An entrance hall is sometimes relegated to an afterthought, as a convenient spot to dump keys and hang up coats before venturing into a home’s more coveted rooms. But the entry vestibule is, in fact, a chance to make a wowing design statement—complete with seating, artwork, warm lighting, and in some fortunate cases, a notable staircase—that primes guests for the rest of the house. Whether it flows straight into a living room or serves as a striking standalone space, these 10 eye-catching foyers from designers listed on the AD PRO Directory certainly make a vivid first impression.
D2 Interieurs
The high ceilings of this 14,000-square-foot dwelling on Connecticut’s Lake Lillinonah afforded nearby Weston-based D2 Interieurs the opportunity to install an assemblage of ethereal, large-scale rope ball light fixtures in the entryway. It’s a commodious area that accommodates a round table with a sculptural base, and is dominated by a theatrical double stairway adorned with custom-designed runners. D2 founder and CEO Denise Davies says these not only add warmth and texture, but feature waves to “mimic the vibes of living on a lake.” The metal and burlap Holly Hunt sconces “work well with the other organic elements in the space,” adds Davies, and the paneling, walls, and trims are united by creamy, neutral Farrow & Ball paint that “literally glows.”
Saffron Case Homes
On Malibu’s Carbon Beach, local designer Saffron Case took a house down to its studs and reimagined it with a “serene, beachy, but elevated vibe,” as she describes. “The visual language was established using a neutral palette, sunlight, and a lot of wood-lined walls. We brought this into the entrance to echo the rest of the home.” From the doorway, visitors can see the water beckoning, and they can approach it by passing the earthy James Perse rug, Henry Wilson sconces from Stahl + Band, and the Arno Declercq console topped with a travertine vase. “It helps that this house has an amazing view of the ocean at the end of the hall,” Case points out, “but I think it’s important to always consider the entrance as its own room.”
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Marina Hanisch Interiors
To evoke the “feeling of relaxed refinement for which the Hamptons are known,” Connecticut-based designer Marina Hanisch filled a New York City family’s East Hampton getaway with details that she describes “as inviting, layered, and whimsical.” This is especially true in the entryway that connects to the open-plan living area. There, she buoyed a centerpiece staircase and sight lines to the outdoors by mixing a calming, tonal palette with unexpected shapes and textures, such as the sunburst mirror over the marble console. Natural materials like wood, stone, rattan, and sandblasted glass fixtures were chosen for their propensity “to age well over time and allow for the design to take on a story of its own,” Hanisch says. “It was important for the interiors to reflect the coastal landscape of the Hamptons.”
Nicole Hogarty Designs
A textile industrialist once dwelled in the multiunit 1879 brownstone in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood that local designer Nicole Hogarty has transformed into a single-family residence. Greeting guests into the 14,000-square-foot home is a foyer intentionally designed to “give those passing by an intriguing view into a surprisingly contemporary space that still honors its architectural roots,” says Hogarty. “From the street, the home appears deceptively conventional with a trio of bow windows. But inside it’s a master class in contrasts.” This duality is on full display in the vestibule. Beyond the industrial steel-and-glass doors, “the eye fixates on the remarkable, five-story elliptical stairwell,” adds Hogarty, who also included a Kelly Farley sculpture that references prayer beads and Patagonia stone flooring. These are complemented by a Caste Design console, textural Élitis wall covering, and Ralph Pucci lighting.
Lantz Collective
At a Gary Nance–designed lake house in northern Indiana, Lantz Collective spruced up the interiors to capture the client’s passion for entertaining. Amanda Lantz, whose practice has offices in Indiana and Florida, says the mood “needed to be cozy yet polished. The furnishings and accessories in this vacation home are high-end, but allow for many visitors to jump off the boat and head in for afternoon cocktails and a friendly ping-pong tournament.” Take the entry, with its Kravet rug, Modern History seating, and blue-and-white table linen. Artwork and a plant from New Growth Designs that rests against the staircase make homey additions, while functional hidden closets, Lantz points out, “blend in with the white shiplap.”
Allison Lind Interiors
For years, Seattle designer Allison Lind’s clients resided in a 1980s home in an isolated gated community on Lake Tapps, south of the city. Ready for a drastic upgrade, they finally tore down the dated structure and began anew. Through the imposing custom-designed door, visitors are wowed by a moody entry with a towering ceiling and a vintage carved wood chair from 1stDibs—a stark contrast to the breezy, white great room it opens onto. “The coffered wallpaper by Phillip Jeffries made perfect sense for a dramatic, geometric play off the light coming through that front door,” explains Lind. She painted the baseboards a harmonizing charcoal gray and bounced light around the dark space with a large arched mirror. “Because the home is nestled deep in a woodsy area,” she explains, “we wanted to merge nature with glam and thus brought in the reclaimed teak-root console table, black-washed for depth and drama.”
Suzanne Lovell Inc.
Suzanne Lovell, principal at her eponymous Chicago firm, incorporated plenty of modern materials and surfaces into the renovation of architect Howard Van Doren Shaw’s 1909 Colonial Revival abode just outside the city. At the same time, she was keen to preserve original elements in this landmark. With its custom Venetian plaster wall covering and large-scale newels flanking the stairs, the entrance achieves a timeless look. “The soft gray, black, and white stone floor was designed for the space as what one might expect to see in the foyer of this historic home,” explains Lovell. Also in the space: BDDW’s oversized round leather and maple mirror, an Apparatus ceiling fixture with its oil-rubbed bronze and mold-blown glass cylinders, and crystal and steel sconces from Alison Berger Glassworks.
JAM
Although water damage to a house in Brooklyn’s Ditmas Park neighborhood called for a mere refresh, local studio JAM decided to take a more thorough approach and completely gutted the first floor. “We added an area rug when you first walk in to let the gorgeous new floors have good visibility, a bright and cheerful stair runner, colorful textiles and art, and a comfortable bench with plenty of room to sit and put shoes or drop bags on,” says JAM cofounder Megan Prime. “We feel it’s important to set the vibe for the interior of the home from the moment you open the door. The style can vary, but warm and welcoming is ultimately what you want.”
Kara Adam Interiors
There's a neoclassical-meets-modern allure to the new-build residence in Dallas’s Highland Park that local designer Kara Adam crafted for a family with three small children. “We wanted the furnishings, art, and decor to feel fresh for our fun, young clients who love to entertain,” she says. To set the tone immediately, Adam invigorated an expansive staircase with a custom Stark runner, added a bespoke light fixture from the Urban Electric Company, and covered the walls with paneling. “A touch of the unexpected always piques one's interest when entering a home,” she explains. That notion led her to weave in sophisticated layers like geometric rug on the marble floor and a painting by Danish artist Tal R. above the sofa.
Georgia Tapert Howe
While keeping the stunning original architectural details intact, Los Angeles designer Georgia Tapert Howe infused a prewar apartment on New York’s Upper East Side with a decidedly contemporary vibe, beginning with the foyer reminiscent of a boutique hotel lobby. “This particular entry was quite big and the rest of the apartment flows from it, so we wanted it to be a taste of what’s to come throughout,” recalls Tapert Howe. “We also wanted it to feel as light as possible, which was a challenge with no windows.” The solution? Anchoring the space with a three-legged Moving Mountains table and adding a pair of chic benches and swaths of abstract floral wallpaper from Calico.
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