For most of us looking to elevate and improve our homes, entryways are an afterthought: The entryway is your chance to make a great first impression on your visitors. Whether you have a large area to work with or narrow space, there are plenty of beautiful, practical, and affordable options that can take your entryway from a forgettable footnote to a warm and welcoming invitation into your home. 

Entryways are the perfect place to establish welcoming vibes in your home. Whether it’s a big foyer or a barely-there space inside the front door, this area is the first room you see when you walk into the house. Once your entryway is organized, everything that crosses it will last so much longer. By adding in doormats and shoe cabinets to keep shoes tucked away, you'll not only have a much clearer path to enter your home but your floors and shoes will also stay protected.

A good entryway design makes sure this room helps keep you organized on your way in and out and makes an excellent first impression on guests.

NOTE: Your entryway does more than welcome guests. It can also keep intruders out with alarms and smart sensors. Make sure your home and belongings stay safe when you're away by installing security features in your entryway.

Try out a few of these entryway design ideas for yourself and see what works best.

Your Entryway's Design and Decor:

The entryway is the first place you set foot into when you come home and the last place you see when you leave. Adding a few thoughtful touches can have a big impact on your entire day.

After thinking through all of the practical considerations, there is still one very important function of the entryway that needs to be attended to the personal touch. Think of your foyer as a first impression of your home. Not only does it provide functional storage and furniture pieces it connects the space to the rest of the house and creates a welcoming entryway for guests!

IDEAS: Framed family photos work in large or small spaces, making them perfect narrow entryway ideas. Choose your favorites, or feel free to swap them in and out at your pleasure. A photo collage or gallery wall will give your family something to admire as they come home each day, and can also give your visitors something to look at as they take their first few steps through your door. 

Mirror: 

Sometimes the best entryway designs are the simplest ones. All you need is a piece of art or a stylish mirror, a console or bench, and a few pops of decor.

Your entryway mirror should be front and center, with a few smaller decorations next to it that will busy up your area. However, you want to ensure that your mirror isn't hanging too high.

Mirrors are a great choice for entryways because they reflect light and can make a space feel bigger and more open. Mirrors also give you a chance to check your reflection before leaving the house.

Add Seating: 

The place to start with an entryway remodeling is to consider the ways you can make your visitors' first few seconds more enjoyable. Offering a place to sit and remove shoes is a great option, even for those looking for entryway ideas for small spaces. Consider a bench or chair in your entry to accommodate this need

But as a general rule, you don't want to place a sofa in front of a door because you don't want to block it, and you don't want people to walk into the back of the sofa. However, if there is enough space and the back of the sofa has nice upholstery, this look can work very well.

Additional Furniture: 

Utilizing furniture is a great choice, but something as simple as having two rugs, a statement light, or adding a special wall treatment (wallpaper anyone?!) to the entry can add to the illusion of separate spaces. A console table, a chest, or a cabinet is another great way to define an entry space. If you don’t have a lot of space to work with or don’t want to invest in a heavy-duty (and more expensive) storage piece, baskets are the way to go. They’re functional, affordable, and stylish—a triple threat! And there are so many style directions you can go with baskets.

To go for this option, choose your preferred basket—or two or three—and simply tuck it under a console or bench. To determine your essentials, think about your morning routine and what your “get out the door” needs are. 

Walls: 

Your entryway furniture doesn’t always have to be pushed against the walls. If you have a larger entryway or open foyer, consider “floating” a round table in the middle of the space. A floating table is a great entryway design option if you have a lot of square footage by the door and aren’t quite sure what to do with it.

Plus, you also need to make sure that what you have around the house compliments the wall design or color. But if you're into retro vibes, then mixing it up would be a great idea! 

REMEMBER: The secret ingredient that every polished space has is TEXTURE.

After all, all of these different elements should be chosen to reflect your own individual taste and to highlight the entrance to your home. Whether rustic or modern, simple or ornate, your front door should set the overall tone for your entryway as well as your home in general. Entryways might be small, but they don’t have to be an afterthought. With the right interior design attention, your entryway can rival any other room in the house!