We’ve all heard the cliché that first impression count and yet many of us still don’t pay any particular attention to our hallways and entrance. Our few easy tips will help you smarten up your hallway or entrance before carol singers, family or friends step inside your home.
Manage Clutter:
Entryways are not just for show since these can also be used for practical purposes like a mudroom. Obviously, you want to avoid your home’s entryway looking like an actual mudroom – subtlety is the key and it can be achieved with the clever use of storage options. We suggest:
• Placing hooks on the wall for the coats.
• Positioning an umbrella stand for rain gear including umbrellas and hats.
• Placing wicker baskets for car keys, purses and other small things that can easily get lost in entering and leaving the house.
• Shoe racks in a small closet off the side of the entryway or downstairs cloakroom.
You will want to place a bench on the entryway, too, which can be used to place bags on while guests get out of their coats. The bench can also be used to sit down on when putting on and getting off shoes.
Use cheap rugs to help prevent dirt being traipsed through your home. If you have tiled flooring be sure to use an anti-slip backing to hold the rugs in place. It may also be a welcoming gesture to have ‘visitor slip-ons’ handy – a small, medium and large pair if you have the storage room, and offer them to all who enter your home – it’s not only a homely gesture, it’s also a subtle way of reminding visitors to take their outdoor footwear off!
You can also smarten up your hallway or entrance by using a patterned door curtain. Look for colours and designs which compliment your existing décor. The curtain/s can easily be hung from a curtain track or pole so that it doesn’t interfere with the opening and closing of the door. If you choose a medium or heavyweight curtain it will help to insulate your hallway and could help you save money on your heating bills.
Keep to the basic principles (take a look at yesterday’s post if the principles have slipped your mind!)of interior design when you are doing a DIY makeover of your home and your efforts will be well rewarded with plenty of admiration from family and friends.
