How to design the perfect entrance to your home

The entrance

How does the entrance fit into your home and does it impact the balance of the building? The key to creating a great first impression is a cohesive design in terms of materials and textures. The front door is a focal point, but the path or stairs up to it, the lighting, the amount of glazing by the door, and the quality of the finishes are what make it work. If you are building a new property, choosing the location for the entrance to your home is the most important part. Will it get sun all day? Do you need a porch, canopy, or overhang? How deep should this be? 

Think of the front elevation as a flat surface with potential. For instance, if your home has no timber cladding, stone or zinc features and is a plain rendered frontage, then the front door and the path are the most important features. However, if the frontage has stone or timber cladding and zinc, the front door may need to blend in with these features. Consider what you want to notice first. Creating a moodboard of all your exterior finishes helps. Choose the materials that cover the largest areas first, as it’s easier to then choose a front door or the material for your steps.

The door

Psst! Want to know a secret? Gone are the days of tiny doors. In the past, doors used to be small to retain heat but today anything goes and the bigger the better. A door can be hidden inside a wall of cladding or made obvious in the centre of a wall of architectural glazing, but its size creates grandeur. A big door will always get a wow and that impresses people and makes them feel welcome. You can choose a material, colour, and texture that is beautiful, inviting and connects to your interior. Remember that the size of the door should also be dictated by the size and height of the windows, the placement of windows above the front door, and where the door sits on the front elevation.

Look after your well-being by choosing a high-security doorset and then you can concentrate on the handle. Think about how the handle feels, the size, and whether the door should be on a pivot or standard hinges. And don’t forget the inside of your door – it can be different from the outside: dual colour or dual finish are both high-impact options.  The style of the door you choose is important too of course – the trick is to opt for one you’ll still love in 20 years so think timeless rather than on-trend.

The hallway

Once inside, your hallway further sets the scene for your style. From a practical point of view, you’ll need to ensure there’s enough space for the swing of the door. Light is also important. Will you opt for sidelights – glazing added to one or both sides of your door – and will these be clear or sandblasted for privacy? These decisions will depend on the location of your home and how much light your hallway gets. For more on this, click here.

You’ll also want to consider internal doors and whether you match materials with your front door and flooring or choose to contrast. There’s no right and wrong here – just personal preference. If you struggle to decide, a moodboard can help you visualise the options.

As well as impressing guests, your hallway often needs to be practical too, whether providing a place to sit and take off shoes or a safe spot to stash your keys. Choose beautiful but functional objects to elevate this area. Consider lighting and whether you need a rug or other textures to add interest. Storage closets with sliding doors are a practical solution if you have the space.