6 ways to make an unforgettable entrance for your guests

Design: Versaform

The entryway to your abode is the first place that welcomes your guests when they arrive, and the last area to bid them farewell when they leave. Hence, the entryway should not be an afterthought during the renovation planning process. When done up properly, the entryway goes beyond a simple welcome area and leaves an indelible impression for your guests even after they have left your house. Without further ado, here are 6 renovation tips for you to make an impressive splash with your unique entryway!

#1. Offer a settee to effuse warmth and comfort

Design: LOME Interior

Design: Starry Homestead

Pair with a mirror, the entryway is a perfect spot to for you or your guests to make last minute adjustments to the hair, makeup and outfit before heading out or entering your abode. In addition, it serves as a perfect perch for handbags or briefcases too. Furthermore, installing the mirror also bounces off natural light which brightens up the entryway area.

What does this mean to you?
Not every entryway has sufficient space to setup a comfortable settee installed with a strategically placed mirror. Ideally, the settee should be nearest to the door so that you or your guests can take off or put on the shoes comfortably without having to step too much into the hallway.

Design: Earth Interior Design

#2. Entryway to pull dual duty for storage

Design: DB Studio

Design: ROOOT Studio

The entryway is synonymous with shoe cabinets, especially for shoe fanatics. Aside from shoes, these cabinets are practical storage solutions for keeping household stuff, such as umbrellas or even a grocery trolley, within easy reach while you head in or out of the door. Furthermore, pack a punch in aesthetics and comfort by highlighting the entryway area with cosy under cabinet lighting and a well-cushioned seat. Making the entryway feel welcoming for your guests is still possible, by carving out a corner entryway settee from the intersection of 2 full height storage cabinets.

What this means to you?
Leave at least 1.2m of clearance for people to move in and out of the hallway comfortably, especially if there might be a need to dispose furniture or home appliances such as a sofa and fridge in the future. You can also consider having free standing entryway storage cabinets so that they can be shifted around to make way for the bulky household items.

Design: Free Space Intent

#3. Open the door to hospitality

Design: Ascend Designs

Design: Icon Interior Design

Although the entryway settee instantly makes your guests feel welcome the moment they arrive at your door, picking the right light fixtures sets the right ambience. and the first impression the moment they enter your abode.  In this example, the floor to ceiling recessed lighting, which interweaves between strips of tinted mirrors, forms varying conglomeration of light fixtures to create a diverse range of moods along the entryway.

What this means to you?
You can contemplate using tri-color LED lights, which can change colors to warm white, natural white and cool white at the flick of the switch, so that you can use the right lighting effect according to your needs. Work with your renovation professionals to ensure that there are sufficient lighting points. Remember to install light switches next to the entryway, so that they are within reach the moment you step into your home.

Design: The Merry Men Interiors

#4. Take your guests down the memory lane

Design: Free Space Intent

Design: Fuse Concept

Aside from being functional, the entryway also offers a sneak peek at your personality. Arrest your visitors’ interest by transforming your entryway into an extension of yourself, by showcasing a gallery of curated holiday photos, knit knacks and travel mementoes that you have collected over the years. Or you can setup a showcase of your hobbies to illustrate your love of plants, books or art collection.

What does this means to you?
Carve out spaces for your personal collection by converting some of your storage cabinet space into a showcase gallery. However, if your entryway is very compact and narrow, a simple small entryway table for placement of your personal gallery should be suffice. You can also utilise the wall for hanging your photos too.

Design: Fifth Avenue Interior

#5. Minimalist charm for a diminutive entryway

Image from Homeyohmy

Image from Ninety four design

If you want a more minimalist approach to your entryway due to its diminutive size, keep the setup simple with either a slim wall hung shoe cabinet or a decorative wall hanger. To spice up the area, add a small vase of flowers or a half-height plant to draw the eye up. A strategically placed mirror also brings in natural light and makes the area look larger and spacious.

What does this mean to you?
Contrary to popular belief, the minimalist design is the hardest and most complex to pull off. You should work closely with your renovation professionals and communicate you and your family needs, for them to come up with proposals on how best to setup your entryway. The main advantage of engaging them early is that they can customise furniture such as a shallow storage table with ledge to fit the entryway dimensions. In this way, you can maximise the space by keeping the area functional.

Image from Pinterest

#6. Create an exceptional sensory experience through scent

Design: The Local INN.Terior

Lastly, you can engage the senses of the guests to create a meaningful experience. Hence, aside from designing the entryway space to activate the basic senses, such as sight and touch, you can strategically place the candles or essential oil to trigger the sense of smell too. In fact, a careful selection of pleasant, distinctive, subtle scents at the entryway will lift the mood and define a more sophisticated memorable experience for your guests.

What this means to you?
Although scented candles are more versatile since they can be placed anywhere, the candles can be hazardous if you have young children at home. Hence, you can consider using plug-in wall scents as an alternative. Nevertheless, using plug-in wall scents will  mean that you need to ensure that there are sufficient electrical plug points near the entryway. 

Design: Mr Shopper Studio