It's very rare that I don't find inspiration on one of the AT post to solve one of my problems. Here, I didn't.

Basically, my entryway has to hide about 20 pairs of shoes (plus my husband's), 1,5 meter of coats (plus extra space for the visitors'), a closet for scarfs and umbrellas.

All this in a 3 square meter space. Let's s pretty racks with two coats on them, tiny storage boxes for baby shoes (I have some beautiful, long boots !) and mini storage spaces are a bit utopic.

I'm happy people took care of design practicability in a laundry room. I'm still waiting to see an entryway I could actually use.

There are some nice examples here, but what would be a good solution to a front door that opens directly into a living room? The front door is right between the living room and the dining room, so there is wall space on either side. All I need is a place to put a purse, shoes, and stuff to take out to the car. In the winter, maybe a light coat or two.

Thanks for any advice.

I don't like entryway clutter. I love the large closet at my front door that holds everything and more. If I didn't have that, I would have to buy a large furniture unit to hide my front door needs in.

Myshkin, without knowing exactly how your rooms are configured, my first instinct is to look at ideas in Ikea (yes, Ikea again but it's what I can afford) How about something like their Stark Hall Unit. Coat hides behind the panel and your purse sits in the shelf.

I have been searching for a while now on ways to make my entryway more functional. I live in a prewar apartment in NY and when you open the door there is a small hallway entryway with no room for a table or shelf b/c its narrow. You come in more and there is the dining area.
Where can I hang my keys? Where can I put something to hold incomingmail? any ideas would be appreciated.

Please tell me where I can find that owl umbrella stand! Also, can someone remind me of the name/designer of the white organizer (in the pic with the orange phone (also love!))

Thanks!

Myshkin, my front door also opens into a living room, its not quite the same set up as yours, but this is the solution I came up with, hope it helps! (the box in the corner was there when we got the place, it's hiding some plumbing, but it makes a good table for odds and ends!)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/orangedoor/3582698585/

@mron- I would consider attaching something to the wall with a small ledge (like 4 inches wide) with a lip and maybe like 2 inches of depth almost like a mini window flower box? And then maybe a few hooks below that to hang purses and coats from and a mirror above it? (I am a big advocate of a mirror near the door so that you can get one last look to make sure you are ready too go...nothing like accidentally forgetting to fininsh making up your left eye to hammer that home)

DrRuby, thank you! I agree about the mirror detail by the entryway as well. :)

This is a very informative article and a lots to learn from it. You can also have accordion doors installed to keep your entryway private. visit http://www.accordiondoors.com to know more.

I stuck a bookcase in mine. Really. It's just the perfect width to go behind the door when it's open.

It seems to me there is a bug in this article with the new template: I get two sets of thumbnails and two "larger pics" both in FF and IE.

I use an over-the-door shoe rack in my front closet door for extra shoe space--perhaps those without front closets could use some over-the-door storage on the front door itself?

@Kit_Kat-found the owl umbrella stand here: http://www.burkedecor.com/Owl-Umbrella-Stand-p/two3987.htm

FYI all your pics are showing up twice. Please fix your code.

I found a good solution to a tiny entry way that worked for me and may work for you, too: I have a distinct entry way with a tiny closet (roughly 2'x3') that has a small window in it. (1) Removed closet door to increase light. (2) Small rug on floor of closet for texture. (3) Four double hooks for coats (these are mounted into boards which are nailed into the studs. (4) Two options:

A: Small dresser (I use a lingerie chest), with drawers large enough to hold 8.5"x11" papers. Top drawer holds tax-relevant documents, second holds sunglasses, third compact umbrellas, fourth etc. holds hats and gloves. Underneath I placed a storage basket with a ribbon handle and folded scarves. You could instead put a scarf or two in a drawer and use the basket to collect shoes.
B: Stackable small units (I purchased mine at Target; they are now in our guest room, because I wanted a narrower piece that would give more room for bulky overcoats): I had a 2-drawer chest on bottom, and a shoe organizer with 5 slots wide and 3 slots tall on top. I used the top row as a mail organizer (his, mine, bills, receipts, etc), and shoved gloves, hats, umbrellas and sunglasses in the other sections, with scarves in the drawers. You could easily do all shoe organizers and just stuff with shoes, hats, gloves, scarves, or if no window, do drawers in the middle with shoes above and below (store shoes in the lower unit, hats and gloves and mail in the top).

On top of either furnishing I keep a sturdy bowl for my car keys.

Every time I see one of these posts, I get newly frustrated with the design of my house. The 'entryway' is a narrow hallway. You put hooks for coats, a shelf for keys, and/or a place for shoes, and the first impression of the home is cluttered. Our entry-hallway is not a place for taking off coats or shoes. Its one message is: move! So coats come off once we get to the kitchen at the end of the hallway. I would like to make a 'landing space' there to keep stuff off the kitchen table, but it's still not a good place for coats.

One recommendation that made me feel hopeful about my house rather than despairing was the advice (in another post) to place something you love in position to be the first thing you see when you walk in the door. That something, for me, would not be coats or keys.

I'm wondering if there's a creative way to use and old CD/DVD shelf in an entry way--since they are narrower than a bookcase, I would think they'd fit nicely in the space behind an open front door. But what to put on it? Kids' shoes? Mail? Keys? I bet some other readers have good ideas for me! (And thanks, in advance!)

#8 is amazing.

Splitty, I don't know that there's a good way to utilize a CD/DVD shelf for something small without it looking like clutter. I would put a set of very small plants in it or use it for figurines, but it would have to be decorative. I suppose you could put keys in it, but I think it would look cluttered.

@Splitty - can you hang it lengthwise on your wall? Then you could attach hooks on the underside for hanging coats and scarves, use the middle for a small cubby, and then use the topside to drop things like keys on.

I struggle so much with furniture at the entry. I have a TINY entry with a closet door that I cannot block and any furniture would be IN my narrow hallway which means tripping around it and having children run into it. I'd LOVE to have a formal entry piece (like a dresser) but it is just not meant to be.

For those of you who have only narrow halls when you open the front door, what about wall niches? They get installed between studs in the wall (in the US). Like this.

Thanks, Pi and DodieGoldney--good point and good idea (even though that seems contradictory, I guess)--I suspect I'm not the only person with obsolete CD and DVD furniture lying around, and the behind-the-door space seemed like a good way to take advantage of its narrowness.