First impressions count. When I’ve been asked to advise a homeowner on their interior design the first thing I study isn’t the inside of the house, but the outside. The journey from front gate to the front door is crucial. It is the first - and last - thing a visitor or potential buyer sees, and is a first glimpse of what lies beyond.
So how do you make an entrance that makes a difference? Here are the five areas you need to cover:
1. The front door
Your front door is the frames to your home and either sings to the world or silently exists. There is no right or wrong way to go with door selection, but it is an easy to personalise home improvement that can welcome visitors with an enthusiastic smile. Kiwis are spoilt for choice when it comes to exterior doors, from aluminium profiles that can be powder coated to bespoke wooden villa doors with commissioned glass inserts. I once specified a bright yellow door because it was my clients favourite colour. The bright yellow drew out the darker aluminium joinery and rich tones in the landscaping and worked a treat. Having the confidence to specify something with a bit of personality was justified by improving and enhancing its immediate surroundings.
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2. Lighting
Lighting your front entrance both inside and out is a really important step that is often left to the bare minimum. When guests arrive for dinner, you want to create an ambient experience. Try lighting the pathway with some trustworthy solar lights, or recessing step lights on the deck risers for a polished welcoming feel. An ambient experience can also be achieved by lighting specific plants with up lighting, this will make your landscaping impressive too. The interior lights at your entrance is an opportunity that cannot be missed, it will get the “aha” moment from your guest. When hanging a pendant light, make sure it is hung at the right height. This will set the style tone for the rest of the home and architecture to achieve maximum style consistency.
3. Personality
It is odd to think that a front entrance can have a personality, but if you look at it as an opportunity to make a mark then you might get quite excited by the possibilities. If you have a rustic villa, think about how you can stylise plants. Instead of the token two symmetrical pot layout, perhaps curate a collection of planted baskets paired with a weathered copper watering can. Flooring is also an opportunity to bring to life an architectural motif, or it could simply be a pattern that you enjoy. Instantly you have styled a front entrance with a clear understanding of your taste.
Clutter can kill an entrance. Photo / Supplied
4. Maintenance
Looking after the outside of your entrance before the inside brings maintenance into high priority. Install fresh seals around the windows, give the door and frames a decent lick of paint, clear out the cobwebs and declutter - you don’t want your entrance becoming a shoe graveyard. If you prefer a low-key look with your entrance, making sure these things are well accommodated for, paired with decent landscaping, will help towards the overall look and feel of a home, as well as help with resell value.
5. Furniture
The furniture selection for your main entrance has a significant impact. Think about your lifestyle and the key pieces that you need to reflect and organise. For those with children, a bench for shoes is a great hack, as are a few lower placed hooks for schoolbags and coats.
A splash of colour can help give an entrance personality. Photo / Supplied
To make a small entrance a bit larger, try a slim console table with a round mirror to reflect the light, this will make traditionally small entrance a bit larger.
To create an opposite effect, use artwork with dynamic lines or wallpaper. The mirror will pick this up and distribute colour or pattern throughout the space creating an entrance that is thoughtfully designed and impressive.
- Laura Heynike is director of Pocketspace Interiors
