77 Beautiful Entryway Ideas That’ll Leave a Lasting Impression

While the exterior of your home may bring the curb appeal, your entryway sets the tone for your entire residence. Think of your foyer as a taste of what the rest of your home looks like: It introduces your color scheme and expresses your personality in the decor and design elements. If you need help visualizing what that could look like in your home, we’ve gathered some designer entryway ideas below to give you inspiration.

What you do with your entryway shouldn’t be an afterthought; it should be a main focus. Thoughtfully designing your entryway to maximize its function and complement your overall decor will not only make you delighted to return home every time, but it can also leave guests feeling inspired. Since entryways are typically small spaces, they’re also ideal for exploring new styles before you make any drastic changes to the rest of your home.

As with the rest of the home, entryways follow the trend cycle and shift with the seasons. Whether you’re devising a winter-themed makeover or are eager to embrace neutral maximalism, there’s no shortage of routes you can take. While your home should ultimately reflect your timeless tastes and preferences, understanding current trends can help you refresh your space without prematurely aging it.

Regardless of the aesthetic you’re aiming for, browse the expert-approved entryway ideas below to jumpstart a refresh fit for your space and preferences.

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For more beautiful interior design ideas:

• I’m a Design Editor, and I Transformed My Small Entryway With These Wayfair Finds—For Under $200
• 24 Designer-Approved Fireplace Ideas for Your Coziest Indoor Season Ever
• “Petite Pockets” Are the Designer Solution to Styling Awkward Nooks in Your Home

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Robert Peterson

1

Utilize an Alcove

Work with—not against—the existing architecture. To make this alcove ideal for anything from reading to slipping on shoes, designer Zoë Feldman added a custom, built-in settee in a Morris & Co. floral velvet with a custom Fabricut trim. Simple yet elegant sconces and a painted Moroccan table complete the look.

Marco Ricca

2

Try a Golden Hour–Inspired Color Story

If you’re always chasing golden hour, consider bringing a taste of the moment inside. For this passageway in the 2025 Kips Bay Designer Show House, James Thomas followed a color palette of rich blues, deep terra-cotta accents, and creamy neutrals that were inspired by golden hour in Ravello, Italy. A grasscloth wallcovering, custom moldings, and hand-stenciled patterns add charm. Enveloping an entryway in these shades and details would surely create an everlasting sense of serenity.

Emily Followill

3

Add a Large Vase

Sometimes, once you’ve devised the perfect entryway decor and setup, there may be a little extra space left. Fill it with a large floor vase, like in this home by architect Jeffrey Dungan. Not only does the rustic object add character, but it can double as an umbrella holder.

Matt Kisiday

4

Opt for a Vanity-Style Setup

In this vestibule by designer Krysta Gibbons, a vanity-style setup offers the old-world charm of a skirted vanity in a bedroom, thanks to an ornate mirror, slim console table, and skirted stool. The verdigris lantern, salvaged from an 1800s rowhouse and originally gas-powered, adds another tie to a bygone era. Gibbons had the light rewired and hung in the small space, which is painted in Palmer Green by Benjamin Moore.

MARC MAULDIN

5

Add a Standalone Coat Rack

Don’t want to invest in chunky or built-in storage solutions? Add a slim, standalone coat rack to the entry instead, as seen in this space by Atlanta-based firm Copper Sky Design + Remodel. Pick a coat rack with personality, whether it features sculptural wooden spheres on dowels (as pictured) or is an antique piece made of brass. Complete the eye-catching look by painting the front door and nearby walls in a vibrant, happy shade.

Dustin Peck

6

Go Garden-Inspired

Craft a tranquil atmosphere with a soft, earthy color palette of greens and browns. Bring in more garden-inspired details, as designer Debbie Mathews LeRoy did in this home through a decorative room divider, plants in vases and baskets, and a mix of stone and wood flooring.

Reid Rolls

7

Focus on Texture

In a tiny entry, focus on simplicity and texture. For this space, designer Sarah Tract chose a slim console table with soft curves and a circular mirror to complement it, offering an easy place to grab keys and get out the door. Nearby, a plush, fluted bench creates a cozy spot for slipping on shoes. The carpet and subtle wallcovering finalize the soothing look.

Brian Bieder

8

Opt for a Central, Circular Table

To make a sizable foyer more intriguing, place a big, circular table in the center of the space, or slightly off-center, to display some of your favorite decorative objects. In this foyer by Maggie Griffin, the designer placed a table featuring a patterned and tasseled tablecloth under an elegant chandelier to play up the entry’s grandeur.

Emily J Followill

9

Let It Double as a Mudroom

Don’t have space for a mudroom? Make your entry double as one. In this entry by designer Liz Williams, a quality wood bench and wall-mounted rack for hanging coats, hats, and purses serves every purpose an entry should. Nearby cabinetry ensures bigger things like coats, shoes, and sports equipment remain out of sight.

Pär Bengtsson

10

Choose Large-Scale Art

The best entryway ideas should introduce your personality to whoever steps foot in your home. To accomplish that while keeping the floors clear of clutter, introduce a large work of art that you really love, like this bold piece seen in a home by Minnette Jackson Interiors.

Read McKendree

11

Stick to the Classics

All an entryway really needs is a place to drop your shoes and keys. In this spot by Palmer Weiss, you get exactly that. Sometimes, simple is better, and a pair of armchairs in a fanciful upholstery fabric creates a functional space while allowing the architecture to shine.

Jenna Peffley

12

Create a Miniature World

Despite feeling like entryways should flow seamlessly into the rest of the home, if your floor plan allows, make it its own design moment. Here, design firm French & French Interiors utilized a block-print wallpaper and colorful woodwork that leads into a quaint powder room to achieve this.

Trevor Tondro

13

Keep Storage Close By

To ensure your entryway is clear of clutter, designer Jeremiah Brent repurposed an unused powder room in this home’s entryway to create a functional mudroom. Now, guests can take off their shoes and coats without awkwardly carrying them around.

Nate Sheets

14

Color Drench

Entryways deserve to be completely covered in color, just like the rest of your home. Take inspiration from design firm KOBEL + CO, who swathed this home’s mudroom and entry combination in sunshine yellow.

Nate Sheets

15

Embrace Your Architecture

If you’ve got a historic home, flaunt it. This home in Kansas City, designed by KOBEL + CO, features an actual turret. Guests are greeted with expertly restored woodwork and a showstopping light fixture, allowing the home’s bones to truly shine.

Lesley Unruh

16

Personalize With Pattern

Entryways, while functional spaces, introduce the rest of the home. If you prefer bright patterns and bold hues, deck your entrance out in the same. Take inspiration from this entryway idea by Sarah Vaile and combine florals and animal prints for a cheerful and inviting welcome.

Stacy Zarin Goldberg

17

Provide Storage

Entries and foyers are often drop zones for the whole family. Mail, shoes, keys, and other everyday essentials often pile up, leaving the area looking cluttered. Keep your space clear with storage-ready furniture like a console with drawers and a trunk, as seen here in a home by Winsome Interiors.

Jared Kuzia

18

Have a Cohesive Palette

The key to a put-together entryway idea is to pull hues from the rest of your home’s color scheme. Think of this space as the summary of your home’s design choices. In this home by Cecilia Casagrande, the wallpaper has a subtle blue pattern, similar to the living room’s wall color, and brass lighting is used throughout the home’s fixtures as well.

Carmel Brantley

19

Prioritize Your Needs

If an empty back entrance doesn’t work for your busy lifestyle, outfit the space with exactly what you need. Here, Kemble Interiors created plenty of storage that allows for both pool and dog accessories to be within easy reach, while a sink keeps messy gardening hands clean.

Madeline Tolle

20

Choose Interesting Doorways

Jaqui Seerman, the designer of this elegant entryway idea, says, “My favorite part of transforming the entry vestibule was reframing the opening to the hallway with a fully arched design instead of a standard one.” Sure, the foyer would’ve looked just as beautiful with a squared doorframe, but the rounded arch gives it a luxurious feel.

Kara Mercer

21

Install Two-Tone Tiles

Opting for durable and easy-to-clean flooring in your entryway, such as tile, is practical for handling dirty shoes. However, Allison Lind elevated this idea by selecting two-tone tiles, adding a striking and beautiful element to the foyer floor. In this particular home, the two-tone design not only adds visual interest but also thoughtfully nods to the home’s original design.

Heidi Harris

22

Feature a Hand-Painted Mural

Designer Anna-Wooten Loggins wanted a more intimate foyer for her client, Lindsey Johnson, the CEO of Weezie. To help make this happen, she tapped artist Catherine Owen to hand-paint a mural on the walls and around the French doors. Now, the entryway has an undeniable charm while still feeling inviting.

Patrick Biller

23

Keep It Rough Around the Edges

Your entryway is one room that you shouldn’t want to feel untouchable—it’s where you kick your shoes off, throw your coat on the hook, and drop the groceries as you’re unloading the car. It should be able to take some roughness, which is why designer Allison Willson chose to put in features you didn’t have to tiptoe around in this entryway, like the reclaimed cobblestone floors. “Everything’s tumbled, everything’s chipped…so you can really just feel relaxed,” Willson says.

KEVIN J. MIYAZAKI

24

Continue Your Stair Runner Throughout

The most striking feature in this entryway is the Karastan rug that runs up the stairs and down the hallway, creating a pathway into the rest of the house, as designer Erin Shakoor puts it. This is an excellent way to add visual interest to your foyer if your staircase is right in front of your door.

Julie Soefer

25

Add a Checkerboard Tile

Along with durability, you should choose flooring that makes a statement if you want your entryway to pop. This checkerboard is a timeless pattern, and designer Marie Flanigan describes it as a modern square parquet design.

Nathan Schroder

26

Put Up an Eye-Catching Wallcovering

If a hand-painted mural isn’t in your budget, go with a visually striking wallcovering for your entryway wall instead. There’s no denying that this textural wallcovering from National Solutions is stunning, and the designer of this home, Philip Thomas Vanderford of Studio Thomas James, added another beautiful layer to the foyer with the custom black-and-white floor tiles.

Haris Kenjar

27

Keep It Light and Open

Use your entryway idea as a little teaser to what the rest of your house looks like—in the case of this Jersey City home by Elaine Santos, that’s bright and airy. The uncluttered, open entry shows you exactly what you’re walking into: a beautiful and timeless home.

Jared Kuzia

28

Setup a Prep Station

Whether you’re coming or going, having a nice prep station to check your hair and sit to put on your shoes in your entryway is a luxury you won’t be able to live without once you’ve had it. This warm and colorful foyer by Cecilia Casagrande has it all: A large mirror, a soft bench, plenty of lighting, and beautiful wallpaper that’ll look so good as the background in your mirror selfies.

Erin Konrath Photography

29

Don’t Hold Back on the Millwork

An easy way to add character to your entryway walls is through millwork. Designer Kate Marker did not hold back when it came to beautifying the walls of this subtly feminine entryway idea. Painting the trim along the ceiling the same color as the decoration on the walls ties it all together so well.

Amy Neunsinger

30

Customize a Nook

It can be difficult to find pieces that fit perfectly into the weird little nooks of your home, so the solution might lie in customization. Mark D. Sikes customized the settee for this specific entrance nook, giving it an antique look with the Oscar de la Renta for Lee Jofa fabric.

Kristin Karch

31

Make Your Windows the Showstoppers

The leaded glass windows surrounding the front door of this entryway are rare treasures, seldom found elsewhere. Designer Ryan Austin Hagood creatively combined these unique architectural details with new oak flooring and the original chandelier, highlighting the distinct character of the home. Such an impressive and thoughtful entryway sets the tone for how special the rest of your house is going to be. What an unforgettable first impression!

Kirsten Francis

32

Create a Vignette

Honor your home in the entryway with a little vignette that encompasses the overall vibe of your house. “The client and I absolutely fell in love with this piece,” says Samantha Stathis Lynch of the wall art by Marcy Cook Vreeland. “It encompassed all of the colors in the designs, and the abstract floral spoke to the apartment’s Central Park inspiration.”

Douglas Friedman

33

Make It a Gallery

Anyone with an extensive art collection is familiar with the problem of not knowing where to hang every piece. Expanding your gallery into your entryway is a beautiful way to welcome people into your home while immediately displaying its style. Melinda and John Thomas James of M. James Design Group did exactly that in their Houston pied-à-terre.

Emily Followill

34

Choose a Sleek Front Door

Sure, painted front doors can be beautiful, but a sleek and bright steel-and-glass front door is a game-changer for your entryway idea. Architect Jeffrey Dungan replaced the solid front door in this Kansas City home with this custom one, letting natural light stream in and allowing the view of the outside to be a feature in the design.

Hagan Hinshaw

35

Create a Niche

Unique houses often come with unique features, and whether or not your home’s entryway already has one, an alcove is a handy place to hang coats, hats, and other outdoor necessities. It also creates such an interesting design moment as soon as you walk in. The team at Shapeless Studio leaned into the personality of this post office turned home, preserving odd little nooks like this one and giving them new purposes.

John Merkl

36

Install a Fun Light Fixture

Let the first thing your guests see as they enter your home be an utterly unique light fixture. Though the chandelier in this space, designed by Sheldon Harte, looks like it’s made of fabric, it’s actually plaster.

Kerry Kirk

37

Cover It in Lacquer

Lacquered walls are always impactful, and your entryway should be one of the most high-impact rooms in your house. Designer Katie Davis chose glossy olive green for the walls and coffered ceiling to give this room added dimension.

Related: What It Actually Takes to Lacquer Your Walls

KEVIN J. MIYAZAKI

38

Create a Receiving Room

Turn back the clock and create an old-fashioned entryway idea that’s dedicated to welcoming guests. Receiving or keeping rooms aren’t as common as they once were, but designer Arianne Bellizaire wanted to lean into this historic detail in our 2023 Whole Home in Hinsdale, Illinois, so she made it into a modern and relaxing zone that honored the original concept.

Lisa Flood

39

Design an Intriguing Exterior

Remember that the outside of your entryway should be just as beautiful as the inside. The outdoor portion of designer Emily Janak’s 1930s log cabin is moody yet feels natural thanks to its multiple wood tones and abundant plants.

Nate Sheets

40

Add Stained Glass

Stained glass in an entryway is so classic and stunning. It’s a wonderful way to welcome guests into your home and eye candy for you to admire every single day. Of this historic Kansas City home, designer Annie Kern says, “The two-story stained glass window immediately sets a grand tone for the house.” She couldn’t be more correct.

Ngoc Minh Ngo

41

Install a Skylight

No one wants the first impression of their home to be dark and drab. If your entryway could use a dose of vitamin D, consider installing a skylight. Susannah Charbin, founder and creative director of the multidisciplinary creative studio The Beaux Arts, did just that in the now-sunny entrance of her Long Island home.

Reid Rolls

42

Make It Cozy

Warm tones, plenty of throw pillows, plush textures, and gold accents: Designer Carson Kressley definitely captures elevated, cozy vibes in the entryway of his Pennsylvania country home. We love how his riding boots match the ones in the artwork above the bench.

Robert Peterson

43

Embrace the Drama

Designer Jonathan Savage wanted to create an entryway that wasn’t lacking in drama for our 2022 Whole Home, so he drenched the entire room in a deep, rich red—Preference Red by Farrow & Ball, to be exact. The archway leading into the dining lounge only adds to the extravagant feel of the space.

Shade Degges

44

Let the Stairs Do the Talking

If you’re lucky enough to have a grand staircase in your home, especially at the entrance, then let your stairs have their moment. Designer Jeremiah Brent brought attention to the architecture and details of this entryway idea by keeping mostly everything white except the stairs themselves and the railing, which is wood and metal.

Kirsten Francis

45

Combine Statement Wallcoverings

Prepare your guests for boldness throughout the house with an entryway that has three different—and equally impactful—wallcoverings. “I wanted you to know right away that this apartment is going to have bold color and pattern but in a sophisticated, elevated way,” says designer Kerri Pilchik.

Mary Craven Dawkins

46

Introduce the Color Palette

Use the front entryway to introduce the color scheme for the whole house. Designer Yancey Shearouse used all the interior colors for this Nashville home in the entrance—green, white, electric blue, and jewel tones—almost as an appetizer for what visitors are about to walk into.

Stacy Zarin Goldberg

47

Go Dark

Create a moody and sophisticated vibe upon entrance with a dark color palette. Though the rest of this home by Marika Meyer is rather colorful, an entryway where the only vibrant burst comes from the rug makes the entire house feel more dynamic.

48

Incorporate Antiques

Robin Henry filled this 1910 farmhouse with an array of antiques but made sure it didn’t skew too traditional with unexpected colors, fresh accents, and bold pattern mixing. Glossy honey-colored walls create a warm welcome.

49

Keep It Small But Mighty

To bring some color to your entryway idea while keeping it casual, lean some oil paintings on the floor under a narrow console table. We love the eclectic vibe of the houndstooth area rug, antique table, and farmhouse pitcher in this space by Andrew Flesher.

50

Customize an Organization Zone

Customize an entryway workhorse that gets everything done in one piece! A floating bench and storage piece in this entrance by Kureck Jones proves just how useful it can be. With two drawers for essential eyesores and a surface for a lamp and a small bench with a comfy cushion, this two-in-one built-in has it all. Plus, there’s still room for a mirror and plenty of wall hooks.

Sarah Solis

51

Squeeze Into a Corner

Even a corner can become a proper entry with the right accessories. Designer Sarah Solis couldn’t fit a large round center table in this entryway, so she nestled a smaller and taller option into a corner for a similar effect and then spruced up the floors with an area rug.

Ferguson Shamamian

52

Make a Statement With Art

In this restored industrial loft in New York City, Bunny Williams Interior Design and the architecture firm Ferguson & Shamamian used the entryway as a way to set the scene for what’s ahead: an impressive art collection, period elements with contemporary spins, and airy, light colors. A foyer is an ideal place to hang a favorite piece of art for maximum impact. This entryway idea lets the client’s artwork and the stunning bones be the stars of the show.

Lauren Waters

53

Blend It In

Because Lauren Waters’s elevator opens right up into the entire open-floor-plan space, she needed to make it feel like a foyer, living room, dining room, and home office all at once. So she placed a full-length mirror in the corner next to a bouclé womb chair. It’s pretty, but also makes outfit approvals and shoe lace-ups easier.

PAUL RAESIDE

54

Add Animal Print

Designers love animal prints for stair runners—they’re great at camouflaging muddy footprints, spills, and other wear and tear from daily life. Garrow Kedigian used Stark’s classic Antilocarpa for the stairs of his Montreal townhouse in homage to the region’s fur-trading history.

Werner Straube

55

Invest in Built-Ins

Designed by Corey Damen Jenkins for a minimalist-trad home in Michigan, this little nook is another great example of a small but impactful entryway. He maximized limited space with a built-in bench and slim side table for keys and other essentials. Then he covered the wall in an eye-catching blue wallpaper to break up all the white space. It’s the perfect complement to the chevron throw pillow and graphic artwork.

ANNIE SCHLECHTER

56

Embrace Old-School Styling

Architect James Carter and designer Jane Hawkins opted for a low-ceilinged entryway idea with an up-and-down stair landing in this newly built (but old-looking) country house. “When you enter, it feels like a tiny cottage. We wanted to delay the drama,” Carter says.

AMY NEUNSINGER

57

Pair Blue and White

No one does blue and white quite like Mark D. Sikes. He piled on the patterns in this Beverly Hills foyer, mixing China Seas wallpaper and textiles with Fermoie chandelier shades and an Elizabeth Eakins striped rug.

MAURA McEVOY

58

Opt for Natural Textures

A sisal rug as wallcovering? Why not? Says Colleen Bashaw, “I didn’t want to cover up that great cement-tile floor, so that sparked the idea of putting sisal on the wall,” she explains. “[The contractor] mixed up a custom paste, applied it to the back of the rug, and hung it like wallpaper.”

ANNIE SCHLECHTER

59

Update Coastal Style

“We found this incredible carpet from 1stDibs and the blue-glass console from Avenue Road and just followed that thread,” says Philip Mitchell of the blue-and-white—but by no means nautical—palette in this entryway.

Douglas Friedman

60

Let It Be Grand

A sweeping staircase makes a major statement in this entryway idea. Garrow Kedigian, a Paris flea market regular, found these neoclassical-style antique gilt stools during one of his shopping trips.

LAURA RESEN

61

Modernize Midcentury Elements

Architect Ray Booth of McAlpine used a louvered screen in the entry of a 1961 Houston house to replace an old ’60s room divider. The screen keeps the space separate from the dining room while still feeling airy.

MALI AZIMA

62

Choose Timeless Finishes

Black-and-white marble entryway floors never go out of style—see this Georgian-style Atlanta home designed by Melanie Turner for proof.

David A. Land

63

Upgrade Your Drop Zone

Who says a kid-friendly foyer can’t be ultra-luxe too? This circular settee upholstered in fuchsia velvet has become a New York family’s landing pad for backpacks and sweaters. “The kids come through this hallway and toss everything on that ottoman. It really functions,” says designer Fawn Galli.

Peter Murdock

64

Add a Tropical Punch

A classic banana-leaf motif wallcovering by Hinson announces you’re in warm-weather territory as soon as you set foot in designer Lindsey Lane’s Palm Beach bungalow.

James Merrell

65

Pick an Allover Pattern

John Fondas’s trick for a low-ceilinged space: top-to-bottom pattern and an oversize round mirror, as seen in his Palm Beach home. “Unlike horizontal mirrors, round ones don’t lower the ceiling,” he explains.

Eric Piasecki

66

Embrace Wood Tones

Gideon Mendelson updated a new home’s Neo-Elizabethan woodwork with a modern chandelier by Apparatus. Brass spindles on the staircase in this entryway idea add another metallic touch.

Björn Wallander

67

Add a Contemporary Touch

Designer Janie Molster used a collection of black-and-white art to add a contemporary touch to the muted pinks and grays of the entryway in her own home in Richmond.

STEPHEN KENT JOHNSON

68

Go Green

Traditional woodwork in designer Juan Carretero’s Catskills house is anything but staid thanks to lush blue-green paint (Country Squire by Sherwin-Williams) and black-and-white cement tile.

Francesco Lagnese

69

Install Hard-Wearing Floors

The checkered floors in Tom Scheerer’s Maine vacation house are actually made of linoleum—they’re durable and lend a lived-in look, the designer says.

FRANCESCO LAGNESE

70

Go Over-the-Top

Foyers don’t always have to be practical, says Nick Olsen, who combined a graphic black-and-white wallcovering, pediment-topped mirrored niches, and a striking lime green ceiling in one New York apartment. “Those are first-impression spaces—more decorative than functional—so why not play that up?” he says.

Ngoc Minh Ngo

71

Update Vintage Pieces

Barrie Benson used colorful upholstery to bring new life to a vintage settee in this light-filled formal entryway.

THOMAS LOOF

72

Embrace Palm Beach Prep

For a client’s Palm Beach house, Caroline Rafferty painted on a faux stair runner in pale pink and green—no need to worry about sandy footprints on the carpet!

FRANCESCO LAGNESE

73

Stick With the Classics

In a Connecticut ranch house, Lee Ann Thornton used a mix of timeless elements—topiaries, blue-and-white porcelain, and printed wallpaper—to create a foyer that will never go out of style.

Stephen Kent Johnson

74

Carve Out Storage

Frank de Biasi created a secret compartment under the stairs of a Manhattan duplex—it’s a prime spot for corralling sports equipment and other family clutter.

Stephen Kent Johnson

75

Keep It Fresh

A fresh coat of white paint was all it took to make this New England home’s foyer, designed by Nina Farmer, feel brand new.

Christopher Sturman

76

Play With Mirrors

Celerie Kemble covered a niche in antique mirrored panels to make this Manhattan entryway idea feel like a botanical wonderland.