How to Create an Entrance Area When You Don't Have a Hallway
If your front door opens directly into a room or reception area, these ideas can inspire you to rethink your zoning
Hallways are an eternally popular topic on Houzz – how to brighten them, add storage to them, make them look wider… But what if you don’t have a hallway, or even an entrance area by your front door, and instead step straight into a living room or kitchen? What do you do with your coat? Your keys? Where can you sit to take shoes on and off? Read on for solutions and inspiration.
On the other side of the slats, Ikea shoe storage has been built in and customised, so it also provides a surface for keys and bags, or for holding a vase of flowers to create a cheery welcome.
“Integrating a well-defined entrance area allows you to create a cocoon where each area has its function, especially in a studio,” says Cécile Humbert, the apartment’s interior designer. “This functional entrance offers the option to put down your keys, shoes and coat without cluttering up the living space.”
Need to redo your entrance? Find an interior designer near you for customised solutions
“Integrating a well-defined entrance area allows you to create a cocoon where each area has its function, especially in a studio,” says Cécile Humbert, the apartment’s interior designer. “This functional entrance offers the option to put down your keys, shoes and coat without cluttering up the living space.”
Need to redo your entrance? Find an interior designer near you for customised solutions
Go broken-plan
Creating a narrow wall is another way to introduce a sense of separation, as well as provide hanging space. In this London renovation in a UK apartment, interior designer Claudia Dorsch created an entrance by capping the end of the new kitchen with a slim, full-height wall. “We wanted to define the space,” she says.
The wall divides a window in two, but, from the outside, it still appears as one. It’s a four-pane window: one is on the kitchen side and the other three are in the newly created hallway.
Now there’s a place to hang coats and put on shoes. “On the other side of that wall is a tiny bench seat [just visible] and, above that, a coat hook,” says Dorsch.
Creating a narrow wall is another way to introduce a sense of separation, as well as provide hanging space. In this London renovation in a UK apartment, interior designer Claudia Dorsch created an entrance by capping the end of the new kitchen with a slim, full-height wall. “We wanted to define the space,” she says.
The wall divides a window in two, but, from the outside, it still appears as one. It’s a four-pane window: one is on the kitchen side and the other three are in the newly created hallway.
Now there’s a place to hang coats and put on shoes. “On the other side of that wall is a tiny bench seat [just visible] and, above that, a coat hook,” says Dorsch.
Make use of furniture
To create a division without the need for structural work, consider the solution in this 19th century townhouse in Brooklyn, USA. It shows how furniture arrangement can go a long way to creating a sense of two distinct zones where a wall or half-wall isn’t desired.
Designer and homeowner Alison Jennison lined up the back of her sofa and side tables with the edge of the door and orientated them to face away from it. This line in itself creates the visual effect of a distinct entrance and, from the living area, greatly reduces the impact of the door being in the same space.
Anything entrance-themed items to the right of the front door – a row of hooks, a table with a bowl for keys or coins – would make sense, too.
To create a division without the need for structural work, consider the solution in this 19th century townhouse in Brooklyn, USA. It shows how furniture arrangement can go a long way to creating a sense of two distinct zones where a wall or half-wall isn’t desired.
Designer and homeowner Alison Jennison lined up the back of her sofa and side tables with the edge of the door and orientated them to face away from it. This line in itself creates the visual effect of a distinct entrance and, from the living area, greatly reduces the impact of the door being in the same space.
Anything entrance-themed items to the right of the front door – a row of hooks, a table with a bowl for keys or coins – would make sense, too.
Add a storage screen
This open-plan kitchen, dining and living area also contains the glazed front door (you can just see the light streaming in from it on the right of this picture). There was no zoning for an entrance area in this UK home in North Yorkshire, and privacy was compromised.
Interior designer Karen Knox of Making Spaces came up with the simple but effective idea of using vintage, industrial-style lockers to create a vestibule area, but also to screen the dining table and kitchen.
This open-plan kitchen, dining and living area also contains the glazed front door (you can just see the light streaming in from it on the right of this picture). There was no zoning for an entrance area in this UK home in North Yorkshire, and privacy was compromised.
Interior designer Karen Knox of Making Spaces came up with the simple but effective idea of using vintage, industrial-style lockers to create a vestibule area, but also to screen the dining table and kitchen.
The lockers are panelled with old pallet boards on the hallway side, seen here, with coat hooks fixed to the wood. On the dining side, the lockers provide storage for games, toys, crockery and so on.
Browse more beautiful entrances for inspiration here
Browse more beautiful entrances for inspiration here
Welcome screen time
The classic two-up, two-down terraced cottage is a common design in Australia, New Zealand and around the world. Typical to these types of houses is a front door that opens directly into the living room, as seen in this ‘before’ photo of a home in Dublin, Ireland.
There are various ways to reconfigure such a space to create the sense of an entrance, but this idea, designed by Eva Byrne of Houseology, is particularly imaginative and stylish…
The classic two-up, two-down terraced cottage is a common design in Australia, New Zealand and around the world. Typical to these types of houses is a front door that opens directly into the living room, as seen in this ‘before’ photo of a home in Dublin, Ireland.
There are various ways to reconfigure such a space to create the sense of an entrance, but this idea, designed by Eva Byrne of Houseology, is particularly imaginative and stylish…
“We fitted a painted timber-and-glass screen that can fold all the way back,” says Byrne. “It gives you privacy from the street when you’re in the living room. You don’t do anything near the door anyway, so you’re not losing any living space by adding a division.” The screen also separates the staircase from the living area.
Byrne replaced the front door and painted it blue to make a feature of it. The team then added a ledge with hooks underneath and a mirror on the wall next to the door (opposite the staircase) to turn the space into a useful hallway.
Your turn
Which of these ideas do you like the most and what defines your own home’s entrance area? Let us know in the Comments below, like this story and save the images for inspiration.
More
Need more renovation inspiration? Check out 5 Mindful Tips To Help You Stick to Your Renovation Goals
Byrne replaced the front door and painted it blue to make a feature of it. The team then added a ledge with hooks underneath and a mirror on the wall next to the door (opposite the staircase) to turn the space into a useful hallway.
Your turn
Which of these ideas do you like the most and what defines your own home’s entrance area? Let us know in the Comments below, like this story and save the images for inspiration.
More
Need more renovation inspiration? Check out 5 Mindful Tips To Help You Stick to Your Renovation Goals
In a tiny home, like this small French studio flat, it’s not always desirable to close off spaces, which could make the place feel cramped.
You get a sense of the scale of the flat in this photo, which shows most of it in one shot. Here’s the kitchen, dining room and living area, which doubles as the bedroom – and a half-wall topped with fir slats, cleverly giving the studio a distinct and organised entrance (the front door is to its right).