Ways to Decorate Your Foyer

Who don't want to imbibe some arts and crafts in their lovable home? Right from the foyer area to the balcony space everyone wants to make their home to have a unique look. In fact everyone of us try our best to make others greedy with our creative home designing.

For those who want to  mend creative ideas in their entry zone(Foyer) we have rounded up few handy tips and pointers to make your foyer a stand out among your entire house.

A foyer is typically an area that connects the exterior of the house to the interior. It is usually a small passage that starts at the entryway and leads to the living room or the sitting room. It is the first area that greets the eyes of a visitor. And it is also an area where one tends to store a lot of bric-a-brac.

Hence it is important to plan the foyer area so that not only does it serve its purpose as a stow away for things you discard like removing your shoes, hanging your keys and also possibly hanging up your purse/bag/coat when you enter your house, but should also be pleasing and inviting.

After all who doesn’t love a warm welcome, whether it’s your own home or you have guests to entertain.

This article will deal with various ideas to do up your foyer in terms of choosing the correct wallpaper, wall decoration, foyer furniture, choosing the correct lights and shades, creative use of cabinets for storing personal items, and also adding bits of personal touch.

In most houses, the foyer is usually a long passageway. However, there are also some houses, typically bungalows that have round or irregular shaped foyers. Don’t worry if your foyer shape is irregular, you can still find plenty of ideas in this article to suit your needs. Because, small foyer's should not be left unnoticed. :)

We will start with Lighting and Lampshades, since that is the first thing that strikes you when you enter anyone’s home, including your own.

Lighting and Lampshades:

A foyer seldom has any windows or source of natural light. So it is important to pick the right illumination. Chandeliers are a beautiful way to dress up a foyer and lend it a sparkle.

There are various types of chandeliers available in the market or online, naming a few here, pendants, close to ceiling, mini pendants, Victorian, modern and many more. While choosing your chandelier do make a note of the following points.

• Choose the right size of chandelier. You can determine the size of the chandelier by adding up the dimensions of your foyer (if it is not irregular in shape). For example an 8 foot by 3 foot foyer will roughly need an 11 inch chandelier. (8+3)
• If you have an irregularly shaped foyer, take the rough width/diameter of the foyer, distinguishing between where the foyer ends and where the rooms begin. For example if the width/diameter of your foyer is 10 feet, multiply it by 2. And you have the diameter of the chandelier in inches. In this case 20 inches.(10*2)
• Be careful not to choose a long chandelier where the height of the foyer is low. Keep at least 7 feet distance between the chandelier and the floor. In case you have a high ceiling, choose a chandelier that has enough chain to suspend it from the ceiling.

• You can even have the electrician fix two way switches for the chandelier. One for a low light and second for a well lit look.
• Choose between white light or yellow light. White for a well lit foyer and yellow for a softer and warmer look.
• However, if you don’t want to use a chandelier, you can mount spot lights on the wall focusing on a painting or a mirror or a photograph.

Wall paper and wall paint:

A foyer sets the tone for the rest of the house, so choosing the wallpaper or paint becomes very important. Both cost the same but the labour cost of wallpapering is much higher than painting. These days wallpapers have overruled wall paints simply because of the amazing color combinations one can find in these.

Wall paints haven’t quite kept up. But you can choose either depending upon your budget and home décor.

• To get warmer tones choose from brown, ivory, orange and off-white. You can either get a textured wall paint or a patterned wall paper. It is advisable to keep the shades neutral. But if you want to give a dramatic look to the foyer, you can even choose from dark colors like burgundy, deep blue or green.

• Neutral tones will add light to the room, whereas dark colours will take it away and make the foyer look smaller.

Foyer furniture:

• Keeping indoor plants in the entryway is said to bring positive energy into the house. Not only does it look good but gives a fresh look to the foyer. If you do decide to keep plants, do ensure that they are indoor plants that don’t need much sunlight.

• To give your foyer a vintage look, you can select a distressed wooden side table to keep along the length of the wall. This table can have drawers to keep small items like keys. The top of the table can house the perfect vase with fresh or artificial flowers. If you find a vintage curio to go with the table, you can keep that too.
• If you prefer the modern or contemporary look, select a table that is metallic or has a metallic finish. A modern art centerpiece will make the look complete.
• Paintings, photo frames and modern art pictures go well on the wall above the table. Alternately, to add a personal touch you could either frame some personal pictures or get some personal items in a frame like a cherished pen, a report card, a childhood memory of any sort and put them up instead. Another option is to hang a mirror.

Besides adding the glam quotient, it also serves as a quick check-my-look before you head out.

• To give your foyer a homely look, you could lay down a colorful runner along the length of the foyer. Make sure the material is easy to clean though.

• If you have an additional space like an alcove under the stairs, you can use it effectively for storing certain items. Get a custom made cabinet for shoes, hangers where you can hang your daily hand bags or any other utility item made.

• If you don’t have any extra space and want to still be able to store utility items, you could turn the table in the foyer into one with drawers with shiny knobs. It looks great while giving you a much needed space.

• If you have still more space, try putting a two seated sofa or a single chair or a stool along a wall. Again, not only will it enhance the look, it will serve you well when wearing shoes. Be sure to match the color tone of this furniture with your table.

You can make your foyer wall as a super cool gallery wall by placing your family pictures in a fun way just like this.

Having said that, there are numerous permutations in which you could use the above mentioned tips. Feel free to create your own ideas because no one knows your home better than you do!

Have one to add in your to-do list? Do not hesitate. Go on and let your creative juices flow. Feel fresh with these ideas and yes do not make our comment box empty :P