How To Establish An Effective Entryway

April 20, 2012

As I’ve mentioned before, the state of your entryway is highly indicative of the organization of the rest of your home. If you put the necessary structure into place, your entryway can inherently keep the rest of your home, and you, more organized. The good news is that there is a limited and definite list of items needed to create the well-rounded entry. It includes:

– A place to hang coats

– A place for shoe storage

– A permanent and defined place for keys, wallet, etc

Bonus points for adding seating in some form, and a receptacle for miscellaneous and weather related items, like an umbrella stand.

Here are a few entryways that have caught my eye lately:

What are your favorite things about your own entryway?

Image credits: Samantha Pynn, Style At Home, One Kings Lane, Terracotta Properties, Apartment Therapy, Daily Mail, unknown, The Everygirl x2

4 Comments

  1. Georgina on April 20, 2012 at 8:38 am

    I love the pops of color, styled items and chevron pillows – great tips!

  2. Sara Mueller on April 21, 2012 at 9:39 pm

    Great ideas!

  3. Elizabeth on April 23, 2012 at 3:48 pm

    Hi Annie, great post! I have been thinking an awful lot about entryways (especially since writing up that piece for The Everygirl)–but even with their incredible tips and photos, it’s hard to translate these roomy spaces into a very, very small home. My door opens into the kitchen. We have a cute coat hook hanging just to the left of the door–and even that, at times, seems like too much for our small space.

    Any thoughts on how to carve out an entryway when you aren’t working with a miniature room as pictured in most above? Loving your blog, by the way! So glad you found me on Twitter 🙂

    • livesimplybyannie on April 24, 2012 at 12:32 pm

      Hi Elizabeth,
      Thanks for the comment!
      Here are my thoughts on the entryway situation:
      1. The obvious suggestion- to incorporate elements of the entryway in a very small-size friendly way, i.e. a simple and unobtrusive hook/ decorative framed hooks to hang keys, a very small mat or tray for shoes, etc. But it sounds like you’re already kind of trying to do that.

      My next best suggestion is this, though I know it might sound a little demented:

      Create a faux-entryway. That is, create an entryway that’s, well, not in your entryway. The entryway is supposed to be a place where you can place things down when you come in, and grab things you need when you leave. But the reality is, if your actual entryway isn’t conducive to that function, then why force it (especially in your case, if you entryway is literally just…your kitchen.) Find the next best, and next closest spot to the actual entryway where you feel you could make room for a small table/a couple shelves/ a tray or bin. THEN, make it a HABIT to utilize the faux-entryway as you would an actual entryway. When you come in, DON’T stop at the kitchen. Glide past it and march right over to your faux-E where you can collect $200 for passing go, put down your keys and your bag, take off your shoes, etc etc.

      The entryway is supposed to welcome you into a space, and is supposed to set the tone of your space, yes. But it’s also a place where you can collect and retrieve the items you need while out of the house. I’d say that in your case, the first aspect is less important than the second one. Meaning, just because it’s your actual entryway, doesn’t mean you HAVE to keep the entryway things there.

      Okay, think I’ve about wrapped up that issue. HOPE THAT HELPS!

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4 Comments

  1. Georgina on April 20, 2012 at 8:38 am

    I love the pops of color, styled items and chevron pillows – great tips!

  2. Sara Mueller on April 21, 2012 at 9:39 pm

    Great ideas!

  3. Elizabeth on April 23, 2012 at 3:48 pm

    Hi Annie, great post! I have been thinking an awful lot about entryways (especially since writing up that piece for The Everygirl)–but even with their incredible tips and photos, it’s hard to translate these roomy spaces into a very, very small home. My door opens into the kitchen. We have a cute coat hook hanging just to the left of the door–and even that, at times, seems like too much for our small space.

    Any thoughts on how to carve out an entryway when you aren’t working with a miniature room as pictured in most above? Loving your blog, by the way! So glad you found me on Twitter 🙂

    • livesimplybyannie on April 24, 2012 at 12:32 pm

      Hi Elizabeth,
      Thanks for the comment!
      Here are my thoughts on the entryway situation:
      1. The obvious suggestion- to incorporate elements of the entryway in a very small-size friendly way, i.e. a simple and unobtrusive hook/ decorative framed hooks to hang keys, a very small mat or tray for shoes, etc. But it sounds like you’re already kind of trying to do that.

      My next best suggestion is this, though I know it might sound a little demented:

      Create a faux-entryway. That is, create an entryway that’s, well, not in your entryway. The entryway is supposed to be a place where you can place things down when you come in, and grab things you need when you leave. But the reality is, if your actual entryway isn’t conducive to that function, then why force it (especially in your case, if you entryway is literally just…your kitchen.) Find the next best, and next closest spot to the actual entryway where you feel you could make room for a small table/a couple shelves/ a tray or bin. THEN, make it a HABIT to utilize the faux-entryway as you would an actual entryway. When you come in, DON’T stop at the kitchen. Glide past it and march right over to your faux-E where you can collect $200 for passing go, put down your keys and your bag, take off your shoes, etc etc.

      The entryway is supposed to welcome you into a space, and is supposed to set the tone of your space, yes. But it’s also a place where you can collect and retrieve the items you need while out of the house. I’d say that in your case, the first aspect is less important than the second one. Meaning, just because it’s your actual entryway, doesn’t mean you HAVE to keep the entryway things there.

      Okay, think I’ve about wrapped up that issue. HOPE THAT HELPS!

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