Be it a foyer, hallway, or open-concept space, the sight you and your guests see the moment you enter your front door is a powerful one. In other words, your home’s entryway is your one chance to make a good first impression.
In light of the holiday hosting season ahead, we sought out some expert tips on how to spot and cure common entryway mistakes. Here are the five things that could be making your entryway look bad and the solutions for each.
Mistake #1: Too Much Clutter
The weather can get pretty chilly surrounding Thanksgiving and Christmas, and designer Valerie Darden notes that this gathering-filled time of year is when your entryway is most susceptible to stockpiles of scattered coats, boots and gloves.
A cluttered entryway can make guests feel claustrophobic and disorganized the moment they enter your door.
“When guests enter, you want them to feel welcome,” Darden says. “It’s important to have a place for them to set keys, hang coats and place shoes.”
Darden says that you don’t need a big entry to pull off a calm and collected look. She suggests investing in shoe racks and storage benches to corral the visual clutter.
Additionally, consider storing your coats elsewhere before a big gathering to free up space, and limit each family member to one coat in the entryway during other times.
“It’s also a great idea to put a small trinket tray out for a nice place to store keys and change,” Darden says. “Things always look better in a tray!”
Mistake #2: Forgetting to Add Personality
Darden views your home’s entry as a place to really show off your personal style. So don’t forget to make room for art and trinkets that tell your family’s story and bring you joy each time you enter your front door. Or, consider making a statement with wallpaper or paint.
“Crafting a well-designed entryway is very important because it sets the tone for the rest of the home,” Darden says.
Your entry should also be on your list when it comes to decking the halls. Darden loves adding fresh winter branches in a large vase for a festive and fragrant flair in her entry. She completes the look by scattering vintage Christmas balls around the vase.
Mistake #3: Not Adding a Mirror
In terms of things making the entryway look bad, it’s sometimes an item’s absence that has the most impact.
“Not adding an entryway mirror can be a mistake,” Darden says. “This may seem silly, but adding a mirror can make your entry seem more spacious. It’s also a great way to give yourself a last glance look-over as you leave the home for the day.”
Mistake #4: Forgoing a Rug
Rugs can make a dramatic impact and add a soft texture to any room in your home, entryway included.
It might be tempting to skip adding a rug to your entryway for fear of keeping it clean. However, Darden notes that a rug can actually trap dirt and keep it from spreading into the other rooms in your home, and there are countless machine-washable rugs on the market these days.
Mistake #5: Poor Lighting
Darden believes lighting should never be an afterthought in your home’s entry. It offers a chance to make a beautiful design statement that draws the eyes upward, and it’s also functional.
“During the colder, darker months, good lighting is needed so we do not trip over ourselves,” Darden notes.
If you’re not a fan of overhead lighting, she suggests adding a table lamp to an entryway console table if you have the space for it.
A Bonus, Non-Visual Mistake
We’re all probably at least a little nose blind to the smell of our own homes. Darden says this can especially present an issue if you have pets.
It’s always a good idea to retrain your nose to notice the smells of your home. A good time to do so is when you’ve left the house for a while. Whether or not you notice any stale aromas, consider airing your house out on a regular basis by opening the windows. If you want to take it a step further, you can find a signature scent to apply to your entry to make it smell better.
“My recommendation is to invest in a lovely candle or diffuser with oil,” Darden says. “When guests come over, and the entryway smells fresh, they will feel like they are entering a nice clean space.”