Day 2 of “We love...”

 
Making an entrance!

Today we look at how to make a great entrance from a large space.

There's a tendency to think that the bigger the space, the easier to decorate, but making large areas feel

part of a decorative scheme is an art in itself.

The trick when turning an open hall into a functional entrance area, is to use furniture that is sized in relation to the space.

I love to use old “armoires” (french wardrobes) to hang up coats and bags, either in their original wood finishes, or painted, if the colour scheme calls for it. Choose a contrasting colour and paint out the interior to give a wonderful colour shock when you open the doors!

In larger entrance halls you may have the space to add a lovely bench, or a maybe a couple of easy chairs to make changing shoes a chore to be savoured. I often get my carpenter to shelve out one side of the wardrobe to hold school bags and baskets for gloves and scarves, but if the “school bag days” are a distant memory, wardrobes can be a great storage place for boots and shoes too. And why not a matching, or “unmatched” pair, if you have the room? One for coats and accessories, and the other one for boots and shoes? Make sure you offer plenty of “extras”, like a nice box or basket full of cleaning and buffing bits and pieces to keep shoes looking smart, shoe trees to keep your favourites in shape, and shoe horns to help you get out quicker on busy mornings.

When placing furniture, keep in mind the effect you want to make in the room. If you veer towards the traditional, a symmetric layout is a more classic approach, so choose a “mid line” in the space, then “mirror” your pieces on each side. You don't need two of everything, but general height and volume should be similar.  If you're wanting to create a more contemporary feel, choose an asymmetrical layout. Not as easy to achieve as the more usual symmetrical layout when you're “going alone”, but try to aim for a balanced look: place you're highest piece first, then place other pieces in relation to it. It's often a matter of trial and error when you first try out an asymmetrical layout, but don't be frightened to keep moving things until you're happy with them. Your eye will become more practised with...practice!

There is another system that we sometimes use to help us to plan layouts, but it takes a little (lots) of time, use, and understanding, to get it really right. Based on the same use of “proportions” as seen in Leonardo de Vinci's drawing of “The Vitruvius man” (named in honour of the renowned Roman architect of the same name) who'd taken inspiration for classical architecture from his study of the “ideal proportions” found in the human body, designers apply these guidelines to layout. For us, the “space” between items is an important part of placing furniture, lighting, pictures and accessories in a room. This procedure just takes it to the “nth” degree, with a touch of “science” thrown in...

Are the results really worth the study? (I hear you ask?...) Honestly, the jury is still out as far as I'm concerned, but I'm sure, that even subconsciously, I do apply the “science” more often than I think, because whether we believe in the concept or not, we are certainly influenced by the “rules” of classical architecture.

But, we digress, so let's get back to your lovely big entrance hall!

Once you have your storage and seating in place, if there's still room to dance...think of bringing in a table. Free standing if you've the room (round tables work best in traditional interiors) or in the form of a wall-standing console if not. There are, however, two rules to follow: 1. keep it uncluttered! (add something decorative to hold the inevitable cars keys, garage “beep” and spare coins) and 2. showcase a gorgeous piece of art or sculpture: It doesn't have to be an expensive piece, just something you love and care for, and want to share with friends and visitors.

And last but not least, if you have carpets, protect them with a decorative rug that can take wear, tear and grubby boots at the front door, (and better still, think about replacing an area with hard flooring) and if you have hard floors, add a decorative mat (make sure it's non slip) and keep a floor-wiping kit handy and hidden to quickly cope with muddy foot prints. (The choice, and use of flooring materials are a worth a post to themselves)

Prefer to have professional help?

Our single room design box is ideal for hallways, as well as making a great gift. We show you how to best use the space, and propose a decorative scheme, ways to use lighting, and a choice of furniture and accessories, to make your home stand out from the crowd!