How To Fake A Foyer – One Room Spring Tour

Hello! If you have a small house, and want to pretend you have a big, fine house… and you want to create the illusion that you’ve got a foyer… or even an actual entryway, keep reading. (because, me too!)

I’m going to share how to fake a foyer with you today, and tell you all about the why & how of my new space.

The WHY: My latest project was set into motion when I was invited by Kathleen of Lindsey Hill Interiors, (whom you might be visiting me from) to join a wonderful group of bloggers, a group of bloggers that are extremely talented and have some gorgeous… gorgeous homes, to participate in a One Room Spring Tour.

I said sure. I’ll take the living room. Nope. All full. Well, you know I don’t do tablescapes (or have a dedicated dining room) so that one was out. Next would be doors and porches. Umm, not so much. Come visit me next year after our courtyard is added… and that left the foyer. So I sadly said thanks so much for inviting me, maybe next time guys, I’ll sit this one out. 

And then my sassy side came out.

The side that says “What the heck, put me down for foyer. I’m up for a challenge. I love foyers. I want a foyer. I’ll fake a damn foyer”!

So here I am… faking it. Faking it for all the other non-foyer, non grand entryway and little-house-girls out there. And I’m not talking about the ones on  the prairie. 

Pretty sure the idea to kind of have a faux foyer had been swirling in my head for some time anyhow. I often share “dream foyers” on my Facebook page. I truly believe in first impressions… and I wanted to start making a better one!

I think I’ve been subconsciously working on this over the last year. The entry to our home was simply too cramped to accommodate the furnishings I had in it. Most of which, I’d brought with us from a much larger house. After coming to terms with that, and mentally divorcing them… I was slowly able to let them go. And that started the ball rolling. 

With an empty, open space, I could decide how I wanted to (not over) fill it. A few things stayed put, like the little white chest. After that, I decided to continue with things I already had. I wanted to get the feel for the new functionality of the space, instead of running out and buying things I might regret later. 

I’d love to show you a beautiful photo with my front door open looking into the space… but try as I might, it was so bright outside, it just made inside the house look like a dark cave in photographs. So you’ll get the inside out view. 

I’m going to give you a left-to-right, full circle view, in pictures.

Are you ready?

Luckily, we had a nice sunshiny day to take pictures.

Our Springtime here on the Oregon Coast often includes lots of dreary & grey.

You could say we get our fair share of rain. But it’s what makes it so lush, green & beautiful!! So I deal.

With the new changes, regardless of the weather outside, it’s feels light & airy in the house!

Might have a bit to do with all the blooms.

While I’d like to think I’m pretty frugal, I will spring for flowers. 

And it’s becoming a common treat. One I fully intend to continue indulging in!

Even if they are sometimes as faux as my foyer.

We’re almost done. It doesn’t take long in a little house.

I couldn’t resist. I know I was going to wait until “Summer” to go aqua… but I accidentally had a false start.

Just a little one.

And you know, I’ll have to squeeze my red, white & blue in too… so really I’m just exercising my time management skills. 

Leopard is Springy right?

I love a little black to balance a space. And I think there is always room for a bit of animal print. Leopard & Zebra are my favorites. And Giraffe… and sometimes Cow. And Alligator. Okay. Animals. I love animal stuff. 

And that brings us full circle!  Wow. That 37 seconds went fast didn’t it?

Now we’ll get to the HOW.

How I Created My Faux Foyer

• TEXTILES: I stole the draperies from my bedroom and switched them out. These are much lighter, and the fabric is softer. It pools beautifully. Adding texture to the room by adding curtains alongside the plantation shutter has really softened the room and given me another way to introduce color and pattern play to the room.

I highly recommend some type of draperies, sheers, panels, valances, etc… even when not functional, they act as a way to bring in more texture and personality into a room! 

• LIGHTING: Good lighting is important, but lamps are ultra-important for us. We have no recessed lighting in the entryway or living area. We are dependent on table and floor lamps as our light sources. I unify the different style by selecting shades that are similar, or matching. With 4 lamps in such a small space, it’s crucial. Otherwise, it’s gets very busy looking! Lighting styles can greatly impact the feel of a space. Mine tend to be a casual/coastal. Maybe a pinch towards farmhouse with a few of the chunky wood base style lamps.

Let your lighting be another facet of the accents in your room: whether it’s all-over, task, or mood… and we all know there is nothing like a fabulous chandelier! 

• HIDDEN STORAGE: The little white chest works double duty. It’s a lamp landing spot, plus, it hides my collection of floral vases. It’s the perfect spot. They don’t take up room in the kitchen or our small pantry, but they are easy to access when I’ve got flowers to arrange. I’m looking forward to doing a lot more of that in the coming months! Yeah for Spring & Summer.

Having functional storage is critical. In any home I’ve ever owned, seen or visited, having places to store your things is a must. And we all have stuff. To me hidden storage that serves more than one purpose is the best. Console tables with shelves or drawers, hinged benches with storage, cabinets with drawers or doors, shelves with baskets. I do try to temper that with not storing things I don’t actually need or use. Too much storage can sometimes lead to a bit of hoarding… I’m talking about myself of course. 

• SEATING: It’s a tight fit, but I managed to add a small bench right at the front door. This is just enough for guests to sit and remove or put shoes on. For me, it’s a spot to drop my purse or coat when I come in with groceries. We mainly use our back entry, so having storage for coats and shoes is not needed at our front door on a daily basis. For parties, I’ll make temporary arrangements. 

If you expect your guests to remove their shoes when they enter your home, it’s a good idea to give them someplace to do it. Taking them off might be easy, but many people need to sit down to put their shoes back on. A spot to do that is courteous. When we have older folks visiting, I make sure to have a big comfy chair by the front door. Baskets for shoes. An extra rug. And even a basket for slippers if they are extended stay guests. 

• DROP SPOT: The wood console table [we made it! click here for more] is the perfect height and holds another much needed lamp. The lower shelves can be decorated, while leaving the top free to catch mail & keys.

Having a clutter free surface available to have somewhere to set your things, without getting them tangled up in excess home decor (or junk you’ve got piled up) is a nice little luxury. Your guests, and you, will be greeted by a clean, organized space upon arrival through the front door! This will become the norm, and when something is out of place, you’ll notice and be able to take care of it right away. 

• THE RUG: I personally feel like this is a key player in the room. If I didn’t have the rug to add texture and interest, as well as delineate the space… the table would feel like it was just floating in the room. It anchors the table and says; “Look at me. I’m a focal point. I am important”. At least… that is what it said to me. 

I don’t think I fully appreciated the power of a rug until we put our wood floors down. Sure we had them scattered about, and in front of the sink, etc… but y’all. The RUG is a powerhouse decor item! Without this circular rug, in the center of this space, anchoring the round table… pfft. It would be mayhem I tell you. Seriously though. The hardworking rug will singly delineate a space like nothing else. It grounds the space, pulls the eye, gathers it all together, and creates an “area” just by being itself. The options of rug styles are endless. I’m currently on a jute/sisal kick. One, because they don’t fight for attention with my floor, and seem to go with everything I own, which is pretty casual. Two, because they are affordable. And three, because they are affordable. Did you get that affordable part? Yeah. I’m cheap. 

• THE STATEMENT: In soooo many foyers, I see the quintessential round table, with the large floral display. I’m sure you’ve seen them too! Well, I’m pretending I’m fancy here, with my casual, shabby white table and my 18 year old glass vase, filled with Spring branches. This feels authentic to my home, while giving a little of the feel I’ve admired for so long. This is where you’d really want to personalize your main focal point to reflect your taste and style. I look forward to playing around with my “look” over the Summer. 

Okay, this is open to personal style and the fact that everyone is going to have a different space in which to work. I went with the round table & vase thing, but your foyer could have a focal point like a dramatic painting or a sculpture. Play around and make it space that puts a smile on your face and makes you go “ahhh” when you walk in the door!

I feel like this look fits my home, space & style. If I went ultra glam, it wouldn’t flow with the rest of the house. And then… boy would my guests be disappointed. hahaha. Seriously though. I feel like you can take almost any dream space elements and tweak them to fit your present situation. I’ve already enjoyed this refreshed space immensely! 

Thank you SO much for joining me here at my humble little home today! I hope you found a teeny bit of inspiration on your visit. I look forward to seeing you again soon. xo Shannon

Now, for ever MORE Springtime goodness and ideas galore, make sure to follow along with all the talented participants this week for the One Room Spring Tour.

For more, search the #OneRoomSpringTour hashtag on Instagram!

Want a closer look at our Spring Kitchen [click here] 

For the Living Room [click here]

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