We often come in and out of our homes without giving too much attention to the space of the entry. As a transitional area, it’s not one we spend a lot of time in. For many, it become a catch-all...coats, shoes, bills, and anything else we carry out of the car. But, the potential of the entry is so much more!
It’s actually the gateway to your sanctuary, your safe place, your haven! Because of this, a holistic entry design could make all the difference in how you experience your home.
Here are some ways to design it intentionally.
1. Make an impression.
As the room that greets you, the entry is where first impression of your home is made. It sets the tone. Stepping in, it gives a glimpse of who you are, your style, and what is important to you.
So, what’s the first thing you see? Plants at the door to showcase your love of nature? A country style console that announces a knack for vintage finds? A colorful piece of art that makes you smile? A vibrant Moroccan runner rug from recent travels?
The colors, furniture, and decor selected for your entry are a design sneak peak into the rest of your home. Even if you like to experiment with different styles, creating coherence of what you want to communicate to yourself and others begins with this space. Which leads us to the next point…expressing values.
2. Communicate values.
Like every room in the home, the entry needs to be functioning, but also to relay feeling, mood, energy. How do you want yourself and others to feel once stepping inside? How do you feel welcomed or loved? What gives you a sense of belonging?
Our spaces tell stories and communicate with us all the time. Identify what your values (vitality, abundance, love, calm) are and let your holistic entry design express them. Feng Shui inspired practices help enhance the energy of your values in an intentional way.
For example, plants are good representation of health, a coin jar for abundance. If you value self love, partnership or family consider heart shapes, photos of kids or their artwork hung on the wall.
Expressing forward movement in your work or life in general looks like a front door free of obstacles such as shoes or stacked Amazon boxes. Allowing a full range of openness communicates this.
Things like clearing cobwebs in the corner or giving windows a good clean, too, can help change the energy of stagnant or unclear areas of life. In an entry, you want to be reminded of a bright and shiny future.
3. Create boundaries.
In practical terms, the entry is a boundary. It’s the threshold between interior and exterior, your internal life and the external world outside. This is a chance to select what gets to come into your home and what stays outside.
Some ways to consider creating boundaries with a good entry design:
SHOES. The act of removing ones shoes at the entry, for example, is symbolic of this. Sure, it’s a hygienic practice but it also symbolizes the transition of leaving all the activity, work concerns, gossip, and social stresses at the door. No room for those inside the home! From that point forward, intend the energy of home to be of ease, communication, relaxation, and heart.
If you a no-shoe policy isn’t really your thing, using a motivational art like “home sweet home” or a simple door wreath can become the touchstone for the same intent. These visual reminders help us create a positive ritual of coming home.
CLUTTER. Clutter is having things that become obstacles. The chair with stacked books or coats, the shoe basket that’s overflowing, the hanging pendant providing too dim a light…these are all forms of clutter. Remove things that don’t support your ideal life and make room for more of what you want.
Storage solutions that help avoid clutter is also a way to create boundaries. By having a spot for everything, you free up physical and mental space allowing you to enjoy your home more. Baskets, boxes with lids, hooks, consoles with drawers, and benches with storage all provide function while giving dwellers the comfort that an organized space brings.
DECOR. As a transitional space, the entry allows for a pause in chi or energy to rest and gather before moving into the next room. Things like a runner rug are effective in this way, both visually and practically speaking.
If you're looking to make a good first impression of your home, spend some time on the entry design. These tips offer a holistic approach where weaving intention and function offer a unique creative experience.
FOR MORE PRO GUIDANCE, LET'S CONNECT & BEGIN YOUR HOLISTIC ENTRY DESIGN.