New This Week: 5 Stylish Front Entries
See how storage, lighting and decor can turn an entryway into a functional and fashionable space
Mitchell Parker
October 29, 2021
Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative trends, breaking news, industry analysis and humor.
Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative... More
A front entry sets the tone for a home. It’s often the first — and last — impression for you and your guests. That means an entry not only should look good but should accommodate the donning and shedding of things like shoes, keys, coats, bags and umbrellas. Here, designers share how they balanced form and function in five front entries.
1. Opening Statement
Designers: Dianne Kett and Amity Worrel of Amity + Kett Architecture and Interior Design
Location: Boerne, Texas
Size: 96 square feet (8.9 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The clients had a vision of a traditional-style home mixed with Northeast turn of the century, so we designed a foyer that gave cues to the home’s design style,” designer Amity Worrel says.
Main feature. “The focal point of the foyer is a beautiful paneled wall featuring brass sconces that highlight a piece of artwork sitting on a console,” Worrel says. “The staircase makes it all come together. It gives movement to the house, opens up the space and creates a connection between the two levels of the house as soon as you step through the door.”
Other special features. “The hardwood floors and wood stair treads contrast with the off-white paneled walls and the dark entry door,” designer Dianne Kett says. “The glass door and sidelights give plenty of light to the main entry and create a connection between the indoor foyer and outdoor front porch.”
The project also helped Worrel and Kett land a future client through Houzz. “We uploaded professional photos of this project, and a new client contacted us asking to design a new home in a similar style as this project, since they loved the photos of this house,” Worrel says.
Paint color: Swiss Coffee at 50%, Benjamin Moore
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Designers: Dianne Kett and Amity Worrel of Amity + Kett Architecture and Interior Design
Location: Boerne, Texas
Size: 96 square feet (8.9 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The clients had a vision of a traditional-style home mixed with Northeast turn of the century, so we designed a foyer that gave cues to the home’s design style,” designer Amity Worrel says.
Main feature. “The focal point of the foyer is a beautiful paneled wall featuring brass sconces that highlight a piece of artwork sitting on a console,” Worrel says. “The staircase makes it all come together. It gives movement to the house, opens up the space and creates a connection between the two levels of the house as soon as you step through the door.”
Other special features. “The hardwood floors and wood stair treads contrast with the off-white paneled walls and the dark entry door,” designer Dianne Kett says. “The glass door and sidelights give plenty of light to the main entry and create a connection between the indoor foyer and outdoor front porch.”
The project also helped Worrel and Kett land a future client through Houzz. “We uploaded professional photos of this project, and a new client contacted us asking to design a new home in a similar style as this project, since they loved the photos of this house,” Worrel says.
Paint color: Swiss Coffee at 50%, Benjamin Moore
Find an interior designer near you
2. Arch Support
Designers: S.O.F.T. Homes (interior design) and Seth Romig Architect
Location: Chicago
Size: 32 square feet (2.9 square meters); 4 by 8 feet. The entry hall is 64 square feet (5.9 square meters); 8 by 8 feet
Homeowners’ request. For this urban townhouse, the owners wanted the entry to be visually separate from the rest of the space. “The foyer creates that space to greet visitors and receive packages, and it acts as a threshold space, allowing the rest of the home to unfold and reveal itself as you move through the spaces,” architect Seth Romig says.
Main feature. “The interior arched doorway echoes the stone three-point arch on the original Victorian facade,” Romig says. “This distinctive detail sets the foyer apart from the rest of the interior, emphasizing the special nature of this bridge between the private home and the exterior space of the streetscape.”
Other special features. “We added wall paneling, a wall-hung shelf and drawer, and wall sconce lighting, and the designer selected a patterned floor tile to further heighten the level of detail in this smaller space,” Romig says.
Designer tip. “Adding density of architectural detail brings more subconscious attention to the smaller space and makes for a closer experience of the space, emphasizing this as a space to pause between exterior and interior,” Romig says.
Shop for benches
Designers: S.O.F.T. Homes (interior design) and Seth Romig Architect
Location: Chicago
Size: 32 square feet (2.9 square meters); 4 by 8 feet. The entry hall is 64 square feet (5.9 square meters); 8 by 8 feet
Homeowners’ request. For this urban townhouse, the owners wanted the entry to be visually separate from the rest of the space. “The foyer creates that space to greet visitors and receive packages, and it acts as a threshold space, allowing the rest of the home to unfold and reveal itself as you move through the spaces,” architect Seth Romig says.
Main feature. “The interior arched doorway echoes the stone three-point arch on the original Victorian facade,” Romig says. “This distinctive detail sets the foyer apart from the rest of the interior, emphasizing the special nature of this bridge between the private home and the exterior space of the streetscape.”
Other special features. “We added wall paneling, a wall-hung shelf and drawer, and wall sconce lighting, and the designer selected a patterned floor tile to further heighten the level of detail in this smaller space,” Romig says.
Designer tip. “Adding density of architectural detail brings more subconscious attention to the smaller space and makes for a closer experience of the space, emphasizing this as a space to pause between exterior and interior,” Romig says.
Shop for benches
3. Mirrored Moment
Designer: Cintra Sedalik of Interiors by Herlong
Location: Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowners wanted a space that could blend contemporary pieces with antiques passed down from their family,” designer Cintra Sedalik says.
Main feature. “The main feature of this foyer is most certainly the oversized custom mirror we had made for the space,” Sedalik says. “The foyer is situated alongside a double-height stair tower and within an 11-foot first-floor ceiling, so in order to capture the appropriate scale of the space, a custom mirror was in order. The mirror has antique edging, which is a detail used throughout the house, and is a nod to a respect for patina in a contemporary setting.”
Other special features. “We had to strike a balance in showcasing these pieces, working them into the interior architecture and choosing new pieces as well as new antiques to tie it all together. For example, the antique rug in the foyer adds texture and subtle color. The antique wooden shoe box brings in another collected element and juxtaposes the clean-line contemporary console table.” Shiplap walls add more texture.
Designer: Cintra Sedalik of Interiors by Herlong
Location: Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowners wanted a space that could blend contemporary pieces with antiques passed down from their family,” designer Cintra Sedalik says.
Main feature. “The main feature of this foyer is most certainly the oversized custom mirror we had made for the space,” Sedalik says. “The foyer is situated alongside a double-height stair tower and within an 11-foot first-floor ceiling, so in order to capture the appropriate scale of the space, a custom mirror was in order. The mirror has antique edging, which is a detail used throughout the house, and is a nod to a respect for patina in a contemporary setting.”
Other special features. “We had to strike a balance in showcasing these pieces, working them into the interior architecture and choosing new pieces as well as new antiques to tie it all together. For example, the antique rug in the foyer adds texture and subtle color. The antique wooden shoe box brings in another collected element and juxtaposes the clean-line contemporary console table.” Shiplap walls add more texture.
4. Flexible Foyer
Designer: Andrea Giles of Andrea Leigh Interiors
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: 56 square feet (5.2 square meters); 7 by 8 feet
Homeowners’ request. This is a custom new-build home. “The homeowners wanted to purchase the triptych photograph that they’d seen in Colorado that summer, so we designed the room around this piece of art,” designer Andrea Giles says.
Main feature. “The interior brick was one of the first decisions made by this couple, so it set the tone for this entry,” Giles says. “The brick is from Mexico and definitely a standout feature of the home. The same brick was used on the exterior and in the study. Then the art and the remaining pieces came together.”
Other special features. “We needed to provide privacy, because the door opens directly into their family room,” Giles says. “The builder came up with these pocket doors to solve for privacy, and we decided to make them green with a surprise X when they come together.”
Designer tip. “This couple does not allow shoes in the home, so we gave a nice entry bench for guests to sit and remove their shoes when entering the house,” Giles says.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
Designer: Andrea Giles of Andrea Leigh Interiors
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: 56 square feet (5.2 square meters); 7 by 8 feet
Homeowners’ request. This is a custom new-build home. “The homeowners wanted to purchase the triptych photograph that they’d seen in Colorado that summer, so we designed the room around this piece of art,” designer Andrea Giles says.
Main feature. “The interior brick was one of the first decisions made by this couple, so it set the tone for this entry,” Giles says. “The brick is from Mexico and definitely a standout feature of the home. The same brick was used on the exterior and in the study. Then the art and the remaining pieces came together.”
Other special features. “We needed to provide privacy, because the door opens directly into their family room,” Giles says. “The builder came up with these pocket doors to solve for privacy, and we decided to make them green with a surprise X when they come together.”
Designer tip. “This couple does not allow shoes in the home, so we gave a nice entry bench for guests to sit and remove their shoes when entering the house,” Giles says.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
5. Dramatic Delivery
Designer: Amy Hendel of Hendel Homes
Location: Wayzata, Minnesota
Size: 70 square feet (6.5 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. A beautiful entry that would separate the front from the main great room.
Main feature. “The lighting is a one-of-a-kind piece from Andreea Braescu, a Romanian artist,” designer Amy Hendel says. The fixture hangs from a light wood beam.
Other special features. Black-and-white marble flooring. Large window. Black metal-frame doors and arched transom window. The walls are painted in Silver Satin by Benjamin Moore.
Designer tip. “It’s nice to make an entry a formal space,” Hendel says. “To do that, use a special flooring detail.”
More on Houzz
The 10 Most Popular Entryways of Summer 2021
Read more entryway stories on Houzz
Browse entryway photos
Find a professional
Designer: Amy Hendel of Hendel Homes
Location: Wayzata, Minnesota
Size: 70 square feet (6.5 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. A beautiful entry that would separate the front from the main great room.
Main feature. “The lighting is a one-of-a-kind piece from Andreea Braescu, a Romanian artist,” designer Amy Hendel says. The fixture hangs from a light wood beam.
Other special features. Black-and-white marble flooring. Large window. Black metal-frame doors and arched transom window. The walls are painted in Silver Satin by Benjamin Moore.
Designer tip. “It’s nice to make an entry a formal space,” Hendel says. “To do that, use a special flooring detail.”
More on Houzz
The 10 Most Popular Entryways of Summer 2021
Read more entryway stories on Houzz
Browse entryway photos
Find a professional
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Where did you get the mirror in #4
These are all multi-million dollar homes. I would expect them to have beautiful foyers. However, one can still be inspired to use some of the design ideas you love- furniture, colors, textures, lighting, artwork, accessories, rugs, etc in their more modest homes. Just have to use your imagination.
I agree with pkatzzz, lots of great ideas here! Some of these rooms are probably bigger than my house, but there are some very nice features and special touches that could be scaled down and adapted to almost any home.