Foyer Eyes Only

By Kim Kuhteubl

The foyer is more than a fancy name for the place where you hang your coat and take off your shoes. Derived from the French, meaning social centre, the Latin, meaning fire, the foyer is the first room in your home that everybody sees. It's the room that offers a bit of breathing space between outdoors and in. It's the room that welcomes you home after a hard day at work. It's the room that sparks a visitor?s curiosity about what and whom lies within.

"First, I think that it's a crucial part of any home regardless of what the style of the interior is," says Lindsey Anacleto, partner in the award-winning design firm Anacleto Design Associates in Toronto. The firm has been designing residential and commercial interiors for over five years and is currently working on the latest Oliver Bonacini project inside the Westin Hotel.

"Whether you have an open concept or a Victorian-style home, if you have a spacious, well-planned foyer, it suggests the rest of your environment is welcoming and well-organized."

According to Anacleto, functionality is the key to foyer design. Although the room is a high traffic area with multiple uses and users, the homeowner's needs must be considered first. Ideally, the foyer will be a well-lit space where you can leave all of your keys. Ample closet space for each family member and the occasional guest is also available. If you opt for hooks, conceal them in a shallow closet to keep the entrance free of clutter. If an elderly person or a child is a family member, consider adding a bench for them to sit down on when they put on their shoes. Finally, and most importantly, every foyer should have a mirror as your last check point before leaving the home.

Astrid Dipaolo uses an armoire to divide the space in her open concept Mimico home. "It has no storage whatsoever, not even a closet in the master bedroom," says Dipaolo of her bungalow built circa 1920. "You see the whole house, kitchen, living room, and dining room, when you open the front door. We decided we had no option other than an armoire because we didn't want to put a wall up or something visually imposing on the open concept."

The use of furniture, in this case an armoire, is an inexpensive way to solve two problems. First it creates a transition at the point of entry and provides a place for Dipaolo and her guests to pause and survey their surroundings when they first arrive. On the practical side, it also creates much needed storage. Dipaolo uses one side of the armoire for coats and shoes. Shelves on the other side hold keys and incidentals, even a phonebook.

Foyer décor, including wall colours and flooring, should complement the palette of the rest of the home. On the walls, lighter tones are preferred especially if the colours are dark throughout the rest of the home. Tile is more durable than hardwood and dark tones hide dirt better. If you have hardwood throughout, consider using a washable area rug to protect it from seasonal salt and snow. If there is a powder room off the entrance way, carry the same tile throughout. One off tile breaks up visual continuity. Says Anacleto, "It's nice to walk into a nice bright entrance area. I think people do forget it's so important, regardless of what your space."