In this post I’m sharing tips on how to fake an entryway when you enter right into the living room.
No entryway? No problem!
These smart design solutions will help you fake an entryway – that’s functional and beautiful!
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Is an entryway important?
A home’s entry is very important for the proper function of your home and life, as well as for aesthetics!
It’s the first impression that your family and guests have of your home and gives them a feeling of comfort and welcome.
It’s also the place to get ready for the day before you head out the door, and the place that welcomes us home.
The entryway is also a hard working space in your home!
It’s a place to store coats, shoes, umbrellas, keys, sunglasses, dog leashes and kids backpacks!
What do you do if you don’t have an entryway?
If your home, apartment or condo has no entryway and you walk right into the living room, the area by the door looks and feels awkward.
When the front door opens immediately into the living room and there is no front closet, there is a lack storage and lack flow between spaces.
An open floor plan compounds this problem since there is a lack of visual separation.
To solve these problems you can fake an entryway!
Use these design secrets to create a foyer in an open living room.
These tips will show you how to add storage as well as visually and functionally separate the entry from the rest of the home.
Need help creating a beautiful entryway?
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What should every entryway have?
When you are creating an entryway when you don’t have one, keep these essential entryway must-haves in mind.
In order of importance, here is what a functional entryway should have:
- Hooks or a wall rack to hang coats, scarves, hats and backpacks
- Closed storage or baskets to store shoes, mitts, dog leashes, keys and sunglasses
- A easy to clean area rug or runner
- An accent mirror
- Lighting – either a ceiling light or sconces
- Beautiful home decor
- Seating such as a small stool or bench
No entryway storage solutions:
Read on to discover clever ways to fake an entryway!
Select the ideas that work best for your home and needs.
Divide your entry space – arrange your furniture to create a separate entryway zone
The first step is to rearrange your living room furniture to create a separate living room zone and a proper entry.
Strategic furniture arrangement is an easy way to solve the problem of having no entry.
Furniture arrangement option 1:
Move your sofa so that it’s perpendicular to the door like this:
Furniture arrangement option 2:
If you have 2 chairs you can arrange them perpendicular to the door (instead of the sofa).
Both options will create the feeling of an entry hall when your home doesn’t have one.
Repurpose a small corner, alcove or nook
Redefine the spaces in your home!
If you have a nook area, small corner or an alcove space near the front door it can be used as an entryway.
Add a bookcase as a room divider
Add a bookcase as a partition between the front door area and the living room.
A bookcase is a multifunctional piece of furniture!
It can serve as a storage solution for keys, mail, sunglasses, and small items, while also displaying decorative accents and books.
Additionally, consider recommending a narrow bookcase to maximize space in a small entryway.
Check out these fabulous entryway storage and organization solutions:
Build a half wall
Add a half wall in between the front door area and the living room to separate the spaces.
Add hooks to the half wall to hang backpacks, coats ect.
Add a console table to create a focal point
Placing a console table on the wall by the front door will create visual interest and a focal point to establish the entryway zone.
Slide a boot tray under a console table to protect your floors from dirt, snow and water.
This demilune console table is gorgeous and is also a fabulous idea if you have small wall space. I love the scalloped trim!
Closed storage – add a chest of drawers, hall tree or tall cabinet to hide clutter
When there is no entryway closet, clutter and untidiness is a big problem!
Add storage and fake an entryway zone by adding a consult table, stool, ottoman, chest, hall tree or cabinet beside the door.
The primary goal is to create shoe storage and coat storage.
There are narrow cabinet and table options if you have very small wall space to work with.
Narrow Hall Tree for Small Spaces
This hall tree is only 14.75″ wide and provides lots of organization and storage for kids backpacks, purses, jackets, scarves, hats, gloves ect
Shop these beautiful hall tree ideas:
Add a modular panel system
A wall panel system takes up no floor space making it a fabulous solution!
This stunning wood slat panel system can be customized with hooks and shelves to create a stunning entryway!
The panels come in 24″ widths so you can use one or two together to add style and storage to the foyer.
Modular Wall Panel and Storage System
Click on the images below to shop this modular wall system:
Add baskets
Lidded baskets are also a fabulous closed storage idea and will help fake an entryway.
They can store dog toys and leashes, kids toys and more!
Tuck them under a bench or beside a console table or hall tree .
If the hall tree has cubby space you can also tuck baskets there to organize your entryway!
Baskets also add texture and style to the foyer area!
Use hooks to organize your entryway
Adding individual wall hooks or a wall hook rack will visually separate the entry from the living room plus provide hanging storage for backpacks, scarves, coats ect.
You can also add wood wall pegs on top of wainscoting for a beautiful look.
Looking for a gorgeous green paint color, like in the photo above?
See:
- Beautiful Whole House Green Color Palette
- A Beautiful Green-Gray Front Door Color
- Sherwin Williams Evergreen Fog
- Sherwin Williams Acacia Haze Paint Color
Shop these small benches:
Hang a wall shelf to create an entry
Another way to fake an entryway is to add a floating shelf and hang hooks underneath.
Add decorative accessories on the shelf to add style and interest.
Here are some beautiful wall shelf and hook ideas:
Use mirrors to fake an entryway zone
I highly recommend adding a mirror beside the front door to
- create a focal point and to balance a console table or bench.
- help define the entry area from the rest of the home.
- decorate a blank wall creating an inviting cozy look as you enter the home.
Add wall art
Adding art, either a couple of framed prints or a gallery wall, will also help define an entry.
No entryway? Add a beautiful rug to define the space
To fake an entryway when your home doesn’t have one – add a beautiful rug!
Rugs help create balance and tie the area together.
Designer tip: They are also a great way to introduce an accent color to a space.
Pick a color in the area rug as your accent color and repeat it in art and decor in the entry.
Adding a rug or runner will help create impact and visually separate the entryway zone from the rest of the home.
Pick one as large as possible for the most impact!
Add a statement light to the foyer area
To create a separate entryway visually it’s important to add a statement light to that area.
A statement flush mount or semi-flush mount ceiling light will not only brighten up the foyer area but will also create visual impact.
It will automatically fake an entryway.
If you don’t have a ceiling outlet add two plug in wall sconces to the wall area beside the front door.
Arrange the wall sconces on each side of (or above) a mirror or artwork above a console table or bench, or on each side of a hall tree cabinet or wall shelf.
You can also add a battery operated wall sconce or battery operated picture light if you don’t have a wall outlet!
Add seating to fake an entryway
If possible add a small stool, chair, ottoman or bench to the entryway area.
This will provide a place to put your shoes on and ground the entryway area.
Add a console table to the back of the sofa
If there is room available, add a console table to the back of your sofa (or 2 chairs) to help separate it from the entryway zone.
This will help define the entryway from the living room and make your home look cohesive and pulled together.
What if you have no wall space at all?
There are 2 entryway design options if you have no wall space around your front door.
Design option 1:
Put a tall cabinet in your living room to store coats and backpacks.
The closed doors on the tall cabinet will hide everything.
You can replace the top shelves with a clothing rod to hang coats.
Or you can replace the top shelves with hooks to hang kids backpacks, coats and purses!
Here are some ideas for tall cabinets:
Design option 2:
You can add a narrow shoe and purse cabinet behind the sofa (that’s perpendicular to the front door) to store items – like this cabinet or this cabinet.
Because the shoe cabinet is narrow it won’t take up much space!
You can also store mitts, scarves and hats in it too!
You can even roll up coats and tuck them in the shoe cabinet!
All of these clever design ideas will separate the living room from the entrance!
So you can welcome guests and family in style and add function to your home!
Frequently Asked Questions:
How do you maximize space in a small entryway?
Use every inch of floor space and wall space in a small entryway.
Keep items off of the floor as much as possible to maximize a small entryway
Think vertical and use as much of the wall space as possible.
Add a narrow bench for seating or a narrow console table for storage and display.
How do you fill a long entryway?
A long entryway has it’s challenges!
It can look cold, uninviting and sterile.
Add a long console table with a faux tree or a long bench.
Fill a long entry wall with a gallery wall of art to add interest and style to the blank wall space.
How to make a small entryway functional?
Adding lots of storage and organization to a small entryway will make it functional.
Wall hooks, small baskets and small seating ideas will make full use of the square footage in a small entry.
What is the difference between a foyer and entryway?
There is no difference.
Foyer, entryway and entry all refer to the same thing.
It is the space at the front door that is used to store outwear and to put on shoes and boots.
How do you hide entryway clutter?
Use baskets, bins to contain entryway clutter.
Hide the baskets and bins in a closed cabinet in the entryway.
Everything will be organized and hidden to make the entryway look beautiful and uncluttered!
How to keep entryway floor clean?
I highly recommend this amazing cordless 2 in 1 floor cleaner and vacuum to keep an entryway floor clean.
It vacuums and washes the floor at the same time, so the floor is clean in a jiffy!
I have it and absolutely love it!
It’s safe for tile, hardwood and LVP floors.
It’s also lightweight and self cleaning!
How can I make my entryway more welcoming?
Adding a beautiful rug or runner is the first step to making an entry more welcoming!
Add wall art, a mirror and decor to add ambiance and style.
Use lots of texture to add interest.
A coordinated color palette will also help creating an inviting space.
More Design and Decor Ideas:
- How to Make A Mood Board For Interior Design
- Top 50 Exterior Home Paint Colors From Sherwin Williams
- Big Impact Living Room Decorating Ideas
- Small Bedroom Ideas To Maximize Space & Style
- How To Arrange Furniture In A Small Living Room
- 7 Ways To Make A Small Living Room Feel Larger Instantly!
- How To Create An Inexpensive, Small Space Home Gym
- 7 Ways To Make A Small Room Feel Larger Instantly!
- How to Make Your Small Outdoor Space Look Bigger
- Top 50 Bestselling Paint Colors At Sherwin Williams
- How To Arrange Furniture With An Open Concept Floor Plan
- 5 Design Tricks To Brighten A Dark Room
- How to Pick Paint Colors With Confidence!
Heather is a Designer, True Color Expert® and proud military wife at 
I had never thought to fake an entryway. I love the concept of using furniture to create a faux pathway. I am also agreeing that seating and hooks are essential! My boys are always looking for a place to sit down and take off their muddy shoes! Yikes! I will be implementing these suggestions to make for a smoother transition from outside to in!
I’m so glad you love these ideas! 🙂
This is so helpful and I’m excited to try these tips. My apartment is sort of an awkward shape and the entry way is a big challenge especially because we don’t have a closet. Thanks for these ideas!
Great ideas especially using the couch which is what I did instinctively to separate our tiny entrance from the living room.
I wish you had pics of the doors on the other side of the wall though. Our door entrance is actually on the side and not in front. 🙁
What if my front door is smack dab in the middle of my living space? We don’t have a wall to the right or left of our front door. Just a door right in the middle of the main wall.
You can use these tips – make the most out of the wall space on each side of the door.
Hi could you please provide a link for the natural colored three legged stool? Love your work
Thank you for these ideas for my living room entry AND my mudroom. I can envision doing these simple yet pleasant arrangements.
You’re very welcome! I’m glad you love my design tips! 🙂