It’s the time of year when we’re spending more time inside, entertaining friends, connecting with family and tracking more muck, dirt and snow indoors. These tips, ideas and inspirations will help make your home’s entryways beautiful yet functional, whether a more formal front entry or a high-traffic family entry.
Front Entry
Your front entry is where your visitors get their first impression of your home’s interior, so make it colourful and practical.
While it’s more common to paint the exterior of a front door in a standout colour, painting the inside of your front door with a fresh pop of colour is unexpected. Or, if your entry has some interesting architectural elements or unique angles, create a feature of these with a contrasting tone. Complement the colour you choose with a utilitarian but pretty doormat or area rug in coordinating shades.
For a more permanent graphic and colourful flooring option, lay durable floor tiles right at the front door (black and white is always classic) that are beautiful while durably deal with wet shoes and boots.
Add architectural interest if there is none by installing practical yet stylish panelling around your entryway to keep the walls looking fresh and offset them with an unexpected colour on the trim.
Include a spot for guests to sit to remove or put on footwear and provide a ledge for resting purses, keys or other items in tow. A mirror maximizes light and visually expands small spaces, and is handy for last minute makeup checks, coming and going.
Family Entry
The family entry, whether your side, back or front door, a little stairway landing or a large mud room, can take a beating and demands a lot in durability and organization. Make the way into your home for your family a lot more practical yet pretty, with these ideas.
If you’ve got the room, consider built-in cubbies and benches that provide a spot for the coats, hats, mitts, scarves and footwear for everyone in the family.
If your family entry isn’t overly roomy, hang a row of coat hooks, with a shelf above with baskets for accessories and a bench below, brightened up with a single feature wall painted a welcoming colour to maximize the small space.
Durable floor tiles arranged in a fanciful pattern are a colourful feature in the family entry as well. Or, opt for moveable carpet tiles in a variety of colours that can be arranged in a variety of ways to suit your decor and picked up for easy cleaning.
Help keep this busy area of the home tidy and organized with labels on bins and baskets of each family member’s name or with what item can be found inside. Place an umbrella stand or large decorative flowerpot at the door for soggy umbrellas, along with hooks for reusable shopping bags and the dog’s leash.
Visit www.dulux.ca or Orillia Trim and Door, where expert and knowledgeable staff are ready to help you select the right colours, products and tools for any room of your home.
Ken Forbes, www.OrilliaTrimandDoor.com
