Foyer Basics

By Cassia Ann Jordan


Perhaps the most important room for making a first impression, your foyer has to tie every room in your house together. Whatever theme you are looking to accomplish, this one room's dcor dictates whether guests will want to come in and stay or make up some excuse and go home.

The Floor

Flooring

One thing that your guests will immediately notice is your floor. Make sure that you give them something interesting to look at. Because a typical foyer tends to be small in relation to the rest of the house, decorating it can be straightforward. You also don't need to worry about material costs because the payoff will more than make up for it.

You can make use of tiles of different colors and materials to accomplish this. Set them so that they form an attractive pattern. You may opt to have something that resembles a symbol or an icon that is meaningful to you.

Area rugs can serve as the centerpiece on an otherwise monotonous floor. The good thing with modern area rugs is that it is easy to swap them out for different effects. You can have several and depending on your mood and the occasion, you will always have something to match it.

Don't forget the ceiling color when picking out your wall color. Take the opportunity to add accent paint or wallpaper to the ceiling if it has a raised soffit. You can add a ceiling fan with bamboo blades for a tropical paradise look to your foyer. Drape white sheer curtains that go all the way to the floor for a clean tropical look. Place blue rugs on the floors for comfort and to represent the color of water.

You can have a Mediterranean look with sheer white cloth draped around. The options available to you are virtually limitless. Don't stifle your creativity.

Of you are feeling adventurous and up for something different, get yourself some stencils and add some interesting design to your ceiling. Don't overdo it though, an overly-decorated ceiling looks dirty.

Walls

If you already have a centerpiece on your floor and something hanging from your ceiling, it's best to keep wall decorations to a minimum. One large painting is often all that you need. Lighting fixtures can be added for effect more than anything else. Look for those that cast interesting shadows and stay away from ones that give off harsh light.

If you are into photography, embroidery, or quilting, you can hand the best of your works here. Not only will you showcase your talent, you will have an instant icebreaker.

There isn't a lot that you can do to accessorize the foyer. You may want to set a simple candle and a few small pictures on the table so your guests can look through them while they are waiting on something or someone. You will need an umbrella stand and a place to sit down to change your shoes.

Remember, be creative an place a little bit of a personal touch in this room since it is the first thing people see.




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