3 Ways To Style A Foyer (+ All the Sources)
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A foyer is the first impression guests have of your home, setting the tone for what lies beyond. Think of it as an opportunity to create a beautiful one! Styling this space can be both a fun and rewarding challenge - striking the balance between function and your personal aesthetic.
Today we’ll explore six key elements to consider when styling your foyer, from choosing the right furniture pieces to incorporating decorative accents that reflect your style. Whether your entryway is grand or modest, these tips will help you create an inviting and stylish entryway that stands out.
Plus, to make it easy for you to translate these tips into real life, I’ve designed three plug-and-play entryway vignettes that you can steal for your own home. In fact, I’d love to see you recreate these using the pieces I’m sharing today!
Six elements every foyer needs:
One central piece of furniture: This is the anchor point you’ll create your vignette around! Whether it’s storage, a drop zone, or even purely decorative, choose a piece that makes sense for the way you live and is appropriate for the size of your foyer.
Wall decor: In most entryways, it makes sense to fill the empty wall space above your central furniture piece with art or a mirror. I love the idea of something eye-catching that can be a conversation starter. Make it a focal point! Below you’ll see that I’ve chosen art for two of the designs and a mirror in a fun shape for the third.
Lighting: Having a well-lit foyer is crucial. Overhead lighting can be sufficient (and is another opportunity for an eye-catching piece!), but don’t forget about table lamps as well, especially if your foyer is on the large side.
Rug: Depending on the size of your entryway and the way it connects to other spaces, you may need a rectangular area rug, a runner, or a simple door mat. Rugs are functional, catching dirt and absorbing dampness, and they can add another dose of style. Choose one made of a durable material like polypropylene, wool, or PET that can stand up to the job.
Something green: Whether real or faux, including a plant or flowers gives a room life in a way nothing else can. In each of the vignettes below, you’ll see something that falls into that category!
Styling pieces: I kept this purposely vague, but this is your opportunity to display a collection, corral a stack of coffee table books, set out that decorative object you grabbed on your travels, or add that yummy smelling candle you’ve been waiting to light. Think of this as another opportunity for conversation starters too.
Now that we’ve got a good understanding of those key elements for good foyer design, let’s jump into my design examples!
The Funky, New Traditional Entryway
SOURCES
Console table | Ottomans | Rug | Chandelier | Still life art 1 | Still life art 2 | Brass candle sconces | Brass tray | Footed bowl with moss balls | Candle | Books
Don’t tell the other designs, but this one might be my favorite of the three. I love the individual pieces like the fun fruit still life art, the waterfall edge console table, and the brass candle sconces, but it’s the overall feeling I get when I see it that really has me!
I built this vignette around the console table. It provides a great drop zone and its beauty is in its simplicity - the grasscloth adds great texture to the otherwise neutral piece. Because of its open base, it offers an opportunity to house two ottomans that can be pulled out for seating when needed. You could also swap those for baskets if storage is key in your home.
Continuing down to the floor, I chose a bold patterned rug in a fresh traditional oriental style. I wanted something that would complement the some of the colors of the art, but not compete. This rug was perfect for the job!
The still life art is certainly a conversation starter. These two framed canvas prints make a perfect pair and I chose this size to span most of the width of the console table for a slightly oversized statement. To round out the wall decor, I flanked the art with these double candle sconces. While not truly functional for lighting, they have the effect of feeling like a wall sconce without any of the electrical work. Swap the taper candles for different colors and styles to change things up.
On the lighting front, since there’s just one source in here, I chose a multi-arm chandelier with fabric shades. This adds softness and plenty of light for a space. Make sure you have enough ceiling height for a chandelier if you’re going to go that route. A minimum of 7’ of clearance is what you want!
Finally, I kept things simple on the console table surface because there’s a lot going on everywhere else! A long brass tray corrals a stack of books with a candle on top plus a footed bowl with some moss balls (there’s your green element!). It’s just enough to feel styled without feeling cluttered.
Coastal Modern Foyer
SOURCES
Bench | Clay pillow | Block print pillow | Rug | Landscape art | 30x40 Frame | Faux olive tree | Light fixture
Next up is this coastal modern entryway designed around a woven bench! This feels like the simplest of the three and would work really nicely if you don’t need storage. It does offer a perch to put on your shoes or set down a bag though, so it’s definitely still functional in its own way.
I designed this look with a smaller foyer in mind. To that end, I chose a smaller globe fixture that would work well with 8.5-9’ ceilings. The roundness is a great complement to the squared off edges of the bench and art.
To soften the look and add some style, I included two pillows on one end of the bench. The texture and pattern offer some “life” and help the bench feel a little more warm and inviting. The colors also offer some connection between the art above and the rug.
For the rug here, I chose one in a busy blue and beige pattern. This low pile, polyester rug is great for high traffic areas!
Above the bench is a traditional landscape in moody colors. This one caught my eye because of the feeling it gave me - like I was high on a cliff staring out at the rising tide at sunset. Ahh, doesn’t that sound relaxing? This is a print you can have made in a lot of sizes and frame it. Here I’m picturing using the 30x40 size with a gold faux bamboo frame (linked above) - it’s a great size above a bench.
Then to round things out, a faux olive tree perches next to the bench. I like how it adds something vertical in contrast to the two more horizontal shaped pieces in this scene. Mixing up the orientation of things is part of what makes a design visually interesting!
The Fresh Classic Entryway
SOURCES
Chest | Mirror | Lamp | Ruffle bowl | Ceiling light | Rug |Planter (similar)
For the last design, I went with some classic elements and patterns like turned wood legs and plaid, but also mixed in some unexpected pieces like the knobby lamp and flared scalloped light fixture. It has a great balance of masculine and feminine features, don’t you think?
This three drawer chest makes for a hardworking entryway piece. I love drawers here for storing all those odds and ends that collect in a foyer. It’s small, but mighty! This one is a bit of an investment piece, but the quality of construction and materials can be worth it. You can also hunt for similar antique pieces that may be a little less expensive.
On the floor, I loved this blue and beige plaid - it’s almost like a herringbone mixed with a plaid, which feels a little unexpected. The colors are pretty and warm, welcoming you into the home.
The mirror has just enough visual interest in the space and I think it plays a supporting role to the white knobby table lamp (so fun!) and irregular ruffle bowl next to it. Notice how I repeated that element in the light fixture and in the ribbed texture of the planter? When you do that, it can bring some cohesion to a design and help it feel pulled together.
