With plenty of storage and site lines through the rear of the home, this open foyer functions as the hub of the home. Photography by Alan Karchner
AHH, HOME SWEET HOME. You come in from a demanding day, lured into your living room by a sofa that envelops you with comfort. The kitchen entices with tasty treats to nibble. Then there’s that sanctuary of serenity—the bedroom—and its nearby refuge, the master bath; a place that beckons with its sunken pool that can take all your cares away. Yes, the adage rings oh so true—there’s no place like home. You delight in every inch of it from the office to the den to the laundry room; after all, you work hard to make it a pleasurable space. And in each room, your specific design objectives shine through. Each room, that is, except maybe the foyer. Like many homeowners, you may feel you don’t exactly know what to do with that room.
The foyer gives that first indication of your atmosphere, voicing your family’s style and attitude. It’s the space that welcomes you in and sees you off everyday. A foyer is generally the first room visitors see and, thus, sets the tone for the rest of the house. But many homeowners delay giving attention to this area, not because they don’t want to make it usable and attractive, but because they don’t necessarily know in which direction to turn. Whether your foyer is small or large, country or contemporary, certain architectural and design element scan be incorporated to create an entrance hall that charms both guests and inhabitants a like.
A Collector’s Gallery
Gary Inman of the interior design firm, Gary Inman Interiors, Ltd., says a person chooses a foyer based on the lifestyle of the family and the style of the architecture. He says the foyer establishes “the energy and sensibility of the [other] spaces you are about to see.” The homeowners’ lifestyle dictates how the space functions. Avid art collectors might use this space as a showcase gallery. However, add in young children, and the space requires more functionality. In the book, Dwellings: Living with Great Style, authors Stephen Sills and James Huniford “needed to accommodate both family life and a museum-worthy collection of modern art.” To do this, they added optical-illusion marble flooring, reminiscent of an art museum.
A center hall foyer that opens to the main living areas as well as the rear courtyard functions as the home's primary transitional space. Photo courtesy of Mannington Mills, Inc.
In a large home with a grand foyer, agrouping of wall-hung artwork can climb from the foyer walls up the stairway. This technique both fills the space and cleverly showcases the art. A foyer may also be the perfect place to display precious antiques. Since the location is usually one that is not “lived in” but “passed through,” observers will be in the space only long enough to absorb the beauty without allowing too much time for unforgivable accidents.
A Harmonious Home Builder
George Combs, President of George W. Combs, Inc., adds that the foyer is the “gateway that sets the tone for the house. ”Combs recommends creating a “sense of continuity throughout to balance related spaces.” While a pass-through area is a great opportunity to play with creative techniques that you might not use in other areas of the home such as various uses of texture and color, this space should be in harmony with the rooms that open off of it. When possible, Combs opens the foyer to a great room with a beautiful vista behind. He says design techniques such as this can “greatly enhance the experience of entering the home.”
According to Anthony Barnes of Barnes Vanze Architects, Inc., balance can also be created in a small foyer with mirrors. Two opposing mirrors can add the illusion of space. Most experts agree that a mirror is a great touch in this area. Inman says there are certain things to always include when decorating the foyer, and a mirror is one. “If you are receiving guests,” he says, “people like to have one last glance at themselves before they go into a party just to make sure they are put together properly.”
A Durable Design
While style is key in this space, durable, functional building materials are vital. Floors and walls in a foyer are subject to daily wear and tear, absorbing environmental elements. Inman suggests choosing a practical flooring to tackle snow and rain. It should be easy to clean and not prone to becoming too slippery. Also, if seating is included in this space, “the upholstery needs to be heavier, so it will hold up well.” To balance functionality with style, Inman says to get creative. “You wouldn’t want to put fine silk[upholstery] in an entry hall because of the traffic.” Also, organic rugs such as those in the sisal and coir family can be good for this space. “They have the natural ability to sort of clean the shoes of people walking over them.”
According to Barnes, there should be an outside rain shelter and indoor and outdoor mats to reduce elements tracked into the house. He notes that form can also meet function with details such as a coat closet, a front hall table to hold a basket of keys, and a mirror. A foyer can be a great place to store coats, hats, shoes, mail, etc. Depending on the design chosen, these accessories may be exposed as with coat racks and umbrella stands or hidden inside closets and storage benches.
A formal center hall foyer can be accented with elegant furnishings and lighting with interior design by Edward Stough. Photography by Ron Solomon.
A Thought to Consider
Other design elements that experts recommend include lighting to open up the space, columns for visual drama and to divide rooms, flooring inlays, “water-fall” stairways that flow into the foyer, wainscoting, coffers, moldings, and medallions. Interior designer Edward R. Stough says he’s been doing multiple chandeliers rather than a large, single, centered one, especially in long, narrow entry halls.
While most suggestions assume the foyer is the main entrance of the home, Stough says he prefers to make the foyer a formal entrance to welcome guests, while creating a separate entrance for the family. The advantage to this technique is that more elegant touches can be incorporated into the guest foyer; the family entrance comprises practical materials. In Stough’s experience, some houses are designed for homeowners to enter through unflattering spaces. He tries to change that. Instead, Stough develops “a separate entrance directly from outside into a nice vestibule or redo the entrance from the garage to have a nice entry space[for the family] rather than coming in through the laundry or furnace room.”
Foyers have “a lot to do with the individual’s tastes and particular take on design,” reiterates Inman. Whether your style prompts you to greet in grandeur or simplicity, like other rooms in your house, your foyer should make a statement. Inman says, “People like it if they walk in and suddenly think, ‘Wow, that’s impressive!’” If home is where the heart is, and the foyer is the first impression of the home, why not take time to put heart-felt effort into making this a truly welcoming room.
Tanyika Lewis is a frequent contributor to ChesapeakeHome.
Contacts:
Barnes Vanze Architects Inc.: barnesvanze.com or (202) 337-7255
Edward R.Stough Inc.: edwardrstoughinc.com or (410) 486-1300
Gary Inman Interiors Ltd.: garyinman.com or (866) 284-2330
George W.Combs Inc.: georgew-combs.com or (410) 820-0189
Mannington Mills,Inc.: mannington.com or (856) 935-3000
