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ENTRYWAY
“Entry” is a word that has a substantial definition and, at the same time, gives a vivid representation of symbolic content. Usually, it is used when referring to arrival and departure. Also, one may use it narratively to portray the transition from one phase of life to another or from one location to another. Furthermore, an entryway may create a mental or physical experience when one goes in or out of a building. This method is because an entry is usually designed to express the personality, architectural preference, and other residents through carefully selecting significant elements such as furnishing, paint colors and patterns, and lighting. In summary, house owners use an entryway to create utmost awareness and satisfaction.
A. Relevant Questions
Before you mark out your entryway, there are specific and essential questions that you must ask and carefully answer. They are:
Access. Who will have access to the entryway?
Is the entrance normally for the daily use of the occupants or visitors alone?
How often will it be used?
What impression would homeowners want the guests to have when they pass through the entryway?
Location. Is the entryway the main entrance to the building?
Will it be at the front of the building, or will it be situated in another section?
Design. What color or pattern will the entryway have?
Will there be decorations?
How will the space and wall beside or adjacent to the entryway look?
Will the entryway stand out or complement the other parts of the building?
Function. Does the entryway serve other purposes like waiting area, storage, gallery, library, dining area, or even cloakroom?
Does it lead to the main stairway, if any?
Can a person enter the entryway from outside, a corridor, walkway, garage, front porch, or an interior part of the building?
Does the entryway give access to the building or another room or space?
B. Major Elements
An entryway usually provides shelter and a safe space to keep handbags, coats or jackets, packages, keys, etc. However, you must note that you must include specific components, whether your entryway is built with the most exquisite materials that portray class and wealth or built as a mere functional room.
They include:
Closet. Many homes without an entryway closet have improvised using wall-mounted pegs, which isn’t advisable. Instead, you should set up your entryway to have a coat closet that is spacious and adequately to adjust at least twenty coats at a time. Also, the closet must have an upper shelf for keeping fashion items such as bags, caps, and hats. In addition, to maximize stability, you should use hinged doors instead of sliding doors.
Mirror. Besides its primary purpose, a mirror has other advantages, especially in home design. Adding a mirror to your entryway adds beauty to the room and virtually expands the space. This method means that you may place a mirror in a small entry to make it appear bigger.
Lighting. This item is an essential feature of any room. However, installing the appropriate light in the entryway cannot be overemphasized. Other than enhancing vision, suitable lighting supplements recessed ceiling installations. Recommended lighting includes an embellished chandelier, wall light, or a table lamp. In addition, you should ensure that light switches are easily accessible.
Seats. A common feature of modern interior designs is a multipurpose seat (bench, chair, or footstool) in the entryway for at least two people to sit, put on or take off shoes at a time or stockpiling.
Surface. This area may include a small chest, center table, or a wall shelf for safekeeping keys, mail, documents, or other essential items.
C. Considerations For Decorations and Designs
Naturally, the design pattern of your entryway should portray your personality and architectural preferences. Therefore, it is essential to consider some salient factors to ensure that your design and decorations convey the right message.
Allow for an Entryway. Usually, it is almost impossible to create an extraordinary or exquisite entryway in many urban houses. This is because the front door usually leads directly to the kitchen or living room. Therefore merely using a ceiling, wall, or floor treatment will not suffice. Instead, use a well-conceived furniture arrangement to create a discrete opening to serve as your entryway. For example, carefully select a rug with bold borders to create your desired outlook. You can also decide to change the arrangement of the sofa.
Architectural Presence. Creating this is not as difficult as you may think it is. Often, hallways and stairways do not have any architectural importance. Hence, you can create an architectural presence by using them as a gallery for displaying photographs, drawings, arts, and other collections of your choice. That way, your once boring entryway will turn out to be an exquisite room that draws the awareness of everyone that walks through it.
Mudroom. This area is the secondary entrance of the house. However, it is usually used more often than the front entrance, especially by the home inhabitants. This area is where they take off their dirty clothes when they return to the house and keep specific items like dryers, groceries, ironing boards, etc. In addition, mudrooms are used as laundry rooms or housekeeping closets. When setting up the mudroom, you should ensure that it contains all the significant elements of an entryway, as mentioned earlier, and a place to keep sports equipment, jackets, dirty sneakers, shoes, boots, and outdoor working outfits. Although the mudroom is usually for dumping messy stuff, you must ensure that you clean the place as often as possible.
Theme. Ordinarily, the setup of your entryway will determine the color theme. For example, if the entrance leads to an open or continuous space with eclectic doorways, design experts recommend using a neutral color over a bold color. This method is because neutral colors blend in with other colors easily. Also, bright wallpapers or paint tones are recommended for creating a dramatic expression.
Walls. In most cases, the wall spaces in an entryway are usually restricted because of how enclosed the entrance is and the numerous windows or doorways. Therefore, an effective way to make something out of that enclosed space is to introduce organization and embellishment through decorating from a custom-designed floor or installing a chandelier on the ceiling. In addition, you may establish an outstanding outlook by using a bold color on the walls or even painting the door with a bold color.
D. Measurements
You must take note of the following vital measurements when setting up an entryway.
Door clearance: 36 inches
Runner: It should be surrounded by 3-15 inches of floor space on either side.
Mirror height: The midpoint of the mirror should be approximately 5ft above the floor level of the room.
Coat closet: There should be about 18 inches of depth and 4-6 inches of pole width for each coat. Also, the closet should have an internal depth of 2ft and an external width of 5-6ft.
Counter height: 34 to about 38 inches.
Electrical outlet height: It should be right above the counter surface.
E. Universal Plan
Minimum of 12 inches on the ‘push’ side and 18 inches on the ‘pull’ side of every door
The front doorbell should be heard in every part of the house when it rings.
Full-length sidelights or indoor window
In conclusion, the location and elements of the entryway may influence the degree of formality. Therefore, it is essential to choose solid walls and floor designs that will convey the original architectural preference of the house owner in an exquisite manner.