fabulous FIRST IMPRESSIONS WITH A FOYER

Put a little love into decorating your foyer, and create a lasting impression every time you enter or exit your home. This area of the home provides an ideal opportunity to blend decorating with organizational style. For instance, even if you don’t have a coat closet, you can hang hooks on the wall to keep coats or backpacks ready to grab and go. Depending on your space, you can hang the hooks individually for a custom arrangement. If you have kids, having hooks at child-friendly heights can make it easier for them to hang up their own outerwear.

1. To add functionality and enhance your entryway lighting, experiment with mirrors. “A mirror is always great for small spaces because it reflects light and can help make the space feel larger,” says the team at Finch + Fern. “If natural light is limited, incorporating mirrors helps make use of the light you do have by reflecting it around the room.” Mirrors can also be grouped together in an artful collage arrangement to create the feel of a bigger space. With its lightweight, rattan design, this water hyacinth mirror doubles as wall art ($79.99, Finch + Fern). The neutral material pairs well with any wall color. Besides adding light, mirrors also have the added benefit of providing an extra opportunity to check your look before you head out for the day.

2. Foyers are also an ideal place to display art that brings you joy. This wooden family tree is a delightful way to honor all the people and pets in your household. Crafted by Nicole Kazmierczak of BoomerRang Designs in Shillington, this piece can be customized both in size and the number of hearts ($40). Each heart can be personalized with name of your family members.

3. If coat storage is already being handled by a closet, you may want to turn your mind to more decorative options. A wall-mounted shelf can jazz up your foyer without sacrificing floor space. This lightweight shelf from Finch + Fern has eight dedicated spots for displaying plants, photos or other decorative items ($179.99). You can rotate pieces in and out with ease and change the display for different seasons or whenever you want to refresh the look of your foyer.

4. For a combination of hooks and storage, consider a wall-mounted coat rack. This model has three hooks for coats or bags and a shelf above. You can use the added shelf space for displaying decorative items or add small baskets for corralling keys, sunglasses or sorting mail ($129.99, Empire Home Center).

5. Storage benches can provide a two-in-one way to combine storage and seating while maintaining a small footprint in a foyer. This Ashley bench features a cushioned seat that’s perfect for putting on and taking off shoes and boots. Four small cubbies can be used for shoe storage. Two larger cubbies with wicker baskets offer ample space for stowing hats, scarves and gloves ($249.99, Empire Home Center)