First Impressions: Front Foyers

You never get another chance to make a good first impression. Isn’t that what our parents taught us? Just behind your front door should lay a space that is packed with personality, design savvy, and intrigue. Your foyer or front entry is the first impression visitors have of your home and the place where you say hello.

The foyer of a home has many important duties to perform:

• Offer a smooth transition from the exterior to the interior of a home.
• Welcome you home everyday. Keep in mind that it will also offer up clues to your personality and lifestyle as it welcomes family, friends and visitors.
• Keep visitors in suspense as to what lies ahead.
• Serve the functional duties of ‘storage central’, a place to remove footwear, hang coats and leave the keys and an umbrella.

Front foyer flooring

Entryways offer an opportunity to say something unique and special about its residents. Start with your flooring. Should you use ceramic, hardwood or marble? This space is usually relatively small so go ahead and choose an expensive or high-end floor. Think of the floor as an artist’s canvas, just waiting for pattern and colour. A great area carpet is an excellent option to cover up, add colour and enhance an existing floor.

Welcoming walls

Next, look at your walls. Traditionally, there is not a large amount of wall space in the foyer so be bold and choose a dramatic colour or pattern that reflects your design tastes and personality—deep charcoal for a contemporary style, sage green for an ‘old world’ look, blue for a 'La Provenance' style, or moss green for an adventuresome-safari-look. Remember that colour can give us many personality clues and will have the most impact on visitors. Wallpapers and faux finishes are good options for walls in this area. Investigate paper murals and faux paint options. Don’t forget about your fifth wall: the ceiling. The ceiling is an excellent opportunity for more colour and/or pattern.

Foyer furnishings

Your next step is to add the furniture. Yes, even the foyer can use a few pieces of furniture.

If you have the floor space, it is a good idea to have a chair or bench in the entranceway. A chair or bench is not only ascetically pleasing but it is great for an older or physically challenged person to use when removing or putting on their footwear.

An entry table is also great for placing decorative items on and the car keys or a handbag. If you are shy of floor space, a shelf can substitute for a table.

If your foyer has a limited amount or no closet space, you may also want to consider an armoire, antique phone booth or freestanding wardrobe. Consider a creative option to make a good first impression. Think outside the box or at least the closet.

Every foyer, regardless of style should have a mirror. Mirrors are functionally important for those last minute checks and they add style and light to a space.

Candles and flowers are also foyer design staples and both should reflect your decorating style, theme, and personality.

A first impression begins at your front door! Be creative and open your door to the possibility. Come on in!

Colour notes for the foyer

• Shades of blue will give visitors a sense that you are trustworthy and loyal a ‘ true blue’ friend.
• Shades of red will proclaim that you are a high energy, full of life and powerful individual.
• Shades of green will portray stability and balance.
• Shades of yellow will let visitors know that you are an Intelligent and cultured person, who is also cheerful.
• Shades of brown are warm and comforting.
• Shades of black are mysterious and elegant and say that you are a very grounded person.
• Shades of purple tells folks that you are creative and spiritual.
• Shades of orange say come on over for a good time! Orange is energizing and jovial.

Feng Shui

Does your entryway face a blank wall? An entrance that faces a blank wall can be oppressive and give the message of ‘no hope’ with respect to your future and dreams and may well limit your opportunities in life. Remedies are to mirror the blank wall or to install a pair of wall sconces and a wonderful piece of art work. It is also a good idea to add a wind chime to help circulate Chi.

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