Your first impression upon entering a home will most likely stay with you throughout your entire visit. Perhaps without even being aware of it, you'll take in the decor, admire (or grimace) at the style of furniture, unique accent items, artwork, lighting, and an array of other details put together by its owner.
A home's entrance and foyer can be quickly dismissed in design plans, as it is too often passed through hurriedly throughout the day. However, it can potentially be one of the greatest and memorable spaces in a home. Not only does this area greet your guests as they enter your home, but what you will arrive to after a hectic day of facing the outside world. The space then, should signal a comforting refuge, and whatever you encounter there should feel like a warm welcoming.
You may keep things as simple or as elaborate as you wish, but if there’s one thing to keep in mind, it is that this area will be your first visual and “feel” for the rest of the home. A beautiful console and bench may be all that you find necessary for your entryway. Add a few accents such as vibrant potted plants, an accent mirror and lighting to brighten and widen the space. As you'll be passing through the entrance more frequently than other areas of the home, allow sufficient space for foot traffic, and designate storage space for items frequently used when coming and going. For example, if you live in an area with frequently changing weather patterns, you may wish to provide an umbrella holder and coat rack near the doorway. By appointing storage areas for articles based on your lifestyle, you'll be able to fully appreciate the convenience this space has to offer.
Hallways are other areas of the home that are commonly overlooked. However small these less lived-in areas may be, they can potentially become noteworthy passageways that connect spaces together, and this connection can contain just as much meaning as any other area in the home.
As hallways tend to be narrower areas, the décor and furniture pieces you choose to place within it should be selected with care. Be sure to allow plenty of walk-through space and do consider the dimensions of furnishings prior to purchasing. Since hallways connect rooms together, you may wish to use them as extensions to those rooms, and continue with similar themes and design elements.
The hallway above is an awe-inspiring example of blending elegant, modern decor with efficient design. To keep the area airy and spacious, lighting is built flush with the ceiling which creates a clean and minimal aesthetic. This also cleverly highlights the focus below: an unforgettable compact lily pond. The self-contained pond imparts a tranquility that sets the ambiance for the rest of the space. This magnificent hallway is further illuminated by transparent pedestals lit from the bottom, and each one displays a simple, yet elegant floral arrangement.
So before dismissing any area of the home simply for lack of space, re-imagine these areas as purposeful and inspiring greeters, connectors, and passageways for the special people who pass through them. To quote British architect and furniture designer, T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings: “Why do we love certain houses, and why do they seem to love us? It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in our surroundings.”
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