The entryway to any home not only needs to set the tone for what someone sees when they first enter your home, but it also should function for your needs. In my house and studio, we don’t have any grand entry areas like some homes do. So, we’ve made the best with the space that is available by each entrance to provide practical areas for us as well as decor moments to help welcome guests to our home. Here are some tips from my own home that you can apply to yours…

No shoes, no problem!
If you’re a no shoe household like we are, having an area to sit to put on shoes in the morning or to take them off when you arrive home makes for a comfortable and useful addition to the entryway. In our house, this area sits off to the side as you walk in. Because the space was so narrow, a piece of furniture would not have fit there. So, we literally carved the space out of the wall, and that made a small bench that fit easily in the nook we created.

A last look
We all know those mornings when we are racing out the door rushing off to school drop-off or to work. There have been days that I completely forget to brush my teeth or check if my hair isn’t stuck to the side of my face from last night’s sleep! A mirror is always an easy way to bring texture and shape to an entry while providing the function for a quick last look before heading out the door. In the case of our studio entry, this mirror is also an art piece and extra fun to look at!

Any surface helps
Here’s another area we have by an entry that comes straight into a living room space. There isn’t a ton of space to add an external console table, so we built in this narrow set of cabinets to serve not only as storage but as an area to put keys or any other functional bits and bobs one might need by the door. While building in something takes a bit more planning than a separate piece, it does become seamless with the wall which helps to keep a smaller space feeling bigger!

Provide extra seating and add art whenever possible
When an entry area does have some extra space, adding a seat is always a practical choice either for older parents who may be visiting often or for a place to keep a few things you don’t want to forget on your way out. Also, take advantage of wall space to add prints or art you love. This will make your days brighter as you head out in the morning and when you come back after a long day!

P.S. See all house and studio posts right here!

Credits:
Photos: Bethany Nauert
Design: Cleo Murnane of Project M Plus and Joy Cho
Styling: Cleo Murnane of Project M Plus and Jonas Bergkvist
Architecture: Project M Plus
Construction: Boswell Construction

All furniture and materials sources noted within captions below photos. *Indicates an item that was designer discounted or gifted to us in exchange for coverage on Oh Joy. All opinions are my own. Please leave a comment if we missed anything you would like to know the source of!