Seriously, what am I thinking?

Got this photo in my inbox yesterday from MyHomeideas.com. I absolutely love the way this entrance hall is decorated for the holidays. The decorations would look beautiful in my entrance hall. But seriously, how will I have time to make that garland? Will have to figure this out...

Here's a photo of my entrance hall - wouldn't the above decorations be stunning?


Here's what I did last year -




Somebody talk me out of this!

Bienvenue!

My entrance hall at Christmas last year.


image from Home Interior Design Themes


image from Room Remix blog

Welcome! That's what an entrance hall says to the visitor. Ideally, an entrance hall also tells the visitor something about the homeowner and sets the tone for the rest of the house. It is a great place to make a design statement in your house. It's a good idea to have a table or console to put things like keys and gloves when you first enter. And a chair and an umbrella stand are nice additions too. A settee look great under the stairs.

I love this sofa covered with a suzani (For beautiful suzanis go here). It sits so nicely under the stairs.

image from Decor Arts Now



image from decor pad


image from CSN lighting



The entrance hall at Mirador, Nancy Lancaster's house in Virginia

No one does an entrance hall better than Miles Redd. Three of his front halls -







Architectural detail is also important. If there's not much detail, then a bold paint color will do the trick.


John Pierce Mansion, Portsmouth, New Hampshire entrance hall

Here is the hall reproduced in miniature!



Miles Redd


image from House of Beauty and Culture


image from Elle Decor

A front hall is a great place to showcase art.
 

image courtesy of Whitehaven

Close up - the drawing on the right is by Atlanta artist Helen Durant.
 

Jane Douglas' front hall. The shot of orange at the end is fabulous!



Above photo, my own entrance hall as seen from the living room.