Blog

People say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” but you do judge a house by its entrance! The exteriors of the building may not be under your control if you live in apartments, but the entrance into your home is under your control. A well done up entry not only pleases the eye of the beholder but also hints at what to expect inside and also at the nature of the people living in it.

So, it’s very important to take care of the entrance to your house. Here are some simple, yet effective ideas to do it up.

Style

The first thing is to decide on the style of the entrance. Is it going to be a contemporary, a traditional look, a designer appearance or a classic style? This largely depends upon your nature and style. As said above, the entrance will reflect on the nature of the people living inside. You can also decide if you want a bold look or a subtle one. Whatever the style you choose, remember to place some pretty artificial plants and trees at the entrance.

Doors

The main door to the house is the protector of the people inside. It has to be reliable and sturdy. Thus, choose a door with the strong and durable material. You can go in for double doors: one with a mesh and one solid opaque. Then you can think of the ways to decorate it. Paint it with bold and bright colors and make the borders in contrast; or paint it in shades of creams and whites and give bright contrasting borders to it. You could even choose neutral colors like grains of natural wood. This matches with any other décor you want to do outside and inside. Try doors with brass inlay designs. Place a faux palm tree near it.

Fittings

The fittings like handles, locks, door frames, etc. depending upon the color and finish of the doorway. Fix easily to handle fixtures. Bold brass knockers or handles look smart and go with most door finishes. There are options of stainless steel or antique look locks and controls as well. Whatever your choice, make sure that these are polished and shining at all times.

Walls

Walls with seepage signs and other patches look extremely ugly and are a real put off. This is not what you would like to see when you enter your home. Keep the walls well painted or distempered. You could even go in for wallpapers which have numerous designs and colors to choose from. Designer walls with a plain bold paint on the door attract a lot of attention too.

Lights

They say that darkness is the gateway to negative energy. The entrance to your home should be very well lit. Dim or diffused lights to save on electricity bills will only attract negative energies into the houses. Always fix a bright light at the entrance. Choose a pretty lamp shade and make it look pretty. Keep the entrance light on the whole night and switch it off early morning. You could also go in for fairy lights along the doorway. It looks gorgeous and even highlights the efforts you may have put on the door. Try the idea of hanging some lanterns or traditional lamps as well.

Staircase

There are very few people living in independent homes. Most people today live in high or low rise apartments. Therefore, you would surely have the stairway coming quite close to your entrance door. Try to keep the staircase looking pretty too. Remove all cobwebs and stains from the steps. Place some beautiful artificial plants and trees on the levels. It will brighten up the place. Wood panel it if you can.

Accessories

Everyone likes to decorate the entrances to their houses with beautiful accessories available today. Hang some wind chimes for that tinkling sound. It is not only pleasant to hear but is also believed to ward off negativities from your house. Hang a horseshoe, in the inverted ‘U’ shape, above the door for good luck. Some of you may want o to hang some religious symbols as well. A pretty floral painting also brightens up the look. A clean and colorful doormat completes the look of the entrance.

Sometimes, it’s the fear of someone stealing away accessories that make you hesitate to place expensive items outside. There are always cheaper options available. You could place some colorful pots with plants in them.

Plants

The entrance to your home will look incomplete without any greenery around it. At the same time, you need to take care to avoid mosquitoes, flies, and other insects coming into your haven. The best solution is to place artificial plants and trees at the entrance. Put them in colorful pots or hang them as creepers. There are many varieties to select from, like:

• Silk Ferns

• Silk Orchids

• Ficus Trees

• Artificial Tall Grass Plants

• Faux Palm Trees

These plants look as good as real and retain their shine always. It’s effortless to maintain them since there is no need to water or weed. They don’t require any manure, yet are long-lasting and durable. This will save you the bother of cleaning up the mess after watering, weeding, and manuring of real plants. The best part is that you can select the colors, shapes, heights, and varieties of your choice without waiting for the season!

The above ideas hold good for the exterior as well as the immediate interior of the house. When the main door opens into the house, the impact of the quick interior also becomes essential and has to be taken care of. Keep a console if you have space. Place some silk floral arrangements or some silk flower centerpieces on the console. There are options for placing some pieces of fine art; candle stands with colorful candles; a pretty lampshade etc. on it too. Have a couple of comfortable seats in the foyer if space permits. Hang a bright chandelier for a grand look.

If you live in independent houses, you may have the option of placing a water fountain at the entrance. Fix wooden panels or decorative tiles on the floor. Try a carved stone gateway or entrance too.

Do up the entrance and invite people home. Then take pleasure and satisfaction from seeing the awed look on their faces.