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Entrance Ideas and Designs

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Spice - Oak Beach - Far North Queensland
Spice - Oak Beach - Far North Queensland
bàlay Vandykebàlay Vandyke
Photos by Louise Roche, of Villa Styling. Indian antique doors, eco outdoor dry walling stone cladding
Inspiration for a world-inspired front door in Cairns with white walls, a double front door, a dark wood front door and grey floors.
Park City Reclaimed Home
Park City Reclaimed Home
Landmarks WestLandmarks West
Jared Medley
Photo of a rustic front door in Salt Lake City with a single front door and a glass front door.
Foyer
Foyer
Dresser HomesDresser Homes
Photo of a classic entrance in Atlanta with white walls and dark hardwood flooring.
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Find top design and renovation professionals on Houzz
Industrial Design
Industrial Design
Eran Turgeman - PhotographerEran Turgeman - Photographer
Design ideas for an urban entrance in Other with white walls, dark hardwood flooring and black floors.
Homearama 2016
Homearama 2016
Debbie SykesDebbie Sykes
Dawn Smith Photography
Large traditional foyer in Cincinnati with grey walls, dark hardwood flooring, a double front door, a glass front door and brown floors.
Modern Retreat
Modern Retreat
Selle Valley Construction, Inc.Selle Valley Construction, Inc.
Entry of the Modern Retreat. Here you can see all of the different materials and textures that were used as siding: Breckenridge plywood, cedar board and batt, cedar lap siding, cold rolled steel, and rusted corrugated metal for soffit. Photography by Marie-Dominique Verdier.
Rustic Entry
Rustic Entry
Design ideas for a rustic vestibule in Sacramento.
YC Residence
YC Residence
North Fork Builders of Montana, Inc.North Fork Builders of Montana, Inc.
Photography - LongViews Studios
Inspiration for a large rustic boot room in Other with brown walls, brick flooring and multi-coloured floors.
Whitefish Hills Residence 2016
Whitefish Hills Residence 2016
Cooke Interiors StudioCooke Interiors Studio
Design ideas for a rustic vestibule in Other with white walls, dark hardwood flooring, a single front door, a dark wood front door and brown floors.
Newport Entry
Newport Entry
Anthony Crisafulli PhotographyAnthony Crisafulli Photography
© Anthony Crisafulli 2015
Beach style foyer in Providence with white walls and medium hardwood flooring.
Provence Style in Laguna Beach
Provence Style in Laguna Beach
Wendi Young DesignWendi Young Design
Karyn Millet
Inspiration for a mediterranean foyer in Orange County with travertine flooring and beige floors.
Old Village Remodel
Old Village Remodel
Matthew Bolt Graphic DesignMatthew Bolt Graphic Design
Design by Amy Trowman Photo by Matthew Bolt
Inspiration for a coastal entrance in San Francisco with grey walls, a single front door and a glass front door.
River House
River House
Cotton Construction IncCotton Construction Inc
Photo of a farmhouse entrance in Birmingham with brick flooring and a stable front door.
McCoy Colorado
McCoy Colorado
Ashley Campbell Interior DesignAshley Campbell Interior Design
emr photography
Inspiration for a rustic boot room in Denver with grey floors.
foyer
foyer
Jaffa Group Design BuildJaffa Group Design Build
Design ideas for a classic entrance in Salt Lake City with a double front door, a glass front door and travertine flooring.
Bovina House entry
Bovina House entry
kimberly peck architectkimberly peck architect
The goal of this project was to build a house that would be energy efficient using materials that were both economical and environmentally conscious. Due to the extremely cold winter weather conditions in the Catskills, insulating the house was a primary concern. The main structure of the house is a timber frame from an nineteenth century barn that has been restored and raised on this new site. The entirety of this frame has then been wrapped in SIPs (structural insulated panels), both walls and the roof. The house is slab on grade, insulated from below. The concrete slab was poured with a radiant heating system inside and the top of the slab was polished and left exposed as the flooring surface. Fiberglass windows with an extremely high R-value were chosen for their green properties. Care was also taken during construction to make all of the joints between the SIPs panels and around window and door openings as airtight as possible. The fact that the house is so airtight along with the high overall insulatory value achieved from the insulated slab, SIPs panels, and windows make the house very energy efficient. The house utilizes an air exchanger, a device that brings fresh air in from outside without loosing heat and circulates the air within the house to move warmer air down from the second floor. Other green materials in the home include reclaimed barn wood used for the floor and ceiling of the second floor, reclaimed wood stairs and bathroom vanity, and an on-demand hot water/boiler system. The exterior of the house is clad in black corrugated aluminum with an aluminum standing seam roof. Because of the extremely cold winter temperatures windows are used discerningly, the three largest windows are on the first floor providing the main living areas with a majestic view of the Catskill mountains.
2017 OMAHA SPRING PARADE OF HOMES
2017 OMAHA SPRING PARADE OF HOMES
Lee Douglas InteriorsLee Douglas Interiors
Photo of a traditional foyer in Omaha with grey walls, dark hardwood flooring, a double front door, a black front door and brown floors.
Okanagan Log Home
Okanagan Log Home
Sticks + Stones Design Group Inc.Sticks + Stones Design Group Inc.
http://www.lipsettphotographygroup.com/
This is an example of a rustic foyer in Calgary.
American Farmhouse
American Farmhouse
Donald Lococo ArchitectsDonald Lococo Architects
Paul Warchol Photography
Country foyer in DC Metro with white walls, dark hardwood flooring, a dark wood front door and feature lighting.

Entrance Ideas and Designs

The entrance of your home is a critical area to design well because as we all know, first impressions count. As the first thing that visitors will see when they arrive, your entrance is your opportunity to offer guests a warm welcome while introducing the personality of your home. Equally important, it welcomes you home every day, so make it somewhere that you’re glad to come home to. The entrance to your home begins the moment you get to the front door, so make sure both inside and out get the attention of your decorator’s touch. Make your foyer the best possible introduction to the rest of the house, and if you wish, you can have a bit of fun with the doorway; paint, tiles, door handles and lighting are all ways to make front doors a statement – a dramatic entrance, if you will.

What front doors can I choose from?

Your first decision when updating front doors is what type of external doors you want to use, taking into account style, security and accessibility. Investing in a high quality front door is always worthwhile – this is a purchase where a little extra money goes a long way. Hardwood exterior doors remain the most popular choice of front door; as well as being the most economical, timber also opens the door to an endless selection of paint, hardware and embellishment. However, natural wood doors do have their downsides – prone to warping, they require more upkeep and may require replacing if not adequately cared for. Whether you opt for solid oak external doors or an oak veneer option, wooden doors are a match made in heaven for period architecture – it’s hard to imagine a Georgian house without a solid, six-panel door, or a Victorian home sans its gleaming hardware and stained glass panes. If you prefer non-wooden exterior doors, the alternatives are UPVC doors, GRP doors (collectively known as composite doors) and steel doors. UPVC front doors are often the most inexpensive alternative to timber and offer added insulation benefits; because the material itself can be a comparatively insubstantial, UPVC external doors are built into steel door frames for added reinforcement. GRP (glass-reinforced plastic, or fibreglass to you and me) doors offer the same properties, with a woodgrain effect that can provide a happy medium for lovers of timber. Steel doors are less widely used in the UK than the US, and make great contemporary front doors thanks to their sleek, modern appearance.

How do I decorate my doorway?

Renovating or replacing your front doors is one of the quickest ways to give your home a makeover, and affords the perfect opportunity to add a splash of colour to the front of your home. To improve your front door’s kerb appeal you can flank the doorway with decorative trees or flowering plants in attractive planters and “dress” the door with shiny hardware. Door knockers and door knobs can be more than functional with a range of styles and materials available to add some personality to exterior doors. A traditional brass door knocker can be the perfect complement to a solid oak doorway painted in a rich shade of green or blue, whilst contemporary chrome door hardware will look perfect against a white or eggshell door. If you are looking for an elegant front door option, opt for a hardwood door with built in obscured glass panels to let light into your hallway. If you would rather avoid a glass paned front door for security reasons then smaller decorative glass panels can also be inserted into the surround or door frame. You can choose stained glass panes for decorative effect, patterned or textured glass will allow light in but protect your privacy or get your home name or number etched into a glass pane for a practical but personal touch.

How should I light my front entrance?

The warm glow from a doorway is one of the most welcoming sights that can greet us when we arrive home. An entrance light is of practical importance – we have all spent time fumbling for our house keys in the dark – but it also offers an opportunity to add warmth and character to front doors and entrances. A wall mounted lantern is a charming traditional choice, or for bright, directed illumination opt for a security spotlight. There are a whole variety of switching options available – you can choose a motion sensor light that switches on right when you need it most, a timer light that will offer illumination on a fixed schedule or a switched outdoor light. Pointing light upward is a good way to avoid harsh glare, or choose recessed lighting if you prefer not to have a hanging light in front of your external doors. An entrance is also a great place to display lighting as a decorative feature – choose a table lamp that echoes the lines and colours of the hall beyond it.

What furniture and storage do I need in my entryway?

It’s important to keep the entrance to your home as open and clutter free as possible, so selecting a few practical items that will help with storage and offer a warm welcome is the best approach for this area. Coat stands, umbrella holders and shoe racks are practical foyer additions that will keep the area tidy. For the knick knacks and paraphernalia that so often accumulate by front doors, sideboards or console tables are helpful and opting for a something with a drawer is a clever trick to ensure these things can be stowed out of sight. If you have the space, an armchair, occasional chair or hallway bench will prove useful for perching on when removing shoes and definitely consider multi-functional furniture such as a storage bench for shoes. A wall mounted shoe cabinet is a must have for a tighter space, getting shoes off the floor and neatly stowed away.

How do I decorate my foyer?

Particularly in the entrance to the home, colour can be a wonderful tool to set the tone of the house. Neutral palettes can create a serene atmosphere appropriate for greeting guests; alternatively, you might find yourself being a little bit more adventurous by choosing a whimsical wallpaper or a bold wall colour that could look overwhelming anywhere else in the house. In either case, the foyer can be blended seamlessly into the home with details that connect it to adjoining rooms. Even if your entrance is not self-contained, instead with exterior doors that open straight into the house, visual tricks make it possible to create the illusion of an entryway by defining the space as such. Changes in flooring, a well-placed rug, a screen or curtain, or even furniture such as a console table or coat rack, can be used to delineate the space and distinguish the entrance from the rest of the hallway. Decorating walls and furniture with photographs or artwork is a simple way of bringing your personality into the foyer and plants, lamps, candles, vases and ornaments can be displayed on windowsills, tables or shelves. As a final thoughtful touch, mirrors placed next to front doors are a practical choice for those last minute appearance checks, as long as it’s not directly opposite the doorway, which could back-light the user – decidedly not helpful!
AFTON MOUNTAIN
AFTON MOUNTAIN
Jayson CollierJayson Collier
Natural Blue Stone entry with elegant pillar and stone column detail.
Design ideas for a classic porch in Richmond with a double front door and a dark wood front door.
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