Color Tip: Paint the Entryway

If you want to paint one or two bright walls, but you're not sure where to go bold, we vote for the entryway. Click below to find out why...

The entryway is the first thing people see when they enter your home. Color can make it an upbeat, welcoming space.
Entryways are usually very small spaces without much furniture, so they can handle bold color better than a large, fully furnished room.
If you're unhappy with your color choice, repainting an entryway is a lot easier than redoing a large living room.
The entryway is usually visible from other parts of your home. A glimpse of bold color will add interest to other rooms as well.
Color helps to demarcate an entryway as its own room, rather than just an intermediate space.

How bold you go depends on how your entryway relates to the rest of your home. If your entryway opens up directly into your living room, you'll have to consider more carefully how the color you choose relates to your overall scheme. If you've got a tiny hallway, you've got more freedom to go wild.

Photo: Amy's Vintage-Modern Nest

Comments (4)

Great if you've actually got an entryway! Many apartments (and houses even) have the front door opening directly into the living room or kitchen.

posted by nashdp on October 15th 2008 at 12:11pm
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our front door opens into a small landing and stairs that lead up to the apartment. i have been wanting to paint for some time now, perhaps this post will give me the courage to go bold!

posted by dosergirl on October 15th 2008 at 1:21pm
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That is the one area of our home we haven't painted. We have a second floor condo, so our entryway is completely closed off from the rest of the house. The entry to the outside and garage open to a SMALL tiled floorspace, then up two half-flights of carpeted stairs (don't know it there is a technical term for it). At the top of the stairs is a second exterior type door (even though its inside) to the actual living space. No windows. Really high ceiling. That will be a pain to paint...if we paint it. :/

posted by RedMaiko on October 16th 2008 at 3:30am
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I'm with you nashdp - I don't have an entryway at all. Open the door and ta-da, you're in the living/dinging room!

That piggy bank makes me smile.

posted by mistabelle on October 16th 2008 at 4:33am
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