Entryways are not just for passing through. No matter the size of your foyer, it can be both a welcome into your home as well as space to use creatively for your own lifestyle. Calling cards used to be left on the hall table furniture when people visited. Now the tables are turned to some extent, and your entrance is a special way to welcome family and friends home and introduce newcomers. Here are some new decorating and furniture ideas – from classic to contemporary – to make your foyer a true focal point, especially as the seasons of entertaining are fast upon us:
Ramsay Hall Console
- Updating a Classic: For generations, hall consoles have been stalwarts of the home. And if you are a traditionalist, you’ll enjoy the lines of this Ramsay Hall Console.
What will surprise you is the dramatic look of this console from the Melange furniture collection, which features both sophistication and the rustic feel of an English country house. Painted a fresh gray, it has a cherry veneer top as well as cherry knobs on the four convenient drawers for putting keys, gloves, and all matter of coming-and-going items.
Also, a long and narrow piece like this can have slender chairs placed on either end. And while a mirror is almost a given, why not do a series of mirrors in a variety of frames to complement the painted look of the console? Look for frames at estate sales and flea markets and paint or finish them to your taste. The space below the drawers calls out for a row of neatly placed boots–maybe not the riding ones of yore–but just as suited to your everyday life.
If you want to have just one focal mirror, you might want to assemble a collection of your favorite family photos, perhaps mixed in with shots from places you’ve visited. And these do not have to remain static; consider changing with the seasons. What about last year’s Halloween shots so you can compare this year’s crop of ghosts and goblins? Select frames that make the switching easy. At Christmas the lower shelves are a great place to stash the presents that might be on their way to grandma’s house just before Santa comes.
- A Dramatic Innovation: Sometimes we fall in love with a piece of furniture and wonder just where can we fit it into our home. Take this startling dramatic gold Caché chest. Granted it is an eye catcher, and just the thing to make the foyer a backdrop for something so artistic.
The Caché chest
There is an oriental flavor to the chest and you might care to carry out that theme in the rest of the foyer or be inspired to assemble and gild a great display of fall leaves or dried flowers. At Thanksgiving, add a beautiful large brown crock with sprays of bittersweet, and at Christmas a display of packages all in white with gold ribbons. You might want to top with a tiny tree festooned with gold balls in various sizes.
A bit subtler, but just as stunning, is this four drawer chest in a striking silver veneer. Having extra drawers in a foyer is a real plus.
Four-drawer silver leaf chest
Seasonal items such as scarves are conveniently stored, as are decorations. And as for decorative touches, black is a marvelous partner for silver–so mirror or picture frames can have that smoky look. A black and white tile floor would be another dramatic way to say welcome home. It never goes out of style–and placing tiles on the diagonal can make your space even more interesting.
Check the Experience Your Home blog this Thursday, August 30 for more ideas to help your foyer say, “Welcome home.”
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