Sometimes the smallest spaces in your home can be the most challenging to decorate. There isn’t room for everything you’d like to put there and you don’t spend more than a couple of minutes there at any given time.

But these small spaces can help to show off some of your wildest decorating ideas and serve as the welcoming mat to your home.

It’s tempting to look at your entryway from inside your home. But be a guest for a moment. Walk outside and look in. Does it look as great coming in as it does from the inside?

Here are some tips for decorating your foyer or entry, a small but important space.

  • As you open your front door from outside, the entry or foyer is the first thing you see. Get rid of anything that is offensive to the eye. Remember to close interior doors so you can’t see dirty dishes in the sink or clothes on the ironing board.
  • Your front entry should be your home’s ‘welcoming smile and greeting’ to your family and guests. Use this small area to create a sense of expectancy to your guests and make them want to come in for more.
  • If you favor a more homely style, your hall can reflect that as well, with furnishings chosen to blend in with your favorite style, such as timber, bamboo or shabby chic. The idea is that guests should get a sense of your style on entering the hall, but also feel a sense of warmth and welcome.
  • You may be tempted, but don’t practice basic color theory here. Light colors won’t make a big space out of one barely big enough to turn around in.
  • Mount a collection on the walls of just about anything on it like plates, hats, evening bags, family photos, musical instruments,–whatever you have. Your collection will really stand out and tell your guests immediately what you love.
  • If you’ve been drooling over an exquisite, hand-painted wallpaper or luxurious silk fabric, a small foyer would be the perfect place to use it. Because the space is tiny, you’ll need less of the paper or fabric than you’d need in a larger room.

  • If you have even a little headroom, a chandelier is a great improvement over a common ceiling fixture. Not something huge and overpowering, but an interesting wrought iron or vintage crystal piece.
  • Don’t use any bright lighting fixtures. Guests entering at night will be in the mood from the moment they arrive.
  • If your foyer is at least 9 feet wide, place an interesting table right in the middle of the space. Leave at least 3ft all the way around to offer sufficient traffic space.
  • If you have the wall space, an armoire can hide a myriad of family items out of sight. Install cubby holes to hold mittens, hats, umbrellas, and even boots out of sight. Then the coat closet will be tidier and more welcoming for your guests.

  • If you have no hallway, but you still want to create a space in which to pause and refresh before continuing into the rest of the house, use a screen or partition to section off an area at the front door. Screens are excellent for this purpose and they can be chosen to complement the rest of your decor. A screen with places to slide in family photos or favorite prints will be a charming touch. To give a more defined sense of transition from the outer world to the inner, look for, or have made, a screen that is above head height.

Your hall should convey many reassuring messages to your guests – but always remember that the most heart warming way to greet anyone is with a smile of welcome.

[Image Source: Dream Homes: 100 Inspirational Interiors]