The impression you get when first entering a location can have a huge impact on your state of mind. According to feng shui philosophy, the entryway is a receptacle for the house’s energies. So a bleak entryway could potentially provoke negative feelings whereas a clear entryway brings about serenity, making you want to rest and relax. This is why it’s so important to take care of this passage area to make your place welcoming for Airbnb & co guests. Here are a few practices to adopt to create a space that is both practical and elegant

A well organized entryway© Ikea

 

A entryway that is functional

Feng shui calls for tidiness, and as we all know, this come-and-go hall can easily get cluttered. Since disorder engenders more disorder, it’s super important that this little space has multiple practical ways to keep it organized. So your automatic reflexes upon arrival should be associated with specific spaces to organize your personal items: coats, shoes, bags, scarves, gloves, hats, keys, umbrellas…

  • A cabinet is an ideal way to keep everything in its place, but if the area is just too small, it’s better to use a coat rack or to affix hooks to the wall. These can be used to hang clothes as well as handbags. If you host children at your place, have a few hooks at their height to make things easier for them.
  • A scattered mess of shoes is the bane of all entryways! Good thing there are many pieces of furniture that fit any budget to fix that problem. If you’re a creative crafty type, why not create your own DIY shoe rack? With PVC tubes, hangars, cardboard boxes…
  • The crucial element that is forgotten far too often is space for those miscellaneous items that we never know what to do with upon arrival. You can add an additional shelf (at a height of 3.5 ft.) for that purpose and dress it with pretty baskets. Some people can opt for a narrow console to place against the wall. The important thing is to avoid furniture that takes up too much space.
  • To add an element of comfort, to tie shoelaces or remove clothing for example, consider adding a couch or a bench.
  • Other storage accessories can be useful, like an umbrella stand, a little basket (for flyers, etc.), a mailbox, a key holder. There are even some mail holder key hook combos. You can also transform a magazine holder to organize your mail or affix a magnetic strip for your keys. The options are endless…

 

... and elegant!

That initial contact area, the entryway, is a reflection of the ambiance and style of your entire interior. So feel free to decorate this key space in your home. You’ll notice that the nicer it is, the better your guests will take care of your place.

  • You can spruce it up with a pretty flower, like an orchid, or a nice lamp. Consider using frames, prints and garlands as decorative items, but don’t include anything too fragile or valuable because of the many comings and goings in that area.
  • Wallpaper also gets dirty easily in this area, so opt for a durable and washable wall covering to ease upkeep. The entryway should emit a sense of cleanliness because it acts as the preview for what the rest of the space will look like.
  • Take advantage of this welcoming space to include memos, if you want. Why not paint a portion of the wall or the door with chalkboard paint to leave messages for your guests?
  • The color choice is also important here. The contrast between a darker tone on the back wall with lighter tones on the side walls will give the illusion of a larger space. You should also keep in mind that you can avoid the look of disorder by painting the cupboards the same color as the walls. Larger halls will be able to better handle more intense colors.
  • The final element to keep in mind to elevate you entryway is the lighting. Avoid shaded spaces. Use good lighting such as a chandelier, a ceiling light, a wall lamp and play with mirrors to reflect both natural and artificial light.

 

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