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Ever feel as though something’s not quite right about your entryway? Maybe it’s hard to see your front door, or your foyer feels bland and uninviting. Whether you’ve recently moved in or have been settled for many years, here are seven ways to make the entrance to your home more enjoyable for you and your guests.

1. Demand more from your door. Make sure your door is visible and welcoming. Just as the eyes are the windows to the soul, your front door is the face of your home and where first impressions happen. Make sure the entrance to your home is visible and well-lit.

While it may sound silly, some houses have a side entrance or two doors on the front facade, and folks get confused about where to go. A clearly delineated pathway will direct guests to the right place. Seasonal accessories like a wreath, rocking chair or pumpkins will make your home’s hospitality shine even more.

Nothing will make your home feel more energetic and comfortable on a beautiful day than a natural breeze. Screen doors are good, but a Dutch door like the one shown here is a great way to invite fresh air into the home while keeping pets or even small kids at bay.

Festively colored doors have long been an exterior staple, but they usually pale on the interior to match neutral woodwork in the rest of the home. Painting the door’s interior side a splashy color brings pizazz and is an easy way to add hue in double-height foyers, whose walls are challenging to paint without the aid of a cherry picker.

Or try introducing something unexpected and carefree on your front door. This humorous knocker hangs on a door playfully patterned with a stencil.

Another option is to integrate a decorative cutout in a wooden screen door, such as this lobster.

2. Let there be light. Don’t skimp on your foyer lighting. One of those flush-mounted types that look like a dinner plate isn’t going to win over anyone. Select a fixture that makes a statement and defines the area, as does this handsome lantern.

A semiflush fixture, like the drum-shaped one shown here, is a good alternative if you don’t have enough ceiling clearance for a more substantial pendant.

If you’re in the market for a new front door, consider integrating glazing as an opportunity to filter natural daylight into your home. If you want the light but more privacy, choose a textured glass to distort the view.

If you have an old home, you might find sidelights and a transom window around your door hidden behind wall sheathing. The hunt will likely entail some professional carpentry work, but they’re considered a treasure when uncovered.  Stained glass is a popular Victorian window detail that offers joyous colored rays of patterned light while providing privacy.

Incorporating a mirror in a small space is an old trick to make the room feel larger, but it also brings in more light. This entryway would look dark and cramped without the mirror.

3. Opt for curvy pieces. Rounded shapes are psychologically more relaxing and comforting than rectilinear ones. In feng shui philosophy, for example, curves are preferred because they facilitate the movement of energy throughout a space. Rounded pieces are also a little safer, so little ones and we clumsy folks aren’t as likely to bang into sharp corners.

4. Add texture for natural warmth. Furniture or accessory pieces with texture lend visual interest and make your space feel more hospitable. Natural materials like wood, baskets and fabric are good choices. The bamboo settee and woven pieces here give a homey vibe.

This industrial table base and wood plank top look warm and mellow bathed in natural light.

If your home is more contemporary, and rustic materials like aged wood won’t work with your sleek finishes, you can still add texture through other means, such as lighting. The Moooi light fixtures here are made of a resin-coated fiberglass that creates a lacy filigree pattern when lit.

5. Show off your personality.
Your foyer is the perfect place to showcase your interests. A favorite collection, like this homeowner’s assemblage of hand planes, is more memorable for guests than a conventional table and lamp. Above all, your foyer should be welcoming and personable.

If space (or your collection) is limited, sprinkle in a few pieces where you can. The antique globes make this foyer seating area more intriguing.

6. Keep it neat. If your foyer lacks a closet — or if closet space is limited — bags, umbrellas and the like will likely pile up and make a muck of your foyer. A free-standing storage bench, like the one shown here, will do double duty by not only organizing your small stuff, but also providing a seat to pull on boots. While this one has pullout drawers for items like gloves and hats, many others have storage under a hinged seat.

Install some beefy wall hooks for hanging scarves, hats, umbrellas and bags.

7. Appeal to your senses. Interior design can sometimes rely too heavily on visuals and not fully consider our other senses.

Scent is a powerful memory maker, so a simple bouquet of flowers, a plant or even pretty leaves in a vase of water is always fresh and inviting.

Even if you have a tight entry space, don’t think that you have to give up the greenery. This simple arrangement sits atop a heat register cover.

Don’t forget sound! Chimes tinkling in the wind on a front porch or the gong of a grandfather clock in a foyer adds depth and a sense of wholeness to your home.

Make sure you try out the piece first to ensure that you find the sound pleasing. For example, some wind chimes sound earthy and comforting, while others can be loud, metallic and irritating.

No matter how many times you comb through your bedroom closet, carefully pulling dresses to donate and tossing mismatched socks, there never seems to be enough room. Our dreams of neatly arranged tops and orderly rows of shoes can quickly end up in a messy pile when our wardrobes exceed our storage space. However, your closet may be bigger than you think. If you’re folding pants, storing scarves inside drawers, and keeping out-of-season clothing on display, you could be wasting space.

1. Divide and Conquer Drawers

Clever ways to declutter your home! Create the perfect places to stash all of your stuff. Whether you own a tiny home lacking closet storage, or you are trying to organize the space you have—the first step is to get building. This article shows 37 projects that are sure to help you manage your messes or conceal items out of use. From putting together your own built-in window seat to making an outdoor bench that hides tools, detailed step-by-step instructions, shopping lists, and tool lists to do it all yourself.

Use upcycled wine bottles to create inexpensive lighting for a wine cellar, kitchen, bar or dining room.

Get The Step By Step Guide

Eating healthier, getting in shape and finding a creative outlet are among the common resolutions you can tackle at home.

Some New Year’s resolutions, such as climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro or learning to fly a plane, definitely require you leaving your house. But for many common resolutions that focus on your body, spirit and mind, there’s no reason to leave the comfort of home. Here are 10 New Year’s resolutions and ideas for accomplishing them in your house.

1. Eat healthier. Eating healthier should start right at home. Not only is cooking at home generally less expensive than eating at a restaurant, but it also allows you to monitor the type and quality of food you’re consuming. So stock up on those pots and pans and get cooking.Tip: If you’re running low on storage space for your cooking supplies, consider adding pegboard to a wall so you can hang items.

2. Get in shape. Among the most common New Year’s resolutions is to get in better shape. But that doesn’t mean you have to join an expensive gym. Finding a space in your home to use as a gym or yoga studio will allow you to get the job done under your own roof.Tip: Any room in your house with enough floor space for a yoga mat can be transformed into a studio.

3. Get more sleep. Many studies have shown that getting a full eight hours of sleep is a key factor in good health. Whether it’s buying a new mattress or installing blackout shades, there are many ways to promote better sleep.Tip: Make your bedroom a television-free zone to avoid late-night binge watching.

4. Read more. Whether you prefer e-readers or traditional paper books, finding more time to read can be good for your mind and spirit. Creating a cozy spot in your home with good lighting will make you want to stay in and read all the more, especially in the winter months.Tip: Create a reading nook that can be used all day long by setting up a comfy chair next to a window for natural light and adding a lamp or sconce for reading at night.

5. Pamper yourself. It’s important to be kind to others and it’s also important to be kind to yourself. Taking some time to pamper yourself by creating a spa-like bathroom will make you feel better inside and out.Tip: Simply keeping a fluffy robe in your bathroom to slip into after a shower or bath can give you a bit of the spa life at home.

6. Find a creative outlet. Life can be busy and filled with many practical pursuits, from going to work to washing the dog, but that’s no reason to not tend to your creative interests. Whether it’s painting, pottery or papier-mâché, find something that gets your juices flowing.Tip: If you’re having trouble finding subject matter for your art, try reproducing a classic work until you find your voice.

7. Go outside more. Carving out more time to enjoy Mother Nature has many well-known benefits. But you don’t have to hit the slopes or bike trail to enjoy nature. If you’re lucky enough to have a yard or even a balcony, try out your green thumb by starting a garden this year.Tip: Do you have a favorite herb or vegetable? Start your garden by growing what you love.

8. Start a collection. Whether the collection evokes childhood nostalgia, like the Pez dispensers seen here, or aligns with your current interests, starting a collection gives you a chance to immerse yourself in a passion and share it with others.Tip: Collections don’t have to be expensive. If it’s valuable to you, that’s all that matters.

9. Get organized. If you want to kick off the new year right, getting organized might be the way to go. Whether it’s tackling a messy garage or a closet bursting at the seams, consider starting 2018 with a clean slate.Tip: Don’t start off with the biggest and messiest job. Begin small by cleaning out a desk or junk drawer.

10. Write more. If you’ve ever aspired to write the Great American Novel or perhaps a chapbook of poems, there’s no time like the present. Find a quiet corner in your house and put pen to paper. Even simply keeping a daily diary will provide a chance to reflect.Tip: Before you plop down and start writing, it might be worth looking into ergonomic desk chairs to support your lumbar region.