Making a grand entrance
Create the finest first impression possible by giving your entranceway a little love, writes Katie Newton.
It’s the first part of a house to be seen but often the last to have any love given to it. Yet creating an attractive entranceway always pays off, both in street appeal and the way it makes you and your visitors feel about arriving at your home.
The front door
Ryan Twomey, senior interior architect at Frobisher, is ‘‘a great believer in symmetry’’ for the exterior entrance of a house. ‘‘This can be achieved using oversized planters with specimen trees such as topiary bay leaf of olive either side of the front door,’’ he says.
An immaculately painted front door in a bright hue will add interest to your streetscape, or if you’re the understated type a glossy black or charcoal is classic.
Twomey says exterior lighting is also important, not only for safety and security reasons but also because of the drama you can achieve. ‘‘Spotlights or up-lighting creates great shadowing effects.’’
Providing shelter is essential, so ensure you factor in a covered area for the comfort of waiting guests or for shaking off umbrellas in the rain. Invest in a nice doormat as the finishing touch.
Step inside
Twomey says that the personality of those who live inside should be on show, right from when guests step inside. ‘‘The entranceway is the first chapter to the story of your home,’’ he says. ‘‘Make this an introduction to the theme and experience you and your guests are going to have entering and enjoying your home.’’
A rug helps define the space and is practical, while a spot for putting keys or mail is handy too.
Interior designer Bridget Foley suggests placing a table or console in the entrance with a nice pair of lamps, a mirror or artwork, flowers and a bowl for keys.
‘‘If there is room add a stool to sit and put on shoes - I have recently done these in deep buttoned velvet - this is a good way to add a splash of colour too,’’ she says. ‘‘The entrance should be welcoming and warm, for yourself as much as others. You want to love coming home.’’
Store your stuff
First impressions count, so it’s important not to have piles of clutter on show as soon as you walk in the front door.
Foley says: ‘‘I love Kartell Jellies coat hangers or their Olaf Von Bohr coat hooks to hang coats and bag. A coat cupboard is even better as shoes and school bags can go in there. A nice zinc pot can hold shoes and umbrellas.’’
Twomey sees a lot of new homes incorporating alcoves with a build-in bench seat for taking off and putting on shoes, with hooks above for coats and umbrellas.
‘‘For existing homes, I love a big rustic wedding trunk idea with storage inside for all those pieces you can throw into the trunk and hide from sight. Shoes, bags and coats are a part of everyday life, there is no point in fighting it. If the area is tidy and well organised this is all that really matters.’’
Faking it
Many smaller homes and apartments don’t have a designated entranceway, but rather a front door that opens straight onto the living area.
This type of open-plan living has its charms but anyone who’s found themselves struggling to take off their shoes standing up or looking for somewhere to hang their raincoat knows it’s not the most practical arrangement.
Adding a few coat hooks and a bench are two simple yet practical ways to create the feeling of an entranceway when there isn’t one.
Twomey himself has lived in a house like this and says he used a different flooring finish to define the space. ‘‘This was only very small rectangle area of timber which led onto carpet but it created a ‘‘zone’’ for the ‘entranceway’,’’ he remembers. A rug can do a similar job.
‘‘Another great idea is using a shelving system as a ‘‘wing wall’’ to create a barrier from the entry area to the living room beyond,’’ he says. An open sided bookcase doubles as storage, while a large plant or decorative screen would work too.
The important thing is to create a welcoming feeling, but not close the area off.