A Rustic Renovation for Often Overlooked Rooms

Custom rustic bench in mudroom remodel
Photo of a large country mudroom in Chicago with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a single front door, a white front door, brown floor, coffered and planked wall panelling.

Bournemouth Holiday Cottage

Coral Interiors

Inspiration for an eclectic entryway in Dorset with ceramic floors and planked wall panelling.

Tiny House en bois de 30m2 - Lacanau

LoftNets

Très belle réalisation d'une Tiny House sur Lacanau fait par l’entreprise Ideal Tiny. A la demande du client, le logement a été aménagé avec plusieurs filets LoftNets afin de rentabiliser l’espace, sécuriser l’étage et créer un espace de relaxation suspendu permettant de converser un maximum de luminosité dans la pièce. Références : Deux filets d'habitation noirs en mailles tressées 15 mm pour la mezzanine et le garde-corps à l’étage et un filet d'habitation beige en mailles tressées 45 mm pour la terrasse extérieure.

Harbor View

Albert, Righter & Tittmann Architects, Inc.

Harbor View is a modern-day interpretation of the shingled vacation houses of its seaside community. The gambrel roof, horizontal, ground-hugging emphasis, and feeling of simplicity, are all part of the character of the place. While fitting in with local traditions, Harbor View is meant for modern living. The kitchen is a central gathering spot, open to the main combined living/dining room and to the waterside porch. One easily moves between indoors and outdoors. The house is designed for an active family, a couple with three grown children and a growing number of grandchildren. It is zoned so that the whole family can be there together but retain privacy. Living, dining, kitchen, library, and porch occupy the center of the main floor. One-story wings on each side house two bedrooms and bathrooms apiece, and two more bedrooms and bathrooms and a study occupy the second floor of the central block. The house is mostly one room deep, allowing cross breezes and light from both sides. The porch, a third of which is screened, is a main dining and living space, with a stone fireplace offering a cozy place to gather on summer evenings. A barn with a loft provides storage for a car or boat off-season and serves as a big space for projects or parties in summer.

Front entrance hall with Shiplap/brass finish flush mount light fixture and scon

Degnan Design Build + Degnan Design Group

Transitional front door in New York with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a single front door, a medium wood front door, brown floor and planked wall panelling.

Lake Francis-Southern MN

Amy E. Haglin Interior Design

This is an example of a country foyer in Minneapolis with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a single front door, a blue front door, brown floor, timber, planked wall panelling and wallpaper.

Red Hill House

Bella Vie Interiors

This classic Queenslander home in Red Hill, was a major renovation and therefore an opportunity to meet the family’s needs. With three active children, this family required a space that was as functional as it was beautiful, not forgetting the importance of it feeling inviting. The resulting home references the classic Queenslander in combination with a refined mix of modern Hampton elements.

Timeless Farmhouse

Veritas Fine Homes Inc

This Farmhouse style home was designed around the separate spaces and wraps or hugs around the courtyard, it’s inviting, comfortable and timeless. A welcoming entry and sliding doors suggest indoor/ outdoor living through all of the private and public main spaces including the Entry, Kitchen, living, and master bedroom. Another major design element for the interior of this home called the “galley” hallway, features high clerestory windows and creative entrances to two of the spaces. Custom Double Sliding Barn Doors to the office and an oversized entrance with sidelights and a transom window, frame the main entry and draws guests right through to the rear courtyard. The owner’s one-of-a-kind creative craft room and laundry room allow for open projects to rest without cramping a social event in the public spaces. Lastly, the HUGE but unassuming 2,200 sq ft garage provides two tiers and space for a full sized RV, off road vehicles and two daily drivers. This home is an amazing example of balance between on-site toy storage, several entertaining space options and private/quiet time and spaces alike.

Strowan II

Fleetwood Construction

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary front door in Christchurch with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a single front door, a black front door, beige floor and planked wall panelling.

Reclaimed Brick with Board and Batten Modern Farmhouse on Acreage

Wyrick Residential Design

Design ideas for a large country foyer in Houston with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a double front door, a dark wood front door, brown floor and wood walls.

Lakeside New Build

Andrea Schumacher Interiors

This entryway has exposed wood ceilings and a beautiful wooden chest. The wood elements of the design are contrasted with a bright blue area rug and colorful draperies. A large, Urchin chandelier hangs overhead.

Form Marries Function

Ashley Campbell Interior Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary foyer in Denver with wood walls.

Tall Timbers, WaterColor

Anthony J. Vallée

Design ideas for a small transitional entry hall in Other with white walls, light hardwood floors, a single front door, a white front door, beige floor and planked wall panelling.

Poston kitchen

Wood Wise Design & Remodeling

Side entry/mudroom with cubbies for drop-zone.
Beach style mudroom in Raleigh with porcelain floors, grey floor, white walls and planked wall panelling.

Transitional Lake Cottage

Lenox House Design

A modern Marvin front door welcomes you into this entry space complete with a bench and cubby to allow guests a place to rest and store their items before coming into the home.

Contemporary Renovation and Second Floor Addition

Two Hands Interiors

A custom walnut slat wall feature elevates this mudroom wall while providing easily accessible hooks.
Small contemporary mudroom in Chicago with white walls, light hardwood floors, brown floor and wood walls.

Eastview Before & After Exterior Renovation

nancekivell home planning & design

Eastview Before & After Exterior Renovation Enhancing a home’s exterior curb appeal doesn’t need to be a daunting task. With some simple design refinements and creative use of materials we transformed this tired 1950’s style colonial with second floor overhang into a classic east coast inspired gem. Design enhancements include the following: • Replaced damaged vinyl siding with new LP SmartSide, lap siding and trim • Added additional layers of trim board to give windows and trim additional dimension • Applied a multi-layered banding treatment to the base of the second-floor overhang to create better balance and separation between the two levels of the house • Extended the lower-level window boxes for visual interest and mass • Refined the entry porch by replacing the round columns with square appropriately scaled columns and trim detailing, removed the arched ceiling and increased the ceiling height to create a more expansive feel • Painted the exterior brick façade in the same exterior white to connect architectural components. A soft blue-green was used to accent the front entry and shutters • Carriage style doors replaced bland windowless aluminum doors • Larger scale lantern style lighting was used throughout the exterior

niguel west mid-century modern

Moss Yaw Design studio

a narrow vertical gap at the entry cedar and adjacent drywall allows visitors a peek to the open kitchen and living via a unique interior detail
Inspiration for a small midcentury entry hall in Orange County with a single front door and wood walls.

ImComingHome

S.Flynn Design + Build

The mudroom was in desperate need of a refresh. We put a rustic, white-washed herringbone brick tile on the floor, which adds so much character to the space, plus it’s enormously practical. Speaking of practicality, we added a row of mudroom lockers and a bench with loads of storage, plus plenty of room to slide shoes under the drawers. We love how the natural, character-grade oak cabinets pair with the white cabinetry, which is original to the home but with new drawer fronts. We had so much fun designing this cozy little room, from the wood slat detail on the walls to the vintage-inspired ceramic knobs on the bench drawers.

Bright Harmony

Colossus Mfg.

Functional and organized mud room with custom built natural wood bench and white upper cabinetry.
Design ideas for a small transitional entryway in Sacramento with white walls, ceramic floors, multi-coloured floor and planked wall panelling.

Entryway Design Ideas with Planked Wall Panelling and Wood Walls

Make coming home a pleasure by making sure your entryway – also known as a foyer or vestibule – is the perfect transition from the public world to the private world. Your choice of front door, the organisation and general flow of the entryway should be practical and reflect the style of your home. Your entryway, foyer or vestibule is the first impression guests will have of your home. Does it reflect you and your household? Here are a few ways to make your entryway better - and if all else fails, there's always hiring an interior designer to help.

How can you make your front door stand out?

Front doors can make or break a home’s appeal. An outdated or ill-fitting front door will imply what lies beyond is just as overdue for a makeover. No one wants a front door that stands out for all the wrong reasons, so choose one that suits the style of your home. Aluminium doors, for example, are more suited to contemporary-style homes, whereas ornate timber doors suit period homes. That doesn’t mean you can’t inject some of your own personality, though. While the architectural style should remain the same, you can shake things up with paint colours and quirky door handles. If you’re planning a new home, play around with the size and shape of your entrance door, too, and if you want to include a screen door, look for one that architecturally complements the existing front door.

How can you create an organised entryway or foyer?

An organised foyer requires smart storage solutions – otherwise it’s at risk of becoming a dumping zone. Think about what you do when you first walk into your home. Most people will put their keys down, store a bag or coat, then take their shoes off. If this sounds like you, and your entryway is relatively sizeable, consider including some built-in joinery or a slimline console or hall table. Otherwise, hooks for keys, a coat stand and shoe rack will suffice. If you have a large family, allocate one drawer or shelf to each member of the clan. And finally, don’t overcrowd this area with belongings that can’t be stored in a bedroom. When guests arrive, you want to be able to offer them somewhere to put down their belongings.

Could a dirt room save your floors and entry?

Having a mudroom isn’t commonplace in Australia and New Zealand, but it is becoming increasingly popular as a means to keep mess at bay. In coastal areas, it is sometimes referred to as a sand room, while in rural areas, it can be known as a dirt room. A mudroom is usually a secondary entrance or located at the back entrance, and is ideal for storing shoes, school backpacks, sports equipment and pet essentials. You don’t have to dedicate an entire room to a mudroom. A narrow hall or partial wall will do the trick just fine – just add built-ins, some cubbies for individual family members and a bench. If you have a laundry that has direct access to the outdoors, it’s an ideal opportunity to convert it into a multi-purpose space. Combining a laundry and mudroom is a logical and effective use of space. If there’s no room inside, take a look outside. If you have a verandah, cordon off an area for the likes of dirty soccer boots and surfboards.