The foyer is the first thing that you and your guests will see when entering your house, so you want to put some thought into the design you choose.

The design will likely depend on you and your family’s needs. If you have kids, you may want to include cubbies in the foyer for backpacks, lunchboxes, coats, and dirty shoes. This is a great way to avoid having these items strung throughout the house.

If you do not have kids, you may still want to have a coat closet or a coat rack and a place for shoes in the entry space. Some people choose to have a small bench with some decorative pillows in the entryway so you can sit down and remove your shoes.

Aside from a place for functional items such as a coat rack, the foyer is a great place for a console table. Entryway tables generally serve for decor purposes, but you can easily transform your entryway table into a functional piece of furniture by adding a place to drop your keys and empty your pockets before going into the house. There are many more great foyer ideas if you’re struggling for inspiration.

You don’t need to be an interior designer to have a beautiful foyer. Here are some great ideas to make yours special.

What should I put in my foyer?

1. Shelf or table

Perhaps the most sensible thing to put in your entrance hall is a shelf, table or both. While you may want to opt for the minimal look, you will most likely need a place on which to put things. This most notably includes your keys and your wallet/bag.

You may think that your foyer looks better without one but after a while, you may get frustrated with the lack of usability. It could be, however, that you want to keep your foyer clean and use another door to enter/exit your home.

2. Large mirror

Before you head out the door, you’ll probably want to check that your hair is in the right place and that your clothes are looking sharp. If you’re not bothered about a mirror, then someone else in your house probably is.