The first thing you and your guests will see as they walk to your door will be the door. The second thing they will notice is the entryway once they have entered your home. Decorating these two with comfort and style is quite easy regardless of the type of home you have.
Decorating for a Condo
If you reside in a condo or apartment, you may have a little less say about what you can do with your door. The doors may be required to all look the same. This does not mean that you cannot change out the hardware and make the doorknob a bit more stylish. If you are a renter, check with your landlord or management company first. You may not be able to place things outside in the hallway due to covenants or bylaws but you can make sure your door is tidy and nice looking.
Give your door a nice clean every few months to remove any dirt or dust that may have collected. If it is a wood door, you may be able to stain it or at least use some specialty wood cleaner to give it a nice shine.
If you are allowed to have a door wreath on the door, add one for a bit of color. Once you enter your condo or apartment you should remove any clutter. Guests and yourself should be able to easily enter without feeling closed in.
If there is not a coat closet, you may want to hang some hooks and place a nice bench nearby. There are multifunctional benches that also have shoe storage under the bench seat. Make sure there is adequate lighting so the smaller space does not feel dark and you will instantly establish a nice entryway in a smaller space.
Decorating for an Attached or Detached Home
Regardless of whether you live in a row house, townhouse, duplex, or single-family home, you will be able to easily make one drastic change to completely alter the outside appearance of your home. A custom front door will offer fantastic curb and porch appeal as well as a nice update to the entry space. The front door is viewed from both the exterior and the interior of the home. You will want to select one that reflects your personality. There are so many to chose from in color and options such as stained glass, glass accents, and metal design.
The front door is only the first step in creating a welcoming experience from curb to foyer. Your home should look tidy and presentable from the sidewalk. This means any overgrown weeds should be pulled and the grass should be well kept. Well-maintained flowers in pots or the ground will add a nice touch of color. If you have a porch, you’ll want to keep it swept and clean from clutter.
Some comfortable seating and an inviting welcome sign will make a nice place to approach. Now that you have established seating and signage on the porch you should add a touch of textile. This can be a bit tricky since the porch is still exposed to the elements. A quirky or classic-looking welcome rug and an outside cushion for the seating will add that bit of textile warmth that the exterior was lacking.
If you do not have a large enough porch for a bench or rocking chairs, you can simply stick with a wreath on your door or a stand-alone sign combined with an eye-catching outdoor rug.
Once you and your guests, whether they are friends, family, or clients step through the front door, you should have a spacious and eye-catching foyer rug. This will serve two purposes, one will be to bring some color into the foyer and the other is to help remove any dirt that may have collected on shoes. The front door rug and foyer rugs will help reduce dirt being tracked into the home.
A bright and welcome feeling foyer will make guests feel instantly welcome. Make sure the foyer is well lit and that there is a place for coats, shoes, and purses. If the area is spacious enough, a small table is great to hold a plant and a catch-all tray for keys.
Creating a warm and inviting entryway for the home will instantly make you and your guests feel relaxed as soon as they step into your home.
