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Take a peek at our clients new entry!
Historically the classic foyer or entryway was a very formal space- usually intended to impress visitors with a grand gesture, this was frequently expressed in the quality of the surfacing materials- marble or stone floors may seem to us today as merely obvious symbols of luxury but in the very early homes of the well-to-do and even important businesses, having these easily cleanable surfaces allowed for meetings with people from every station of life, particularly visitors who came on foot through unpaved streets- hence, the desirability of washable floors.
Today, in all but the most traditional homes, the foyer is meant to offer a warm and hopefully stylish welcome to one’s guests and family and it can serve many purposes.
The scale of the space alone can dictate its function whether the space is merely an implied foyer by the presence of a short or partial wall before entering the main first room or a generously proportioned separate space that allows for many options of furnishing, purpose and style. Below we are sharing with you four different entry spaces from past projects of romero + obeji interior design.
Above: This first image is from a project where there was no separation from entry to living area in one of our client’s homes. There was luckily a wall on one side, opposite is the formal dining area so we created a focal point with a handmade bench in the style of George Nakishima and a large watercolor painting. This immediately transmits a sense of warmth and interest from the wood and natural art as well as encouraging guests to pause on entering or leaving the home.
Above: The next foyer is an unusual round space with a dramatic circular staircase on the opposite wall. We wanted to include some of the owners‘ collected vintage and antique pieces so we purposely selected all important elements that shared the same monochromatic dark colors in order to unify this grouping into a cleaner, more up to date look.
DESIGN TIP: A table or floor light is always a terrific addition to an entry space as a source of low light in the evening is a sure way to add a feeling of warmth and welcome to the space.
Above: This next space is more of a traditional entry hall with the door at one end to the right of the smoke colored chair, the stairs are opposite the long wall shown and this space opens to the dining/living room. Sometimes the classic foyer design concept of a great storage piece and a mirror is the absolute perfect solution. We found a wonderful midcentury style walnut sideboard that offers handy storage and has some very snazzy iron tapered legs, over it we hung an oversized round mirror with an antique brass frame and paired it with a couple of vintage art prints.
Above: Finally, we love the idea of using a traditional design vocabulary in a modern way which we achieved with this last recently completed foyer for a young family who had a fairly large entry hall space but definitely needed function as much as fabulous form.
We had one wall covered in solid wood planks to emulate traditional shiplap and add a lot of instant texture and warmth. We then designed the custom built mudroom style bench with open storage underneath for shoes and a pair of cubbies set into the wall that are perfect for keys and phones and finally, we had a blacksmith hand forge custom hooks which were set at heights handy for both adults and the kids. The black bucket on the floor is a classic look but as its made from recycled tires, it adds a great modern texture to keep everything fresh.
Design Tip: We had a beveled edge cut on one of the long sides of each plank which created a interesting shadow effect.
Our clients all love their new entryways and it’s so great that we have helped to make them smile when they walk in their front door!