A foyer in an average sized home will not look like a room, per se. It will look more like a hallway or a small, extra space that ones sees when first entering the home. In a much larger home or even a mansion, the foyer will provide enough space to add small pieces of furniture. Your home may or may not include a foyer and that's fine. You may skip this section and move on to How to Decorate a Kitchen.
You may be wondering what is the purpose of a foyer? The foyer sets the tone and feel of the rest of the house and how you can expect for it to be decorated. This area provides a place for the homeowner to quietly and privately greet guests before introducing them to the remainder of the family sitting in the living room, kitchen, etc. It allows the visitor time to remove and store their coat, shoes and other belongings so they don't have to needlessly carry all of that around the house while interacting with everyone.
Moreover, the foyer is a place where they may sit and wait for someone if they are just picking the person up but don't intend to stay. This is especially good if the living room has light-colored or expensive carpeting and it would be inconvenient for the guest to remove his or her shoes only to leave a couple of minutes later when their friend is ready to go. A guest may want to freshened his or her breath before communing. Therefore, they'd be more at ease after grabbing a piece of candy from your handy dish sitting on the console table. Your visitor or a handyman may desire to quickly jot down a message or phone number. This would be easier done if you have a pen and small pad on the table or in its drawer.
Now, let us get to the juicy part. So what does a foyer need? The contents chosen for a foyer are contingent upon its size.
A small foyer needs a:
Decorative accessories, such as a picture on the wall, a colorful flower arrangement or an expensive crystal vase on the center table functions as both eye candy and conversation pieces. Instead of saying "Nice weather we're having" as one would when riding on an elevator with a stranger, your guest may loosen up by saying, "Wow, what a beautiful, crystal vase. Where did you get it?"
Positioning the Items
Place the wall mounted or free-standing hat/coat rack in a corner near the front door or on the wall catercorner from the door. The mirror may be placed anywhere but best positioned on the wall on the doorknob side of the door. This may help the person already in the house to be able to see who is entering the home. The mirror should measure 16" to 26" long, in a small foyer, and at least 36" in a large foyer. It is okay to have both an outside and an inside doormat. If you choose to have an outdoor mat this will give the home a more cohesive appearance for those who want to use a floor runner. Do not use a floor runner and an indoor mat. That would be overkill and not pleasing to the eye. Position them centered as close to the door as possible.
The umbrella container should be placed on the same wall as the hat/coat rack or in the corner near the door. The table should be placed directly against a wall a few steps away from the door. If your foyer is 180 square feet or more, a round or drum table may be positioned in the middle of that space directly underneath the lighting fixture. It is fine to have both a center table and a wall table if space permits. The bench should go against the wall opposite the console table or against a wall a few steps from the door. Additional chairs should only be placed against the wall and not right next to one another unless the chairs are identical.
Finally, a foyer isn't a foyer unless it has a chandelier or ceiling lighting fixture. It should measure 5" to 12" long for an 8 foot high ceiling, 16 inches or more for 9'+ high ceilings, and at least 24" for a two story high foyer.
Furnishing On a Budget
When you're first starting out you may have to skimp on quality and purchase what I like to call disposable goods. Although these pieces of furniture and accessories may look very attractive, they aren't built to last forever and may not yield a high profit if sold at a yard sale, flea market or online. You may shop for such items at stores such as IKEA, Walmart, Kmart, Jarons Furniture, The Christmas Tree Shopps, Family Dollar, Target. IKEA is very well known for providing lots of
furniture at especially low prices that you assemble yourself. They do sell some high-quality items as well but don't look for these online. Go directly into the store so you can see and feel the quality yourself.
If want to quality furniture and have some time to shop around go to your local Goodwill store, visit flea markets, search classified ads for estate sales (major deals may be found at low prices), online 'free' and 'for sale' sections at Craigslist.com and Backpage.com and by asking family members for pieces they no longer want. Snoop around their basements, attics, garages and sheds. Then ask them how much they want for the pieces you're interested in. If they don't need them you'll most likely get it for free but be prepared to pay for shipping or transporting them yourself.
Got Money to Blow?
If you have the money to purchase high-end furniture, you may want to start looking at stores like Reymour & Flanigan, Bloomingdales, Mealy's Furniture (excellent prices on the same furniture you'll find at some high-end stores but shh! don't tell anyone I told you). Whether pine, cherry, maple, oak, ebony, etc., quality furniture is made to last for many years, saves you money in the long run and may be passed down to your progeny for many generations to come.
Think of your foyer as the receptionist you see when you walk into your doctor's office. The nicer she looks or the more pleasant she is the more likely you are to return.
You may be wondering what is the purpose of a foyer? The foyer sets the tone and feel of the rest of the house and how you can expect for it to be decorated. This area provides a place for the homeowner to quietly and privately greet guests before introducing them to the remainder of the family sitting in the living room, kitchen, etc. It allows the visitor time to remove and store their coat, shoes and other belongings so they don't have to needlessly carry all of that around the house while interacting with everyone.
Moreover, the foyer is a place where they may sit and wait for someone if they are just picking the person up but don't intend to stay. This is especially good if the living room has light-colored or expensive carpeting and it would be inconvenient for the guest to remove his or her shoes only to leave a couple of minutes later when their friend is ready to go. A guest may want to freshened his or her breath before communing. Therefore, they'd be more at ease after grabbing a piece of candy from your handy dish sitting on the console table. Your visitor or a handyman may desire to quickly jot down a message or phone number. This would be easier done if you have a pen and small pad on the table or in its drawer.
Now, let us get to the juicy part. So what does a foyer need? The contents chosen for a foyer are contingent upon its size.
A small foyer needs a:
- wall mirror
- door mat
- half moon table
- chandelier or lighting fixture
- wall-mounted hat/coat rack (unless coat closet is present)
- wall picture
- accessories (a dainty lamp, candy dish)
- (all of the above)
- free-standing hat/coat rack (unless a coat closet is present)
- bench or 2 to 3 chairs
- round center table or 1 - 2 half moon or narrow console tables
- umbrella container
- floor runner (carpet or plastic, if a doormat isn't present)
Decorative accessories, such as a picture on the wall, a colorful flower arrangement or an expensive crystal vase on the center table functions as both eye candy and conversation pieces. Instead of saying "Nice weather we're having" as one would when riding on an elevator with a stranger, your guest may loosen up by saying, "Wow, what a beautiful, crystal vase. Where did you get it?"
Positioning the Items
Place the wall mounted or free-standing hat/coat rack in a corner near the front door or on the wall catercorner from the door. The mirror may be placed anywhere but best positioned on the wall on the doorknob side of the door. This may help the person already in the house to be able to see who is entering the home. The mirror should measure 16" to 26" long, in a small foyer, and at least 36" in a large foyer. It is okay to have both an outside and an inside doormat. If you choose to have an outdoor mat this will give the home a more cohesive appearance for those who want to use a floor runner. Do not use a floor runner and an indoor mat. That would be overkill and not pleasing to the eye. Position them centered as close to the door as possible.
The umbrella container should be placed on the same wall as the hat/coat rack or in the corner near the door. The table should be placed directly against a wall a few steps away from the door. If your foyer is 180 square feet or more, a round or drum table may be positioned in the middle of that space directly underneath the lighting fixture. It is fine to have both a center table and a wall table if space permits. The bench should go against the wall opposite the console table or against a wall a few steps from the door. Additional chairs should only be placed against the wall and not right next to one another unless the chairs are identical.
Finally, a foyer isn't a foyer unless it has a chandelier or ceiling lighting fixture. It should measure 5" to 12" long for an 8 foot high ceiling, 16 inches or more for 9'+ high ceilings, and at least 24" for a two story high foyer.
Furnishing On a Budget
When you're first starting out you may have to skimp on quality and purchase what I like to call disposable goods. Although these pieces of furniture and accessories may look very attractive, they aren't built to last forever and may not yield a high profit if sold at a yard sale, flea market or online. You may shop for such items at stores such as IKEA, Walmart, Kmart, Jarons Furniture, The Christmas Tree Shopps, Family Dollar, Target. IKEA is very well known for providing lots of
furniture at especially low prices that you assemble yourself. They do sell some high-quality items as well but don't look for these online. Go directly into the store so you can see and feel the quality yourself.
If want to quality furniture and have some time to shop around go to your local Goodwill store, visit flea markets, search classified ads for estate sales (major deals may be found at low prices), online 'free' and 'for sale' sections at Craigslist.com and Backpage.com and by asking family members for pieces they no longer want. Snoop around their basements, attics, garages and sheds. Then ask them how much they want for the pieces you're interested in. If they don't need them you'll most likely get it for free but be prepared to pay for shipping or transporting them yourself.
Got Money to Blow?
If you have the money to purchase high-end furniture, you may want to start looking at stores like Reymour & Flanigan, Bloomingdales, Mealy's Furniture (excellent prices on the same furniture you'll find at some high-end stores but shh! don't tell anyone I told you). Whether pine, cherry, maple, oak, ebony, etc., quality furniture is made to last for many years, saves you money in the long run and may be passed down to your progeny for many generations to come.
Think of your foyer as the receptionist you see when you walk into your doctor's office. The nicer she looks or the more pleasant she is the more likely you are to return.
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