MARK CUTLER STYLE GUIDE: Making a Big Entrance

We all learned as children that you only get one chance to make a first impression, and the same can be said about your home. Whether it's first time visitors or people who call your house "home," the entry is a crucial spot that deserves some special attention.

Starting from the Outside:
I like to use a color for the front door that I haven't used elsewhere on the house. It makes a statement that this door is special, and gives it more attention. Red is one of my favorites, but black, or a very, very dark green can also be good choices. In a more Mediterranean home, stained wood or wrought iron and glass are also good choices. Having a bench or some sort of seating outside by the door is a nice gesture. I think that it makes your home feel more welcoming. Having sufficient roof cover is important. There is nothing worse than waiting at the door as you get drenched by a downpour.

I believe in having some potted plants arranged near the door, too. It creates a lovely vignette. Whether it’s a collection of terra cotta pots with annuals, or a larger painted container with a clipped boxwood, I like to convey a message that I have given some thought to making the arrival at my home a pleasant experience. On a side note, having the number of your house clearly displayed and the path to your front door well-lit and delineated goes a long way to making the entry experience a stress-free one.

Inside the Door:
I am a bit obsessive about how the entry area should be designed. There are a bunch of practical things that I think need to be addressed before we even start looking at decoration. Here they are:

•A comfortable seat

•A logical place to hang a jacket or coat

•An umbrella stand

•A place to wipe your feet

•A mirror (to check yourself before answering the door)

•A table with a method to organize keys, mail and sundries

Once you have all of these things taken care of, you can get down to the business of decoration.

Mark Cutler
Interior Designer,
MarkCutlerDesign.com