15 Inspirational Ideas for a Better Foyer

Edited by: Maureen Barre

Your foyer is the first opportunity to make a welcoming impression on your guests and provide you with a warm welcome home. Here are some tips to help you with impact, style and function as you think about your plans for 2021.

Successfully uniting fun and practicality, this entryway manages to make space to hang both outerwear and decor items. An array of coats can be displayed on hooks attached to reclaimed wood, while flowers and antlers perch atop box shelves to add a playful touch.

Airy and Intimate

Big and bold blooms (whether real or artificial) help a small space exert maximum impact. The board and batten bench delineates the entry area, and a basket placed on the long seat serves as a catchall for decor or functional items like keys, mail, and gloves.

Determined Minimalist

Sophisticated and simple, this entry accommodates essentials—and little else, which helps to keep spaces and psyches alike spotless and untroubled. While this option looks nice in pictures, it is probably best attempted by those who have no problem remaining clutter-free.

Think Green

Smooth the transition between indoors and out by adding a bold display of houseplants to a sunny foyer. The greenery gives a cheerful welcome to guests, whether they visit in winter or summer.

A Little Bit Country

In It's Right Place

Let not the foyer become a destination for whatever junk you bring through the door. In this bold and beautiful entryway, everything finds its place. A wall-mounted board holds reminders and notes to family members, a colorful tray placed atop the console makes space for keys and mail, and the bike rack on the wall at the foot of the stairs keeps two-wheelers out of the path of foot traffic.

Step Up

If your front door opens onto a staircase, as does this split-level home, embrace the dimensions of your space. Turn the stair landing into a foyer by adding thoughtfully placed hooks and a console with storage for seasonal garments or supplies.

Dynamic Wallpaper

Make a dramatic impact in a narrow entryway with colorful patterned wallpaper. A slender bench and storage console in the middle of the hall hold the essentials and provide space to put shoes on and off.

Cozy and Clean

A small nook is the perfect place to take a load off at the end of the day. Equipped with a storage bench, this entry is sweet, simple, and useful. The bench gives you a place to take off your shoes, while the shelf gives you a place to hide them.

Simple and Welcoming

Rather than trying to force function into a small space, take the opportunity to make a personal impact through a collection of objects and artwork. A basket under the console allows for out-of-sight storage of any items that might detract from the display.

Something Out of Nothing

If your home enters directly into a room, a few well-positioned furnishings can create the illusion of an entryway. Here, all it takes is a place to hang your coat and spot to throw your keys.

On Display

An awkward corner in the entryway, or a closet with the door removed, makes a handy spot to add a set of shelves. Use the lower shelves as shoe racks, the middle rack for baskets to shelter gloves, scarves, or hats, and the upper shelves to elevate the space from the purely functional.

Makeshift Solution

No entryway? No problem. If your front door opens onto a large room, build some walls (or fake them) and create your own foyer. Here, a folding screen is held in place by a bench on one side and a TV console on the other, creating a boundary that breaks up the space. With the inner door opened, a glass storm door lets in light, illuminating the foyer.

Open and Orderly

The entryway shown here was made to seem roomier by removing the closet door, creating one unbroken space. Baskets, shoe racks, and corner shelves help keep everything in its place, while making it all look good.

Serene Surroundings

Your home is your sanctuary, so treat it like one by creating a peaceful welcome that will make the day's stresses fade away. Wood accent furniture and stone walls set the tone in this entry, but you can easily mimic the look with other natural elements that speak to you and suit your decor.