What do you need in a home entryway? 5 fundamentals of entryway decor

The first room that greets you as you and your guests arrive into the home, a well designed entryway should make a great first impression, and create a warm welcome as soon as you step through the door.

A transitional space, your entryway should still remain uncluttered, organized and connected to the rest of your home, as well as being able to withstand the busy demands of people passing through each day. So, finding the perfect balance between what looks good in an entryway and a space that is functional and practical is key for successful entryway ideas.

From the flooring to the final finishing touches, to help you create the perfect entrance for your home, we will guide you through our five fundamentals for when designing an entryway.

The fundamentals of entryway decor – how to transform this transitional space

Follow our five foundations for designing an entryway to create an entrance where you will want to linger a little longer rather than simply pass through. 

1. Invest in the best storage

An entryway is often a home for shoes, coats, bags and many other everyday household objects, so planning practical storage solutions and creating homes for these items will help to make the space feel more calm, organized and most importantly, welcoming.

From large custom cabinets designed to fit around the architecture of your home, to more simple options such as baskets and hooks, there is a range of entryway storage ideas to choose from to best suit your space.

In this beautiful converted cowshed in Dorset, owned by Susannah and Ivan Forsythe, interior designer Samantha Todhunter has brought tactile texture and the timeless nature of natural materials into the entrance through a collection of bull rush baskets by Primrose.

Both visually appealing and highly practical, the baskets have been placed neatly under the console table and bench, establishing multiple storage zones to keep logs and blankets. The large Tanjore rattan table lamps by Oka also work in harmony with the baskets to create a cohesive look, rich with inviting natural texture.

Samantha says of the design, ‘I think the hit of gloss from the console combined with the woven textures is really cool and avoids the scheme becoming cliché.’

2. Introduce color and pattern

Rooms such as entryways and hallways are often left behind when it comes to planning impactful, colorful designs, however, they can actually be the perfect place to experiment with bold color and pattern, as we are only ever in these areas of the home for a short amount of time. 

An entryway is one of the main rooms in the home that connects us to the outdoors, so enhancing this relationship and using the color green in the space can create a unique, indoor outdoor effect, and bring in the beauty of nature’s palette. 

As shown in this entrance, the patterned green wallpaper is complemented by the painted green wall and green chair, with the use of the rustic natural materials such as the stone flooring and beautiful wooden console table, elevating the connection with nature even further.

Winning entryway colors and entryway paint ideas pay attention to the mood, size and natural light, so make sure that you choose a color palette that you not only love, but can live with.

3. Think about entryway furniture

Shelley Cochrane, buyer at Furniture Village says, ‘as a transitional space within the home, it's important that the entryway is clutter-free, well-lit, and consciously styled in-keeping with the rest of the interior. The key to striking the perfect balance is to choose entryway furniture and decor that are both beautiful and functional'.

The plush, velvet red sofa in this entryway creates a striking focal point, as well as a stylish contrast with the blue and white scheme. The comforting sofa also provides a handy area to sit and take off and put on shoes, or, to simply sit, relax and enjoy the space.

From sofas to cabinets and benches, carefully planning how your furniture can integrate with the size and functions of your entryway, as well as with your style, will create both a practical and inviting space.

4. Lay down flooring

An entryway is a busy, high traffic area where we come and go through the day, so choosing an entryway floor that is both durable and efficient, as well as stylish and rich with character will help your floor stand the test of time. 

An incredibly versatile option, tiles have been used in entrances for hundreds of years, creating a smooth, hard-wearing surface that can also act as a canvas for a beautiful, decorative design. 

Colin Roby-Welford, Fired Earth's creative director says, ‘an entryway or hallway really sets the scene for a home, creating a welcoming first impression and providing a clue as to what might lie beyond. Patterned tiles are a perfect choice for the flooring, and they're forgiving too, since they won't show every hint of a footprint (something that's important to bear in mind wherever people are coming in and out regularly).’

5. Consider efficient lighting throughout 

Lighting is one of the most important aspects of designing a room, and for an entryway, you want the space to be well-lit and bright at all times of day. It is also worth considering adding accent and mood lighting to the space, such as a table lamp on a console table or wall light beside the front door, as these touches will create inviting pools of light, helping to make the room feel more homely, unique and intimate.

Charlie Bowles, Director of Davey Lighting says, ‘done properly, entryway lighting will create a warm, inviting feel the minute you step through the door. The entrance should feel like a path through your home, leading you from one welcoming room to another. Lighting is a key factor in emphasizing this sense of progression. As hallways and entryways tend to be long, narrow spaces lacking natural light, they require specific solutions to provide illumination and increase the perception of space.’

The collection of metal and glass globe pendant lights in this hallway create an inviting path of light, as well as eye-catching visual interest and elegant decoration to the ceiling.