Welcome Entrance Halls that Sell Your Home

Everybody knows first impressions count a lot! Your front hall or entranceway is the first thing house-hunters see.
A well-planned entrance hall is as welcome as a warm and sincere smile. You notice it immediately and the instant message stays with you long after you have moved on. The size of a front hall will vary considerably depending on the layout of your home, but no matter how diminutive or grand, make it memorable.
Tidy and organized
The hall is a very busy area with many roles to fulfill -- a place to put outerwear, stash keys, pick up mail, and check your appearance. Plan for these jobs and you'll be able to control the traffic flow. If it requires too much time and effort to find a spare coat hook, or there's no room for boots, chaos is imminent. And that's a turn-off for any prospective home buyer. Take stock of what you need to remedy the situation and build it in.

• Canada has four seasons, and they all call for some kind of outerwear. If there is no front hall cupboard, purchase an armoire. You don't have to spend much and you can paint it to blend in with your décor. Coat hooks and coat racks get overloaded and messy quickly -- not a good permanent arrangement. However, they are a handy solution when you have extra company.     
• Think about setting up a boot and shoe rack on a rubber mat. Make it multi-layered: wet boots raised slightly along the bottom rack, inside shoes or slippers, on a shelf above. Remember: if it's effortless it will happen.
• A console table (a half table that fits against the wall) takes little space and is the perfect place for keys and mail. Place one or two attractive trays or baskets on top to contain the clutter.     
• If you have no room for a table, design a wall organizer with a few slots for mail, hooks for keys and a spot to clip up messages.

Decorate with care
The entranceway is the first space you see, a harbinger of what is to come. Let your home's style and character shine from the moment you enter.

Choose a colour that is picked up in other rooms which can be seen from the hall. This will draw the eye into your home.    

If your entrance hall sits open to the living area, you may want to apply the same wall colour throughout. But you can make the hallway feel more welcoming with a few special touches. Choose a slightly different shade or a different sheen of paint for the hall walls. Higher gloss paint is easier to maintain, which is worth considering in a busy passageway.    

Make a feature of the hall ceiling. Paint a blue sky and some fluffy white clouds, and hang a chandelier that draws the eye up.  

A mirror by the door is a small but essential feature. You'll find frames for every style from formal to funky.   

There may be little room for furniture, but a small seat or table should be of good quality. It's a great opportunity to fit in a personality piece you've unearthed at a yard sale.  
Floor flair
The hall is generally not too big so you may want to splurge a little on the floor material. Marble and slate are elegant and timeless, hardwood is formal, and pine is country casual. Linoleum and good quality vinyl are both practical and durable. With today's wide choices in colours and patterns, you can find the perfect fit for your style.
A small welcome mat or floorcloth by the door should be decorative as well as practical. You can make a modern version of the traditional canvas floorcloth with sheet vinyl. The vinyl will lie flat and is softer underfoot than canvas. Paint a design on the reverse side of a piece of paper-backed vinyl cut to your dimensions. Finish with four to six coats of varnish to seal and protect the surface.