What do you want to say about your house?
The entrance to your home marks the boundary between the external and the internal, the line between the world out there and the world you have created for yourself inside your home. Your entranceway can also make quite a statement about the home you are about to enter.
A tangle of muddy sports shoes, a pile of overdue library books, a neglected vacuum cleaner sulking in a dark corner might convey and air of casual relaxation (or a health hazard).
On the other hand, a marble tiled foyer complete with fountain and a footman suggests a slightly more formal atmosphere.
Chances are you are probably aiming for something in between and there's a lot of scope for filling the ‘in between' space between your front door and the heart of your home with character and style.
Flow
A sense of flow from outdoors to indoors can be created by using the same or similar flooring materials and colours. Coloured, scribed concrete is a popular surface these days and is equally practical indoors and out. Tiles are another way of creating continuity, perhaps using an exterior and interior version of the same tile.
One thing you should consider when designing your house is whether you want to create an entrance way that is contained and quite distinct from the rest of the house, meaning that visitors can't see directly into other areas of the house, or whether you are happy to have a ‘view from the door' as you get typically find in old villas, where the door opens straight onto the central hallway.
The Door
The door itself can say something about the home. A heavy wooden door with a big brass knocker suggests something traditional and solid about the home. But paint the door pink and it might suggest something else entirely. A partially-glazed door can give you the chance to check out who is on the other side, but if its clear glass in or around the door remember that you can also be viewed.
Use the space
Inside the front door it's a question of what to put in and what to leave out. ‘Nothing' is probably a good idea if you are going for a minimalist approach. Use the space simply as space. It will either say that you are entering a very serene place, or a monastry.
If space allows, a hall table enables you to create a small tableau… with flowers, family photos, a small figurine. Alternatively it can become a great place to stack those overdue library books. Getting practical, a place to hang keys is a good idea, and a shoe-rack is sensible particularly if you have muddy sports shoes coming through the front door.
Flooring
The flooring surface needs to be carefully considered. Generally, hard-wearing surfaces that can be scrubbed down are more sensible than carpet. A tiled entrance way can be either grand, or rustic, depending on the type of tile you choose. If you are tiling, consider creating a simple design either using mosaics, tile inlays, or using other materials such as timber or pebble as an inlay to create interest and break up big expanses of tiling. Check out the entranceway on a home at Omaha Lagoon...
A hall carpet or runner over wooden floors or tiles can also add warmth, colour and texture.
Walls
Wall surfaces should also be durable. This is an area that takes knocks – particularly from pushchairs and when large items of furniture, or household appliances are delivered (a narrow hallway can make it difficult to maneuver things through the door). James Hardie Hardigroove Panels are a good solution here. Made from durable fibre-cement, Hardigroove takes the knocks, can be painted any colour – and recreates a very traditional look when used to dado height.
Lighting
Lighting is probably the most important consideration for entrances and hallways. Good natural light either through windows or skylights is important. The same consideration should be given to artificial lighting as you would give to any other room of the house. A dimly lit entrance way isn't desirable, but an over-lit one can be even worse. Use a combination of overhead lights and up-lights or spot lights on the walls – particularly to highlight and focus attention on artwork.
Read more about lighting design considerations and see our room-by-room lighting guide.
Check out the entranceways on these TV Showhomes:
