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Foyer Design: Expanding an Entryway Without Building Out

In this post: By utilizing creative foyer design, we were able to expand our tiny entryway without building out and completely transformed the entrance to our home.

Foyer Design | Expanding an Entryway Without Building Out - designthusiasm.com

One of the biggest challenges in renovating our house was how to make the front entry welcoming. The original entry was a tiny space that then opened directly into the living room where the staircase to the second floor was located. You can see the old space below, which was so small, it was impossible to stand in it and get an accurate picture.

Foyer Design | Expanding an Entryway Without Building Out - designthusiasm.com

We decided to open up the space by knocking down the small walls that connected it to the living room, tearing out the miniscule closet in the entry, and adding walls to separate the new expanded entry from the now reduced, but still large enough, living room.

Foyer Design | Expanding an Entryway Without Building Out - designthusiasm.com

We also added a much larger closet to the new entry and used marble tile to separate the space from the adjacent room.

Foyer Design | Expanding an Entryway Without Building Out - designthusiasm.com

There was now room in the new space for functional furniture including this antique bench.

Foyer Design | Expanding an Entryway Without Building Out - designthusiasm.com

We added egg and dart molding to offer some character and a gilded mirror for both function and delight.

Foyer Design | Expanding an Entryway Without Building Out - designthusiasm.com

One of my favorite details is the closet hardware added to the new double doors.

Foyer Design | Expanding an Entryway Without Building Out - designthusiasm.com

A painted white chest lends a space to store hats and gloves and is flanked by Rachel Ashwell’s Darcy chairs.

Foyer Design | Expanding an Entryway Without Building Out - designthusiasm.com

For lighting I found an antique lantern and had it rewired for functionality.

Foyer Design | Expanding an Entryway Without Building Out - designthusiasm.com

Needlepoint rug and pillows pretty up the room, helping to make it welcoming.

Foyer Design | Expanding an Entryway Without Building Out - designthusiasm.com

The bureau vignette includes an Italian pottery urn from a recent trip and mercury glass candlestick holders.

Foyer Design | Expanding an Entryway Without Building Out - designthusiasm.com

I lined the stairway with some of my old life drawings, one of the few places in our home where I’ve displayed my artwork.

Foyer Design | Expanding an Entryway Without Building Out - designthusiasm.com

From the new entry one can glimpse the living room and through the mirror one can get a peek into the den. The final touch was a brand new banister, stained to match the new doors.

Foyer Design | Expanding an Entryway Without Building Out - designthusiasm.com

Foyer Design Source List – Click on the items below for direct links to the products. Where actual items were no longer available, I’ve provided similar options. (This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.)

If you enjoyed this post, you might also like these renovations:

Master Closet Makeover | Closet to Butler’s Pantry | Dramatic Kitchen Renovation

Closet Organization          Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets | Designthusiasm.com

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Comments

  1. Little changes make a big difference! I love the light chest now and the light floors with the dark wood accents~ your gallery wall takes me back to art school days~you have made the sketches elegant in this framed grouping~very inviting now!

    Reply

  3. Wow. Just…wow!!! Double wow, in fact! What a huge difference! Not only enlarging the space, but lightening it up the way you did. It’s gorgeous! The furnishings and accessories are gorgeous! My cousin lives in a home with a tiny vestibule-like space like you had. I wonder if she’s ever considered getting rid of that in favor of opening it up? I’m going to send her a link to this post so that she can see the major difference it makes.

    The new banister looks terrific, and I love the stairs with those carpet rods!!! So elegant! I’ve been rallying for the same here. I just think it looks so cool with some of the stairs’ wood exposed.

    SO in love with the door hardware and that bureau with the pretty chairs flanking it!!!!!!!!!

    Reply

    • Thanks Alycia! I actually remember seeing someone post last week about a tiny vestibule, which is what reminded me to do this post. Was that you? Did you post somewhere about that? I actually have some older “before” pics from when we first moved in, which are really shocking, but didn’t have time to scan, but they do show the layout better. I highly recommend this type of change for your cousin, though. If she has the space in the adjoining room, it is so worth it. Our theory was, we weren’t using the part of the room by the staircase anyway. Thanks for the enthusiastic compliments!!

      Reply

  6. I love the antique bench and the painted chest. I love vintage and antique things, they’re so gorgeous. I think putting them all together is what make each piece stand out. I love it.

    Reply

  9. Oh wow, not that inspires me! I have been trying to talk the hubster into taking out the wall in ours…Seeing yours tells me I was right. It would look even bigger and brighter.

    Beautiful entry!

    Reply

    • Thank you, Marilyn! Yes, having the tiny entry really drove me crazy. In your space, do you have your room divided on either side of the door, like with separate conversation areas? If so and the space is large enough, you may be able to decorate it so that it feels like an entry foyer.

      Reply

  20. We were out of town all last week, so I didn’t get to visit many of you, but I had a great time going thru the links picking features this week. Amazing what lies behind those little thumbnail photos that are posted! Here are just a few of the wonderful links from you all last week, that are full of vintage Fall and Halloween inspiration.

    Reply

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