Make Your Art Work In Your Entryway | Poppsee
Your entryway says a lot about you, whether you want it to or not. Entryways can range from pristine, with grand chandeliers and over sized mirrors to...shall we say...less formal, with a muddy boot tray and a coat hook on the wall. As well as all others in-between. Art plays a huge part in what we want to achieve, portray and ultimately how we want our guests to feel when they walk into our spaces. This is your first impression of who you are and how you live.
Do you want to feel grand and elegant? Welcoming? Homey? Hip and Chic? Maybe ...Casual? I have put together a few examples here to show you a few ways, from the more dramatic to clean and simple.... done the right way.
This entryway says sophistication. The scale of the artwork works so well to create a wow in the space. The Lucite table does not block the view of the artwork and the light fixture does the same, both creating texture and pattern. The bench's clean lines base doesn't distract and the animal hide cushion compliments the tones in the artwork. The muted area rug really lets the everything else in the space shine but at the same time anchoring the furniture. Without clutter, the space offers you time to appreciate the individual items in the room.
This space tells a story. Maybe they live out west? The rug and pillow make me think so. The large basket lends warmth with the color and texture with the weave, but most important....a pretty place for shoe storage. The bench seat is functional and can also do double duty as a display for a few smaller items. The metal wall hooks are great! What fun...I assume they are a cattle family or are in an area where cattle are raised so they lend a hand in showing us who the family is and add another texture to the entryway. The wide open space of wind farms in the artwork reminds me of the west. The clean black and white image leaves the colors in the rug to shine. The offset, more modern light fixture adds a touch of retro.
A pop of color is always fun. It is bright and cheerful when you enter a space. It says creative and lively. The beautiful blooming branches add the organic flow against the harder lines of the art and credenza. It is ALWAYS good to have fresh flowers in your entryway (or anywhere for that matter) The lamps are great because they don't compete with the artwork. Remember with such a tall piece of art, you want tall lamps for good scale. I like the warmth of the credenza in contrast to the white lamps and colorful artwork. It anchors the space and gives it a curated eclectic feel.
I get a more masculine vibe from this space. You can tell that the room gets a lot of light from the window so the black paint works well to not become too heavy. It is a great change of pace and unexpected in an entryway. The black and white photos on the left work because the white mat pops them off the wall. The frame on the painting defines the black paint from the wall and the off white and ocher color add warmth. The vignette of books and the tray are always one of my favorite ways to fill open shelves. If you can, go to sales at libraries and get great coffee table books for bargain. You can never have too many. The lamp shade adds great texture and compliments the ocher in the painting. The aged paper from the books does the same and the hats top it off (pun intended). The space is a bit cluttered, but in a good way. This space makes me think that walks in the sun are common and good conversation will be had.
Impact, simplicity, ease of use. A single chair to throw your bag on or sit to slip on your shoes is all any of us really need at the front door. Large scale art visually takes up the rest of the space. Most people would put the art on the wall across from the door but i like that it is on the wall behind the door. You get to see it from the living space and it is a wonderful surprise when you enter and go just beyond the door. What other surprises await?
Traditional. Here is a perfect example of layering that works really well. The cool gray area rug on top of the darker wood floor, lightens and defines the space. The wallpaper (I love wallpaper and it is so great that you can now get temporary wallpapers...for the people with a fear of commitment) with a pattern creates a lightening effect and helps your eye go up to make the space feel taller. The mirror is always a good entryway piece to make a space feel brighter and larger. This one has been antiqued and that adds to a more casual space. I love leaning artwork! I am a big fan of smaller pieces that you can display anywhere and move around on a whim without leaving holes in the wall (smaller artwork is a great way to start a collection. At art shows, most artists have smaller pieces out front at affordable prices). The flowers...well you always need flowers, right?. The green leaves are a bright spot and add the organic movement needed with so many square edges surrounding it. The wooden accessories and 2 woven baskets add warmth and texture and compliment the tones of the wood floors. Well done.
Two dimensional artwork. We don't always have to have the traditional framed piece of artwork. Something old, chipped and rustic can be a great visual element. These oars are textural, dimensional, colorful, playful and lend themselves to the feel of the room. This space screams casual. Take off your flip flops or boast shoes and come on in! The thick looped rug is functional but adds texture and dimension the the dark floors. If it weren't there, the space would feel a bit boring. I would actually make it a bit larger and come out to the end of the bench though. The green plant brings the outdoors in and is a nice fresh pop of color from the blues. The old fashioned coat rack adds great functionality and you can always hang cute things there that also add color like a patterned bag or a big floppy hat. This entryway would set my mind for relaxation.
Holy Cow! I know.....I had to say it.
Most people would say " where would you put a picture of a cow?" I say...Here! This entryway has farm written all over it. The wonderful rustic credenza and accessories speak to the people and the area of this home. The texture of the wicker on the lamp with the burlap shade to the deer horn and the collection of blue crockery tells me someone is very good at displaying what they love. The muted tones work for a rustic style but may be too neutral for some people. To that I would say have fun and paint the credenza in a fun color like blue (to pull out the color of the crockery). I would still sand it down after it was painted to get the worn look
There are so many ways to make your entryway welcoming. Make sure it represents the wonderful people that live there! How does your entryway represent you and your style? Poppsee will have the images you need to create fabulous artwork.