It is all too easy to forget that the entrance is a room. Perhaps the association with the hallway, thus a space defined only as a passageway, can lead to this kind of reaction, but in reality, it is truly a space to be carefully defined. As a place of arrivals and departures, it sets the tone for the rest of the environment, so it is important to decide how to furnish the entrance which should be welcoming and not become a gathering point for furniture and items that have no home elsewhere: just because you regularly move through this space to reach another room or go outside, this fact does not make it any less important, quite the opposite.

The hallway and entrance are almost always the part of a house that you and your guests will encounter most often, and the first impression is crucial.

Since hallways, especially in cities, tend to be narrow, the walls are a very important element to pay attention to.

Opt for a warm color or a beautiful wallpaper to give character to the space. The choice of lighting is also crucial: look for a more delicate source than a ceiling light; moreover, the entrance is a great place to showcase culture. Among bookshelves filled with books that are also aesthetically impactful or examples of artworks that practically occupy an entire wall, you might choose a collection of photographs or botanical prints.

When thinking about how to furnish the hallway, do not forget to consider the other rooms you can see when passing through: try to maintain wall colors that are consistent with each other and consider placing mirrors to allow unexpected glimpses of the entire house.

And speaking of colors, why not paint only the ceiling? Rather than focusing your attention on the walls, look up! Painting the ceiling, especially with unexpected colors or surprising patterns, keeps all the attention focused there, which can be a huge advantage, especially for smaller entrances: if the ceiling part of the entrance is separate from other rooms, you can feel free to have fun with incredible possibilities.

Or perhaps you could focus on the choice of flooring: the ideas are truly endless.

Sliding or glass doors can work really well, especially if it is a space that would otherwise remain dark or perhaps is too narrow: with doors left open most of the time, you will be flooded with light.

Plants are always an element that comes to the rescue in any room when you want to make it more welcoming: with a lot of varieties to choose from, it allows you to bring the outdoors into your home. Whether you want to stick to a small collection of grouped plants or choose a plant so large it steals the show, both choices will add a decorative yet natural touch.

And what about trying a minimalist approach? If you are a “less is more” type of person – and we really cannot blame you for that – sometimes all a space needs is a few selected elements to make a big impact. Adding a simple bench, for example, can allow different elements to stand out without competing with other decorative aspects.