The look and feeling of your grand
home entry plays a
critical role in setting right tone for the rest of your home. The first
impression of your home's interior is established here, and you want it to be
favorable. The entryway establishes the social contract with outsiders and
clearly communicates the position and status of those owning the home.
If the prospect did not seem excited by the exterior of your property,
this is your chance to make up ground quickly. And if the buyer was
impressed with the exterior, here's the opportunity to begin cementing a
sale, whether your entry consists of a separate room or a small hallway
or is simply the first stopping point before walking into an open
layout.
The National Association of Home Builders reports that over 74 percent
of home buyers want and expect a formal entry hall to be a feature of
their next home. When three quarters of your market speaks, it pays to
listen.
You want your entry to set the right tone immediately. The entry should
clearly suggest that your house or condo is in excellent condition, and
that your home offers a positive life-style.
Entrance Walls
The dominant visual influence of your entry is likely to be the walls
and the items hanging on them.
Wall Colors and Covers
There are two basic rules of color
in areas like the entry. First, in small spaces, use light colors to
avoid making the area seem even smaller. Second, colors should be neutral
so as to avoid causing territorial anxiety.
You might consider a monochromatic color scheme. Whites, beiges, and light pastels are the safest. Stronger colors should
be limited to accents like prints, flowers, or upholstery.
Wallpaper in the entry can be especially tricky since it can overwhelm a
room. Neutral colors and small prints might be acceptable, but large
prints and strong colors can definitely work against you. Ask advise from the
people you trust to determine if your wallpaper is too personal
and, if so, strip it and paint the walls, and consider a color - mood associations.
Wall Art
Use pictures,
hanging wall panels or
wall screens to add color and interest to neutral walls. But if you have
very expressive or abstract art that people either love or hate, move it
elsewhere. You would do better opting for more reserved paintings and
photographs. Always avoid religious wall art since it can cause territorial
anxiety.
Wall Mirrors
Mirrors can be a big help to a small or dark entry. It will enhance the
perception of light and size in this all-important area of the home. Of
course, the mirror should be spotless and the objects it reflects should
be attractive.
Mirror's shape can play a big role in overall ambiance. While
choosing mirrors consider the shape of a mirror when deciding where it should be placed in the room.
Depending upon the layout of your entryway, you can choose a
single framed mirror, a
large horizontal mirror above a consul table, or a
full-length
Pier mirror. Don't place large mirrors directly across from the door,
however, because you want prospects to focus on your home, not how they
themselves look. Mirrors scale and
mirrors placement are very important.
Wall Molding
Whether your house or condominium is traditional or
contemporary in design, molding can
transform a nondescript surface into a focal point. Molding is one of
the least expensive ways to set your house apart,
increase perceived value, and compensate for design flaws. The look of the molding reinforces the charm of the home and
invariably elicits comments like "They just don't build homes like this
anymore." Seldom do buyers consider that the marvelous detail work so
common in authentic colonial and Georgian homes can be bought by the
carload on our website.
Molding can make an impressive statement in the entry and in other
formal areas of the home. The ideas we will discuss apply not only to
formal entry ways but to any other room in the home. Using moldings you can create a
luxury wall decor.
On InvitingHome.com website you can see handsome
wood
molding and polyurethane molding molding. These are usually much more
elaborate than any you could produce on your own and can create a
dramatic focal point to any room, especially one as small as the entry. You should
carefully consider choosing right molding material while
selecting molding for your home
entrance. Polyurethane or wood molding products cost between $3 and $19 per
foot, depending on how elaborate they are, and can be installed by any handy
person. You need a few tools, including a miter box and saw, a tape
measure, level, hammer and nails, a drill, and some spackle. If you don't feel
you are enough of a handyman to do the job yourself, hire a carpenter.
There are three types of molding that are especially effective in
enhancing the look of your walls. They are
chair-rail,
panel molding for walls and ceiling,
and crown molding. If your walls are any
color but bright white, consider painting the molding a lighter color to
accentuate it. This will also help to make the room appear larger.
The ceiling is not generally thought of as a major selling point, but it
can have a real impact on the buyer's perception of your entry. If the
ceiling has cosmetic defects or design flaws, you can use a number of
inexpensive packaging improvements to correct it.
Paint
Remember, if the ceiling is disproportionately high for the size of the
room, a darker color will make it seem lower. The darker color will
reflect less light and will also effectively minimize surface defects.
Ceiling Embellishment
There are a range of interesting products available that can transform a
conventional ceiling into a focal point of the room. Beautiful
ceiling medallions (also known
as rosettes),
ceiling rims and
ceiling domes are one such product.
You also can use en elegantly designed
panel moldings with decorative corners to create your
ceiling design.
They are architectural embellishments that were common in old, elegant
homes but are rarely seen in today's reproduction colonial homes.
When your prospect first steps into your home, the floor that
greets him or her should project a feeling of quality and care. If the floor is wood, wax it or give it a new coat of urethane.
This will not only make it look better but will also add a smell
of newness. If the floor is carpeted, cleaning or vacuuming is a must.
With either type of floor, an area rug will add a look of
richness; it can also be a great cover-up. Use a thick pad
beneath the rug to provide an added feeling of luxury.
If you need a new floor for this small area, consider using a
high-quality material like marble or flagstone. You may be able
to put down a new floor yourself by, for example, applying a
self-stick solid oak parquet designed for the do-it-yourselfer.
Installing a more luxurious floor in the entry may well be
worthwhile, because it will suggest overall quality. When it
comes time to advertise the property and you state, "Features
marble entry," you can be sure people will take notice.
An attractive light fixture, like
Empire crystal chandelier,
can be the centerpiece of your entryway. It can help set the tone of the home by suggesting
quality. Proper lighting of the entryway is also essential in
helping to establish the warmth and cheeriness of your house or
condominium. There are a lot of styles and types of
home entrance lighting.
Most popular lighting fixtures are chandeliers,
lanterns and
sconces.
If you have a ceiling fixture that is clearly not up to the standards of the
rest of your entryway, consider replacing it with one that can provide a true
focal point. You may find that, depending on the size of your entryway, one
general overhead light is sufficient, or it may be that a second accent light is
needed. Because the ceiling is likely to cover a small area only, there is
probably no room for a second ceiling fixture. On the other hand, the area might
accommodate a table lamp or wall sconces.
If the area is large enough, consider providing an attractive
furniture grouping. For example, you might place a small side
table with a favorite lamp or a pair of
candlesticks from the
living room. Only you are likely to notice their absence from
the larger room; on the other hand, most prospects are sure to
notice them in the entryway. While choosing furniture, like
chairs,
benches or
occasional tables, you should focus on
scale and proportion. It will determine how many things you will be able to fit
in an entrance of your home. The larger the scale of furniture and objects the
bolder the look. When
decorating an entry way always remember to consider the relationship of your furniture
to your home accessories. Massive rustic entry table doesn't want little bitty
things on or around it. Along with furniture you might want to consider
built-ins for
your home entry.
The front door is the first and last part of your home that
visitors or potential buyers encounter. For this reason, it should reinforce the
positive impression made by your property.
Any glass in the door should sparkle, and so should the
hardware. Take a moment to consider the hardware because it can
offer a telling detail about the quality of your property in
general. A reproduction cut-glass, brass, hardwood, or porcelain
knob placed on an otherwise conventional hollow-core door can
increase the perception of value.
The lock and handle should have the look and feeling of quality
and provide reassurance about the property. If you have worn or
flimsy hardware, fix or upgrade it. Placing an attractive brass peephole in the
door for screening visitors is a good idea, but don't buy the small, inexpensive
kind since it will cheapen the look of the door
Door Trim.
If the rest of your home features traditional architectural
detail and if you have a plain flat door, it's easy to reproduce
the look of a raised-panel door. Simply use panel molding
molding and affix four or six vertical rectangular panels.
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The smaller an area is, the more impact small details will have.
Your entry way provides an ideal opportunity to "impress for less."
One of the nice touches is to replace the standard plastic
or metal switch-plates or outlet covers with more substantial ones.
You can choose from brass, porcelain, or wood. This investment will immediately
suggest a higher level of detail and value that will enhance the
buyer's perception of the room as a whole.
Another nice touch is the addition of a small shelf or counter near
the front door.
Because the shelf will be small, you might consider
making it from an expensive material like marble, or an attractive
wood like walnut.
The shelf should look professional, but if you are not good with
your hands, the cost of bringing someone in to do such a small job
may not be economical. Remember, a job that looks amateur may
actually cost you points.
The Coat Closet
When you offer to hang up your prospect's coat, he or she will get a first
glimpse of the organization of your home. If your closet is packed with
clothing, boxes, or other space robbers, clean it out. Move items down to the
basement or up to the attic, but avoid giving the impression of a messy,
inadequate closet.
Once you've done this, buy a set of the most attractive hangers you can find.
Rather than having a collection of old wire or padded hangers, use a
set of quality wood hangers that add a feeling of
quality to the closet.
The entry closet should also smell attractive. Replace the odor of shoes,
mothballs, and mustiness with smells that sell. read more about
home closets and
making the most out of closet
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Trying to sell your home?
Give Your Home Entrance a Facelift
5 things to
do before you start:
1. Consider the Competition
Entry ways vary considerably from home to home, and there is no single right or
wrong look. Even if you find your competition has more dramatic or impressive
entries than yours, we do not recommend wholesale changes. But knowing what
you're up against should give you the incentive to upgrade what you already
have. There are a number of inexpensive packaging techniques that will make your entry
stand up to or above the competition.
2. Consider the Buyer
As always, understanding your buyer is important when marketing your entry way.
By considering the specific needs of different segments of the market, you will
strengthen its appeal.
First-Time Buyers
Young first-time buyers, who are just beginning to earn enough to buy certain
trappings that higher-income groups already enjoy, want the entryway to speak of
their new position in life. Research indicates, for example, that mirrored
surfaces are quite popular with this group, as are plush carpeting and
expensive-looking light fixtures.
Trade-up Buyers
For the more sophisticated trade-up buyer, the entry should be understated but
suggest success. Research conducted by SRI International reveals that to this
group art objects and oriental carpets can help project the right message. The
entry as a whole is particularly important to the trade-up buyer in terms of the
signal it sends to visitors and friends.
Empty Nesters/Trade-down Buyers
Many empty nesters and trade-down buyers moving to smaller homes may be resigned
to losing a separate and formal entry. But there are many ways to create a
feeling of a separate entry where none exists. Because older buyers are
particularly sensitive about security, your entryway should suggest how secure
your home is and help satisfy their safety needs. We will cover ways to increase
the feeling of security in your entry and to add to the perception of value in
the process.
3. Evaluate Your Product
When you bring your friends through the entry way, pause to get their
first impressions. Because their reactions are likely to reflect those of
prospective buyers, you will want to listen attentively.
Ask them what they like the most and least about your entry and what first pops
into their minds when they first step into your home. Be particularly sensitive
to comments relating to sources of territorial anxiety.
4. Eliminate Territorial Anxiety
Because people are on their guard when first setting foot in a stranger's home,
it's particularly important to avoid personal statements that create territorial
anxiety in the entry.
Eliminate strong personal color, ethnic, or design statements. For example, if
your friends or your own research concludes that the
violet-patterned wallpaper gracing your entry may not have general appeal, we
would certainly recommend stripping it and painting the wall a neutral shade
that complements your furnishings.
Remember, no detail is too small as far as the entry is concerned, because this
is where the buyers' impressions of the exterior will either be reinforced or
contradicted. A few points scored one way or the other at this stage of the tour
will influence the final outcome.
5. Maximize Packaging Appeal
Since the entry way is usually small, each feature of the room can make a
significant impact. For this reason, use small details to make big impressions,
and we will show you how. |
