The entrance porch sets the tone with traditional black-and-white tiles, while the staircase has been reimagined with slim metal spindles and a mahogany handrail — a bridge between classic and contemporary. And where family life might once have spilled into the hallway, bespoke under-stairs joinery now swallows shoes, coats and bags with ease.

This boot room is designed as a practical transition space, combining storage with a clear, structured layout. The cabinetry is painted in Paint & Paper Library Truffle, a warm neutral that works well with the natural materials used throughout the room. Full-height cupboards provide generous closed storage for coats, shoes and everyday items. A built-in bench sits between the tall units, creating a comfortable place to sit while also adding visual balance to the elevation. Open storage beneath the bench is fitted with woven baskets, offering easy access for frequently used items while keeping the space tidy. Ca’Pietra Marlborough Terracotta Arabesque tiles introduce texture and durability, making the room well suited to daily use.

Beam Estudio
Photo of a medium sized mediterranean hallway in Other with white walls, ceramic flooring and beige floors.

Medium sized traditional entrance in Hertfordshire with beige walls and marble flooring.

Functional entry storage
This is an example of a medium sized modern entrance in Other.

Built-in coat storage in the hallway, with seating area. Tongue and groove panelling painted in a rich plum colour against soft stone coloured walls.

Rénovation complète d'une villa de 200m² sur 3 niveaux. Le client souhaitait conserver les matériaux nobles existant, Marbre, parquets a bâtons rompus...

Photographer: Mitchell Fong
This is an example of a medium sized retro front door in Other with grey walls, slate flooring, a single front door, a yellow front door and grey floors.

Sam Martin - 4 Walls Media
This is an example of a medium sized modern front door in Melbourne with white walls, concrete flooring, a pivot front door, a glass front door and grey floors.

A single storied ‘H’ shaped floor plan was developed around a central courtyard. This provides ample opportunity to capture views and light from various internal spaces, while maintaining complete privacy between neighbours. Photography by Mark Scowen

Front entrance with recessed antique mirror and neon signage and repurposed antique chest of drawers.
Inspiration for a medium sized bohemian hallway in London with white walls, light hardwood flooring, a single front door, a white front door, beige floors and feature lighting.

Photo of a medium sized traditional boot room in London with pink walls, slate flooring, a single front door, a red front door and grey floors.

Ingresso, DOPO
Design ideas for a medium sized traditional foyer in Florence with white walls, marble flooring, a single front door, a white front door and multi-coloured floors.

Barbara Eagan
This is an example of a medium sized traditional hallway in Dublin with grey walls, granite flooring and a single front door.

Photo of a medium sized mediterranean entrance in Rome with white walls and white floors.

ALEXIS HAMILTON
Medium sized farmhouse entrance in Hampshire with grey walls, vinyl flooring and multi-coloured floors.

This Gold Coast renovation of a riverfront timber framed residence involved the removal of a few decades of refurbishments. Existing 1970s features were discovered and refurbished while a layer of new finishes and cabinet work were added. The pool mosaic and diving board was retained in the pool refurbishment.

A curious quirk of the long-standing popularity of open plan kitchen /dining spaces is the need to incorporate boot rooms into kitchen re-design plans. We all know that open plan kitchen – dining rooms are absolutely perfect for modern family living but the downside is that for every wall knocked through, precious storage space is lost, which can mean that clutter inevitably ensues. Designating an area just off the main kitchen, ideally near the back entrance, which incorporates storage and a cloakroom is the ideal placement for a boot room. For families whose focus is on outdoor pursuits, incorporating additional storage under bespoke seating that can hide away wellies, walking boots and trainers will always prove invaluable particularly during the colder months. A well-designed boot room is not just about storage though, it’s about creating a practical space that suits the needs of the whole family while keeping the design aesthetic in line with the rest of the project. With tall cupboards and under seating storage, it’s easy to pack away things that you don’t use on a daily basis but require from time to time, but what about everyday items you need to hand? Incorporating artisan shelves with coat pegs ensures that coats and jackets are easily accessible when coming in and out of the home and also provides additional storage above for bulkier items like cricket helmets or horse-riding hats. In terms of ensuring continuity and consistency with the overall project design, we always recommend installing the same cabinetry design and hardware as the main kitchen, however, changing the paint choices to reflect a change in light and space is always an excellent idea; thoughtful consideration of the colour palette is always time well spent in the long run. Lastly, a key consideration for the boot rooms is the flooring. A hard-wearing and robust stone flooring is essential in what is inevitably an area of high traffic.

We painted the walls in our Wandsworth Family Home in Porridge, added a burl wood console, upholstered stools and a toffee coloured runner on the staircase. Interior Design by Imperfect Interiors, photo Chris Snook