Defining a Home Entry

Not every entryway is clearly denned square or rectangular room. Some are not true home entries at all but part of an open-plan layout. These may be most common in small condominiums - where space is at a premium - or in very contemporary homes with an open design. There are, however, many ways to create the feeling of an home entry area in a studio apartment or a small condo.

The creative use of flooring can help. If your main room has either wall-to-wall carpeting or hardwood floors, replace a portion with a different surface material. For instance, cut out a rectangular area of your carpeting—one that's large enough to accommodate the sweep of your front door and a few extra feet to spare—and replace it with hardwood, ceramic tile, quarry tile, flagstone, or marble. This will divide the space visually.

You may have to call in a professional to put down the floor in your entry, because it must be applied so that it doesn't interfere with the opening of the door. And since the area is small, it will pay to buy the best material you can find. Erecting a half-height wall with a countertop of oak or other attractive wood can also help define an entry. You could also use a low bookcase. To add visual interest, place a vase with flowers or a decorative table lamp on the bookcase.

Importance of a Home Entry

Whether your property is a condo or a detached single-family home, the entry will make a lasting first impression that will remain with the buyer throughout the rest of the tour. Because the entry is small and because the buyer will be looking at it so closely, make sure every detail is looked after. By perceiving quality and care in this room, the buyer will approach the rest of the home with a positive attitude. Many of the techniques that work for the entry can also be applied to the living room. Consumer surveys indicate that this room is among the two most important rooms in the home. The look and feeling of your grand home entry plays a critical role in setting right tone for the rest of your home

Home Entry Walls

Wall decor as well as wall color of an entry have a huge impact on overall impression of a home. A neutral color scheme is important. Developers often leave behind a legacy of bad taste when they complete a home, but because the walls or wallpaper are new, home owners learn to live with it. But becoming desensitized to potentially offensive colors or designs can be costly. Strong colors can create territorial anxiety and will hurt not only your unit but others as well. (see color - mood associations and molding)

Home Entry Floors

Wall decor as well as wall color of an entry have a huge impact on overall impression of a home. A neutral color scheme is important. Developers often leave behind a legacy of bad taste when they complete a home, but because the walls or wallpaper are new, home owners learn to live with it. But becoming desensitized to potentially offensive colors or designs can be costly. Strong colors can create territorial anxiety and will hurt not only your unit but others as well. (see color - mood associations and molding)

Home Entry Light Fixtures

Home lighting fixtures are very important. The ceiling-mounted light fixture in the entry to the home can provide an exciting focal point. It is always impressive when walking into a home and see a very attractive hanging crystal chandelier in the entry. It suggests that the developer or the home owners are doing something right and may be indicative of the quality of the rest of the property.

Whether you live in a 10 000 sq. feet home or 1300 sq. feet apartment, it always pays to put in an eye-catching light fixture. A wrought-iron or crystal chandelier may cost several thousand dollars, but its impact will have significant benefits.

Home entrance lighting plays important role in setting the stage and creating a first impression of your home. Lanterns, chandeliers and sconces are the most popular lighting fixtures for a home entry.

Home Entry Furniture

A home entry with a grouping of attractive furniture can add luxury and dignity to an entry. Making the entry look more like a suite than a utilitarian service area will help improve the ambience of the entire property. Beautiful mirrors will create a more spacious and luxurious look. The style of benches, occasional chairs and tables should be consistent with the design and other furniture of the home.

Home entry built-ins are very popular feature in today's open-plan contemporary interiors. When making decisions regarding your home entry trust yourself and don't let others impose their personal tastes on the selection of furniture.

Plants and Flowers for a Home Entry

Plants and flowers can add color and fragrance to an entry area and suggest that the home owners are interested in its upkeep. Flowering plants will make even more of an impression.

Even if you have to supply the fresh flowers while your home is on the market, it is well worth the small investment. When choosing plants, consider spathiphyllum, a Chinese evergreen, or a dracaena since they are durable and do not require much light.

When buying flowers, hyacinths, tuberoses, or gardenias are appropriate.

Apartment's Entry

If you live in a condominium apartment, you really have two entries, one to your building and one to your home. To maximize the value of your unit, pay close attention to both of these areas. The condo association, management, or trustees who fail to recognize the importance of an attractive common entry or lobby are doing a major disservice to all of the building's owners. An impressive lobby will improve the value of all units, while a shabby one will do just the opposite.

The same rules that apply to your own entry apply to the common area, with one significant difference. While you have to absorb 100 percent of the cost of your unit's improvements, you're responsible only for a fraction of the cost of common-entry improvements. For this reason, you may be able to afford to spend more on this part of the building, thereby greatly increasing its perceived value.

The lobby should look clean and smell fresh and suggest a well-managed property and a caring group of owners. Carpets should be shampooed regularly, pet odors eliminated, and hard-surfaced floors waxed. Old newspapers, magazines, and mail should be tidied up.

No detail is too small, because the entry is an integral part of the first impression of your property. The following is a checklist for improvements to the lobby or entryway in a condominium or cooperative building.