apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I like the way restaurants in NYC handle it, curved curtain rod and very thick drapes.

I always thought that screen in Steve McQueen's home in the Orginal Thomas Crown Affair would be a stunning entryway screen.

I would hate to walk in a room and immediately be confronted by a wall, even a partially open one. Having the shelf directly blocking the door in picture 3 seems like it would be claustrophobic.

I do like the setup in picture 2 because it looks like there's some breathing room between the door and the shelf.

Not a fan of the first one. Looks like an afterthought (which it is). I understand it might be very functional, if one lives in a place with extreme cold or hot climates, but the big red box just looks awkward. I'd almost rather it be painted white...

I do like the 2nd one. Looks like it was meant to be there from the beginning!

The first one, I would definitely have done in the style of the rest of the room. Including using a smaller window, and giving it curtains on the inside.

The built-in for the second image has nice style. And the shelving in the third looks good too.

I can understand folks not wanting to come into a home right into a wall or divider, but once in the home, who wants to stare at door?

In apartments, front doors aren't usually all that attractive, no beveled glass there. There might be locks or peepholes or intercoms. And there is often a closet right next to the door.

Decor-wise, there isn't a lot to do with that area. And as people do spend more time inside than they do standing at the doorway coming in, I'd personally like that area to be attractive.

Mine isn't attractive. And mine is like a hall. I hung a bunch of sheers on a tension rod. Cheesy? Yes. But better than that ugly door. And the curtains help cut the hall noise a bit.

number one seems quite unattractive. The red paint sure draws attention to the "front door" area and it seems that the idea should be to downplay the whole thing......maybe they should have used the red paint elsewhere

blah, I'm having this problem too, but our apartment, even at 1200 sqft, doesn't have the greatest layout... the stairs are at the immediate right when you walk into our place... I can't stand it!

When you open our front door, the first thing you see is an 11-foot long, floor-to-ceiling stacked stone fireplace. I wouldn't consider breaking up that view!

: )

I like the first option. It looks like a fun accent because it is red and fun. Makes me think of London phone booths a little. Which has a sort of nostalgic feeling to me.

I Love Upstate has an interesting point. I've never considered achieving the entry way separation with fabric/curtains. Interesting...

Why do you need an entry way? These options just seem like you're blocking off the room.

I like the whimsy of the first one. Granted, it doesn't fit perfectly, but I feel it adds personality to an otherwise simple room.

Emily

Entryways --be they large or small -- are essential, IMO, in that they provide a 'transition' space. I think that to walk in the front door and BAM be in a room is, well, jarring and unwelcoming.

I think that all of these do the job well, each in its own way.

#1 looks a bit like you have the Tardis parked in your living room. I think I could live with it, though. Especially, in the winter. In fact, I'd probably paint it to look more like the Tardis.

I love the first one. It feels like the indoor version of a porch that got added on after the house was originally built. I think frosting the lowest row or 2 of glass would add a note of mystery and a teensy bit of privacy. I find the phone box red optimistic and playful, but I can't help wonder if a gloss black wouldn't really sing too.

I love the first one, and especially consider it a good option to keep the winter chill down, since I live in brutal northern Utah. Verrry clever, and I adore the red in that room.

It looks like a giant telephone booth grew up through the floor.

i like the second and third pix...they do the trick without being obvious about placement and also have dual functions of divider and storage/display...the first one just seems very awkward and out of place and too much like a london phone booth.

Besides the incongruity, you end up with an L-shaped room...a decorating challenge...and I can envision posts pleading..."Help, what to do with this odd situation..."

The 2nd one is a cop-out, I think. I think the entry space is already there, but just not set off. I've see lots of houses where there's nothing at all. You just open the door and, as the song (I think) goes, ...oops, there it is!

One of the first things I looked for while house-hunting was an entryway to place your shoes. Being Asian, we don't wear shoes in the house, and rows of shoes in the living room would be unsightly. Luckily, we've ended up in a home with a small entryway, but these are great ideas.

that first one reminds me of lock, stock and two smoking barrels with the cage that the pot growers have & keep forgetting to lock up... i don't really like any of them, but understand that they would be needed in colder climates to keep the outside out in the cold winter months.

I believe that the first photo, with the red box entryway, is from Christian Liaigre's home, somewhere in France. I think it's a fabulous, simple solution to a drafty entranceway.

I'm sorry, but I find this completely hideous.