticipation.

Creating definition

A sideboard with a dark mahogany finish and front paneling marks defines the end of the entry and the beginning of the living room.

A circular metal handle on the sideboard doors adds a midcentury modern touch. On top is an extraordinary lamp featuring a glam, mercury glass base with a tuft-textured pattern and an unusual shaped shade.

The branch candleholder is one of our perennial favorites and another base piece that can be changed for seasonal freshness. Its silver color, contrasting with the white-pearl filled candle cups, creates a stunning effect against the dark sideboard.

Enter here

Neutrals in your home’s entrance area help visitors transition from the outside to the indoors. And a warm and welcoming entryway sets the stage for what visitors will encounter in the rest of your home. For help with choosing the right furniture, fabrics and lighting, visit with our creative team.