Whether you have an expansive foyer, a narrow hallway or just a small area around your front door, the entry to your home is important because it’s the first thing guests see when they step through the door. It’s also the first thing you see, and it should welcome you home.
Beyond that, the entryway is a high-traffic space that needs to withstand muddy boots, wet umbrellas and anything else you drag in — and provide you with a place to stow all that gear. That’s a tall order, especially if you live in a small space without much of an entry at all.
How do you make the most of the entryway you have? We asked interior designers for advice.
“Entryways set a tone for the rest of the home,” said Aimee Lagos, who founded the wallpaper and home-goods company Hygge & Westwith Christiana Coop, a childhood friend. “It’s the first thing you see when you enter and the last thing you see when you leave.”
Creating a calm and inviting feeling is essential, but it isn’t easy in a place that tends to collect clutter. Ms. Lagos’s advice: “Having simple storage, such as a shelf for keys or cubbies for shoes, can help keep the chaos at bay.”
An example can be found in “Hygge & West Home: Design for a Cozy Life,” Ms. Lagos and Ms. Coop’s new book, which features a selection of interiors that embody the Danish concept of hygge, or cozy, design. In the foyer of a Sebastopol, Calif., home owned by Rachel Behar, an artist and a friend of Ms. Coop, a round mirror hangs above a simple, minimalist seating area with a tufted bench and a kilim pillow. On the opposite wall is a row of hooks for coats and hats.
“The bench is beautiful and practical, providing a place to put on or take off shoes, or a landing spot for bags,” Ms. Coop said. “The design maximizes the wall space, and Rachel has chosen simple yet stylish elements. The mirror has great lines, and the wood frame complements the bench. Then the pillow adds a splash of color and pattern to keep the area from being too neutral.”
For more read the full of article at The Nytimes
