There is a saying that first impression lasts. That is why it is important to achieve a good and welcoming first impression in your home. No matter how big or small your home is, whether you live in a house or an apartment, there are some ways that you can do to decorate your foyer to welcome your guests.
1) Mirror. Putting mirror on your foyer can be both decorative and functional. You can use the mirror as the main focal point of your foyer. Guests can look into the mirror and check themselves out before proceeding into the rest of the house. In a small foyer, putting a large mirror can give an illusion of more space. Leaning a tall mirror on the wall without hanging is also a good design tip, especially for apartment or condo unit dwellers with a narrow space that would not fit a console table. For those with bigger foyers, a mirror can be hung on the wall on top of a console. Mirrors can act as good backdrop for your decorative items like a tall vase, a table clock, buffet lamps, and pictures. Putting mirrors strategically to reflect light can give a good effect at night to make it more dramatic when welcoming dinner guests. A narrow space with a long wall can be a good backdrop for a collection of mirrors that can be hung horizontally or vertically.
2) Table and Dresser: If space can permit, putting a console table in your foyer can serve as a staging ground for your accessories, like photos, lamps, vases, and small art work. It can also be very functional, it can be used to sort your mail and keep your car keys as you enter your home. Another option if you have a wider space is using a dresser in your foyer. It can provide more storage drawers to keep your clutter invisible. In huge foyers, placing a round table in the middle with a huge vase filled with flowers can add some grandness, as seen in hotel lobbies.
3) Chairs or Bench: Nothing says more welcoming than a chair or a bench. This can provide a place for your guest to sit for a while before being shown into your home. It can also be a good place to put down guest purses and coats. At the end of the visit, sometimes conversations can continue on before walking out the door and if company is waiting, they feel more comfortable sitting down. Use a bench to decorate a narrow but long foyer. For wider foyer, you can use a couple of arm chairs or wing chairs. Decorate your bench with throw pillows to give it a warmer look. Change the throw pillows with the season, by putting cotton covered, bright colored pillows during the summer and using thicker, velvety pillows on for colder months.
4) Wall Art and Wall Paint: Decorating your foyer with wall art to make it more interesting. You can either have a single framed wall art or multiple frames. It is a good idea for those apartment, condo unit and loft dwellers to use the wall as a gallery to feature family photos, photos taken from vacation, vintage photos, a collection of architectural prints, etc. Some use wall arts by putting a collection of empty frames. Paint the wall with dark color to make these frames pop. Putting lighting to highlight the wall art can also add drama in highlighting your collection. If you have a separate foyer, it is a good idea to paint your foyer with a different color than the rest of the house. I have seen foyers painted with dark color on the wall and ceilings. If your foyer is not a separate room, make sure to paint the color that can blend well with the rest of the house.
5) Sculptures: Using a sculpture to decorate your foyer is also a way to enhance and give interest to your space. You can use different sizes of sculpture or vase; a tall floor vase can be used as a focal point with or without the foliage. Put a bunch of sticks in your big vase to enhance the look. A sculpture need not be expensive; it can be something you got from the flea market that has some interesting color, texture, and details. Some department stores like Target or Ross can carry discounted items that can add a welcoming look into your foyer. Example would be a big decorative plate on a stand that you can put on top of your console or dresser.
6) Other Accessories: Decorate your table or dresser with accessories. Put a small clock to help tell time, put a pair of candlesticks to add some drama, a decorative box to put your keys and hide the mail. Small photo frames of pictures of the family strategically placed on your table can give your home some identity. You can also accessorize with the season, during the winter time, decorating your console with holiday ornaments can give your guest that warm and inviting feeling. Whatever you do, decorate sparing to avoid overcrowding the design. Keep your design clean and interesting so that each piece can be visible. Another idea is putting a couple of pieces from your last travel on the table to jump start a conversation about the places you visited.
7) Flowers and Plants: Welcome your guests with a fresh scent of flowers. You can either buy from the flower shop, grocery or hand pick them from your garden. A potted plant can also be a nice way to decorate your foyer. Flowers and plants are great ways to welcome your guests. It is better to decorate with fresh foliage, but mixing and matching silks that look real especially during the holidays is a good idea to add volume and save money. Silk flowers and plants can add beauty to your design without breaking the bank. Choose wisely; buy something that resembles the real one so as not to look “cheap”. There are silk orchids that look so real that you would have to get close and pinch it to see if it is real nor not. Decorating with silks daily and buying flowers on special occasions can save you a lot of money because you do not have to replace them every so often.
8) Coat Rack and Umbrella Vase: Put a coat rack for guests to hang coats and hats. Adding an umbrella vase is especially helpful on rainy days and still decorative during warmer weather.
9) Lighting: Make sure that your foyer is well lit. Adding chandelier on a huge foyer can add drama and grandness to the room. You can also add table lamps or buffet lamps on the console to light up your accessories. Adding a pair of light sconces to the wall next to your mirror is a great idea to light up your foyer. For the wall of art, add gallery lights or track lights to focus on your collection.
10) Area Rug: Adding an area rug can enhance the look of your floor. Rugs come in different shapes and sizes. Use a narrow runner for a narrow walkway. Use a round rug placed underneath your chandelier to reflect on the design of the rug.
There you have it, ten ideas to help you make your foyer more welcoming. Hopefully these ideas will not only give your home a first impression but a lasting one as well.
