How to Make an Entrance

I want to remember the day I meet your home.

First impressions are important. So designing an entryway is a special project and can be a lot of fun. For our 140-year-old house we had a lot of history and charm with which to work. We kept things classic while adding some high impact black and white contrast and brass details. Here are the fundamental pieces to an entry and how to pull your statement entrance together.

1 Doors

Goal: Announce your style. Is your home classic, modern, farmhouse? This is where that vibe starts.

For this home, a landmark building, some original detail was intact and we won the lottery with an interior vestibule leading to an original set of interior double doors. The exterior door however had been replaced so we sourced doors matching the old historical photos of our building on file with the city. We found the perfect pair from Eddie the antique door guy / former fighter in Brooklyn. (If you know, you know.) We also got lucky with original brass door hardware which was easily polished up and reinstalled.

2 Flooring
Goal: Choose something that pairs with your doors — they’re a team — and completes the statement you’re making with these choices.

Here again, the vestibule was in need of repair or replacement but the interior original wood floors were intact, gorgeous and stylish with intricate detailing. We sourced black and white tiles that were bold but classic in style. Then the exterior doors were painted black and the interior arched doors were painted a crisp, clean white.

3 Lighting
As you will also want to do, we used multiple sources of light in this entry. Following a dictate from the Landmarks commission, on the exterior we used a simple light sensor-activated fixture above the entry doors. In the vestibule we refurbished and repurposed a flush-mount interior light original to the house. But in the interior entry we sourced a striking, elegant chandelier with lovely brass curves and crystals.

4 Warmth & Special Touches
In the entry we added just a couple more vintage touches in this space warmed by the original wood floors, banister and double natural wood doors into the living room: a vintage rug and mirror.

5 A Bit of Artistry
With most projects we rely on the spectacular work of skilled artisans we tap to create, restore or refurbish special features. You should too. In this case, we incorporated the historic touch of a gold leaf exterior-facing street number on the arched glass piece above the exterior doors. It’s an iconic NYC style and original to homes of this period. This elegant element was the crown on top of our entryway.

Reach out if you’re working on your entryway and want some guidance or feedback. Like we said… we place a lot of importance on first impressions.