How to Make Your Home Breathtaking Just by Opening the Front Door
As you tour this Spring’s Parade of Homes, you’ll see a lot of entryways that are both welcoming and impressive. Here are some great tips from our guest blogger, Lee Flynn, that can help you create a great entry to your home. Photo above shows a welcoming entry at Parade Home #299 by Creek Hill Custom Homes
The first place in your home that visitors catch a glimpse of is your foyer. The entryway summarizes a home’s style and braces guests for what to expect when they explore the rest of the house. Since the first impression is a lasting impression, it is important to focus considerable effort in sprucing up the foyer of your home. Here are a couple of ideas on how to make your home breath-taking by enhancing your entry way.
The Color of Your Front Door
Stained wood front doors are still popular, and show a contrast to the trim and siding of the new Parade Home #142 by Homes by Tradition.
Many cultures consider a home’s front door to be the source of opportunities. In Feng Shui, abundance and prosperity is portrayed by a blue door while peace, harmony, and balance are portrayed by a green door. The color of your entryway speaks volumes about your house. A fresh coat of paint on your front door can do wonders in boosting the image of your home. Before you settle on a color, choose the mood you intend to symbolize. Blue is a common choice for reflecting tranquility. You can also opt for an attractive color such as purple, rich turquoise, or deep red to create a fun and flamboyant atmosphere.
Entry Way Flooring
Hardwood flooring plus a neutral pattern rug welcome guests to the foyer from Judge Homes #463.
The entrance of your house is a high-traffic region that should be kept clean and neat. The first cleanliness measure is to invest in an ultra-absorbent rug to trap dirt and water and to keep off muddy shoes or snow from your tiles or carpet. The next step would be to switch to tiles or hardwood for your entry way flooring as they last longer than other alternatives. Always make sure your foyer flooring is in good condition by mending, fixing or replacing the flooring at the entrance where necessary. Another overlooked flooring aspect is carpet cleaning. Dirty carpets promote mold, fungus, and a foul smell in the house. Ensure you hire carpet cleaners regularly to ensure you indoor carpet and interior rugs are clean at all times.
Entry Way Furniture
Reserve a seating area in your foyer, for sorting mail, taking off one’s shoes, and other entrance related tasks. If there is room at your entrance, you can place a chair, but if there is limited space use your creativity. Stools and benches are ideal for small spaces. You should also consider setting a slug bench against the wall to act as a place for guests to temporarily set their bags, or personal items.
Wall Display
Barnwood is a hot material these days, and can create a one-of-a-kind entryway, like the one in Parade Home #31 by Robert Thomas Homes.
A great way of setting the tone of your house is by using wall displays. Souvenir art pieces do not only portray one’s taste in antique items but also signifies class. Art work or fabric further enchants your guest even before they have a chance to tour the rest of the house. It gives your guest an idea of the theme of the house. Ornamental mirrors can be used for visual interest and to allow guests (especially women) to attend to their looks. Mirrors also reflect light to your entry way making it appear bigger than it actually is.
Overhead Lighting
Lighting provides ambiance and gives life to your entryway. You can use a lamp placed on a table for a soft glow when you want minimal lighting but it is better to invest in overhead lighting like chandelier or pendant. Choose something that reflects the lighting of the entire house. Additionally, fix an attractive ceiling fixture that complements the style of your home décor.
Don’t Neglect the Outside
The entrance of your home is not the only thing you see once you open your front door; it is also what you see when approaching your front door. Clean your front steps and porch, prevent water damage, attend to stained siding and ruined windows, and unclog gutters and debris along your entryway. In addition to these measures, consider using a welcome mat and potted plants or other small fixtures to make the walk to your door way enjoyable.
The first impression one gets when they are at your doorstep is important if you want to maintain a good image of your home. The six tips mentioned above are guaranteed to make your home breathtaking to any guest even before they have a chance to see the other rooms in your home.