How to Make the Most of a Small Foyer

March 8, 2022

You have one chance to make a first impression, so ensure you’re making a good one. The foyer of your home is your chance to do just that, but how much can you really say in such a small space? A lot, actually.

The entranceway of your home offers visitors a sneak peek into your life and style. It’s an opportunity to enhance the home’s function while showcasing your personality. To top it off, the fact that this is a small space actually works in your favour, too.

So, how do you make the most of this small space? I have two words for you: storage and style.

Maximize your storage. Outfit the space with shelves, hooks, cubbies, baskets, a storage bench – anything to contain the clutter. Think of everything you usually take when you when you come and go. Then, ensure there’s a permanent home for it all, to keep the mess under wraps. Space permitting, consider incorporating a piece of furniture, such as a unique dresser, to boost your storage space and style.

Maximize your style. Resource-wise, redecorating or renovating the foyer is usually a light lift. Its small size means you can do a lot with relatively little budget. The limited square footage is also an invitation to push your style boundaries a bit. Here, you can go bolder than you otherwise might. Small space, small commitment, small risk. If you even want to redecorate it, it won’t be a heavy lift.

Tip: Add artwork to your foyer. It’s a great opportunity to add a temporary burst of colour and give people a small view of you. And when the mood strikes, change it at will! Choose something unusual, that speaks to you in some way. Muse it to help you make your style statement.

Maximize the lighting. Let the light shine in through outdoor windows, and leave them uncovered in you have privacy. Incorporate a mirror, to amplify the natural light and to steal a final glance at your reflection as you rush out the door for the day.  Finish the area with a striking light fixture. If the space is narrow with a high ceiling, I recommend a pendant. If you have low ceilings, consider a flush-mount fixture or sconces at eye level.

Evaluate everything you bring into this space, from a functional and aesthetic perspective. You probably don’t have a lot of wiggle room, so to speak, so ensure everything you dedicate a spot to, deserves it. Is it beautiful? Functional? Do you love it? Like, really, really love it? If you answered yes, then you make the right choice.

The foyer is the last place you see when you leave, and the first you come home to at the end of a long day. It welcomes guests, catches your clutter – hopefully in a neat and orderly fashion, and makes the right impression.

RED BARRINUEVO

Toronto-based, award-winning Interior Stylist, Red Barrinuevo is an Interior Decorator and Principal of Redesign4more, servicing clients in Toronto and the GTA. The firm’s known for enhancing and creating stylish yet functional spaces through its creative home staging, interior styling services, and design services.  www.redesign4more.com.