No Entry Hall? Create the Illusion of One

Many of us have a front door that opens unceremoniously and without any apology directly into the living area. While this certainly saves on square footage, it does not give us much opportunity for a proper entry. So how can you create entry ambience?

Create an entry hall with your furniture placement. In this case the back of the sofa effectively produces the feeling of an entry hall. You could gain the same effect with a pair of chairs.


Add a sofa table. If you have the space, add a sofa table behind the back of the furniture. You’ll gain storage for keys, mail and (if there’s a lower shelf) even shoes — all the paraphernalia that ends up in our entries.


Add seating. Adding a pair of benches under that sofa table takes no extra room, but it gives the option for additional seating or a place to remove shoes if that is your wont. It also adds a layer of design that warms and welcomes.


Build a half wall. If your front door is at the end of your living area rather than in the middle, a pony wall could be an excellent way to create a sense of division and the suggestion of an entry.


Add an area rug. Adding an area rug or a floor mat that fits the entry space you have created will enhance the perception that you really do have an entry. The floor covering will also help capture some of the inevitable dirt and mud that will come through the front door.


Turn your hall closet into an alcove. I love this idea! Taking the doors off a hall closet and turning it into an open space for a chest and artwork or a mirror fools the eye into believing an entry exists. Adding a great lamp on the chest enhances that impression, especially if you leave it on all the time (with a low-wattage bulb).


Take advantage of the swing of your door. A door that swings in so that its back is against the seating group will create a slight barrier between the two, and will help block sight lines into the conversation area. Standard entry doors are 36 inches wide, and that 3 feet is a boon to creating the feeling of an entry.


Add an entry hutch. In this absolutely charming cottage, a storage piece next to the door helps create a sense of entry.


Everything from shoes to mufflers and hats (and a basket for keys) can find a home in a hutch like this. The cat clearly likes it.


Create an entry pad. Install impervious flooring in the area taken up by the swing of your door. It will help keep your living area clean and will visually suggest an entry. Just be sure to keep whatever material you choose level with rest of the room’s floor coverings.


Define your entry with a bookcase. Although this particular entry is larger than most of the ones we’re talking about, the idea is still excellent. A shallow bookcase like this one defines an entry area while taking up very little space, and adds style and function.


Build an entry, Take 1. Is walling in and sectioning off your front door too over-the-top? Not if you do it with the grace and beauty of this glass and wood enclosure. If you live in a climate frequently beset by inclement weather, an entry like this will help keep the cold, wind and wet out.


Build an entry, Take 2. Take the previous idea from the inside to the outside. Many homes whose front doors enter directly into the living room also have a roomy front porch, like this one. If this porch were walled in, an entry would be created, protecting the interior from dirt and the elements.


Make a statement with your outside entry. Finally, if you lack an inside entry, make certain that your outside entry makes such a great statement that no one even notices.

More: Corral Your Gear With a Makeshift Mudroom

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