Are Entryways the Most Important Room?

Entryways are said to set the stage for the entire home, like an opening to a great novel, they are the "forward" and give the visitor a glimpse into the personalities and decor style of those that live there.

An entryway gets a lot of wear and tear, so while decorating to impress, it is also important to allow an appropriate flow of traffic, with no sharp edged furnishings jutting out into the walk through area. This can be a challenge, because many entryways, if they exist at all, are smaller passageways from the front door to other areas of the home, so creating a spacious and distinctive feel is the ultimate goal.

Here are a few "do's and dont's" to keep in mind when decorating an entryway:

Do set the stage for the rest of the home Do bring in colors and style from the adjoining rooms

Do play up any unique architectural features, such as stairways and alcoves.

Do use scrubable paint, but in a lovely sheen -- try Benjamin Moore's Aura or Sherwin-Williams' Cashmere

Don't use furniture with sharp corners if there is less than 3 feet clearance.

Don't "overlap" the furniture into passageways to other rooms.

• Do use decorative mirrors or a large piece of artwork to "open up the space."

Create a fantastic vignette, floral, or art arrangement, don't go overboard, and let good design carry the space. Visitors to the home will be impressed, without even setting foot inside the door!

by Julianna Hind, IRIS, RESA, DCI

Julianna is an expert Redesigner, Stager and Color Consultant. Her company, Roomspinners has been featured in the Seattle PI and Seattle Woman Magazine. Julianna also trains others in the field. For information, please visit the Northwest School of Interior Redesign. Maple Valley, Washington

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