We often tend to overlook the importance of an entryway, yet it’s the first glimpse into your home. Shouldn’t it reflect your personal cocoon? Serving as a true decompression zone, the entryway separates your private space from the outside world, which is why it’s essential to make it both practical and a reflection of your style.
However, entryways are often quite limited in size and layout. Providing storage for every family member so that everyone has a place to store their belongings can sometimes be a real challenge.
Here are five original ideas we’ve developed to address this challenge.
The role of an ideal entrance hall
What’s your first instinct when you step over the threshold of your home? For most people, it’s to unload. If your hands are full, you immediately look for a place to set down your belongings—keys, bag, phone, groceries… Then you remove your coat and shoes to get comfortable.
But once everything is set aside, where does it end up? The functional aspect of an entryway shouldn’t be overlooked, lest items end up scattered along the path of everyone passing through.
Let’s not forget that the entryway isn’t just a passage; it’s also exposed to all sorts of energies. This is a concept long emphasized in Feng Shui, which encourages a clear, welcoming, and organized space to optimize flow. The entryway is a transitional area where everything should be orderly and sharp angles should be avoided.
How to furnish your entryway with high-capacity storage
A very common request from those who value order is to have a closed storage unit for outerwear. Being able to hide mismatched jackets, sometimes dirty shoes, and accessories that can quickly create a sense of clutter is a priority for many.
One of our solutions is to design a unit that, thanks to its curve, softens the potentially heavy look of a large piece of furniture. We create a design that harmonizes with the architecture, providing visual cues that integrate the unit naturally into the space. The piece is fully embraced as part of the interior, becoming both functional and a design statement.
Depending on the available space, we play with either a concave curve, which creates a smooth sense of movement, or a convex curve, which naturally provides more storage capacity. The interior can be customized to your needs hanging space, shelves, hooks, drawers essentially a full storage solution that, once closed, keeps your entryway clear and welcoming.
Another advantage of this type of unit is the ability to create a “room within a room.” What does this concept involve? In homes without a dedicated entryway, we can craft a true custom vestibule using our curved doors. Rather than enclosing the space entirely with a box-like unit, we divide it using partition walls that themselves include storage. This clever approach maximizes space, adds privacy and warmth, and provides a dedicated storage area. The overall volume is tailored to the available space to remain in harmony with your home’s architecture.
Would you like to find out more about our curved door systems? Contact us here to arrange an appointment.
What type of layout works for a narrow entrance hall ?
In many older homes, the entryway is often combined with the staircase, serving more as a passage than as a functional storage area. Today, needs have evolved, making it challenging to find a suitable layout.
If a large unit with a curved door would feel too imposing, we favor custom solutions that optimize space.
The ideal approach is an open storage unit to maximize depth. We propose wall-mounted metal structures anchored directly to the wall at height. These can accommodate hanging rods, hooks, shelves, and drawers. Fully suspended, the unit creates a very airy and lightweight feel while remaining highly functional.
Unlike a closed unit, this open composition brings life through the items stored within it. Beyond saving space, it’s highly accessible and allows a quick overview of everything. Combining wood and metal elements adds character and contrast to the overall design.
A minimalist entrance hall
If, like many, your entryway is narrow, long, and tall, it’s worth breaking up these imposing vertical lines. While paint can create optical illusions to reduce this effect, working with lower furniture and curves helps to visually balance the space.
In this case, the layout of the entrance hall is studied using different volumes: low units can serve as seating for putting on shoes, while wall-mounted units at mid-height allow for shallow storage that extends along the length of the hall. This is ideal for drop zones, small accessories stored in drawers, or behind sliding doors—maximizing functionality without compromising circulation.
Do you have a column or architectural feature in the way? No problem our approach is to embrace these details rather than hide them. By incorporating the column into the design and continuing the furniture around it, the entryway becomes more cohesive and pleasant. You’ll be surprised at the new energy that flows through the space.
How to dedicate a space for each member of the family?
Organizing an entryway with children can be challenging. By giving each person their own dedicated area, everyone becomes responsible for their space. This allows them to easily access their personal belongings without mixing them with those of others.
In this case, we drew inspiration from lockers. The design consists of small modules that can hold shoes, folded clothes, or accessories. Each person has full control over their own space and belongings. These units are designed to be simple, efficient, and timeless in style. Here, we also took advantage of the central radiator cover, which echoes the same design to unify the space, while adding hooks to hang certain accessories.
These units can, of course, be adapted in various shapes and dimensions to suit the needs of your family.
Come and meet us in our showroom to discuss your project.
Smart storage to make your life easier
Entrance halls often accumulate a wide variety of objects, differing in size and function. We have designed storage solutions specifically adapted to accommodate these items, making your life easier.
Beyond a custom wardrobe unit with hanging space, shelves, or rear storage behind a curved door, your entrance hall furniture can include a magnetic key holder, hooks at various heights, an umbrella stand, a mirror, or integrated lighting for clear visibility.
We also had the idea of incorporating locker-style niches. These allow you to store all your accessories neatly; thanks to their depth, items remain discreet yet easily accessible.
So many simple yet effective solutions make it easier to stay organized. After all, the key to a tidy and functional entryway is having storage that is both simple and quick to access.
Get inspired by our photos of modern entrance halls and cloakrooms here.