This #TipTuesday, GDG continues to explore the focal points of different rooms in the home. So far, designers have walked us through the center of attention in the dining room and the living room. Today, we visit the area that gives guests the first impression of a space’s interior: the foyer.
Kendall Wilkinson
Profession: Owner, Kendall Wilkinson Design, San Francisco
How do you establish a focal point for a foyer? First and foremost, you need to consider the architecture and the configuration of the space, as well as how it relates to adjacent areas. There could be a fabulous view, which creates a natural focal point without much additional embellishment, with the exception of a rug and beautiful lighting; or if you walk into a foyer and you are immediately facing a wall, that wall provides a great opportunity to create an impactful focal point with furniture or art. Positioning of staircases from foyers may also dictate where the focal point is.
Is there ever a design situation when you don’t establish a focal point? You always want something to lead the eye in a space—that may be a light fixture, a piece of furniture, a piece of art or a mirror, but there should always be a point of interest the draws you into a space.
Describe your best entranceway and what made it so. Wow! That’s a tough one! We recently completed a modern project (shown above) where the architecture and light were so spectacular. The client also had a great eye and appreciation for fabulous pieces. In addition to an antique rug, we placed a vintage credenza and a commissioned piece of art, and the end result was quite dramatic. In that same project, there is a guesthouse (shown below). The entry of glass and steel is mirrored on the other side of the foyer and you see through to the outdoors and the lush greenery beyond. The crowning piece here is the stunning, diamond-shaped chandelier, which is appropriately named Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.
Andrea Schumacher
Profession: Owner, Andrea Schumacher Interiors, Denver
How do you establish the focal point in the foyer? Set the mood for the entire home by using an interesting chandelier, bold artwork or a one-of-a-kind furnishing. Pick a conspicuous detail for the entry to give the viewer a hint of what’s to come in the rest of the space.
Is there ever a design situation when you don’t establish a focal point? Not having a place for the eye to rest can be a bit disorienting if the plan doesn’t allow for a focal point.
Describe your best entranceway and what made it so. In the below photo, the entrance was so large that it was impossible to have one main focus, as it depends on where you are standing. When you walked in the door, the view across the entry room was an expansive view to the Rocky Mountains. The ceiling expanded 18 feet high, so rather than fight with the height of the room, we decided to embrace it by creating the effect of an art installation, using Cloud Hanging Lamps by Hae Young Yoon.
When looking at the room from the angle this photo was shot, you see a massive curving stairway that had Moroccan tile risers—everyone needs a little tribal/bohemian vibe in their life—and to the right, we used the drywalled niche to show off the vintage 1970s Mastercraft chairs, juxtaposed with a citrus-colored Chinese lacquered console, all anchoring one of my all-time favorite artists, Bob Knox. I love his deconstruction of a 1960s House Beautiful magazine spread. His art tugs at my heart strings. I love how he rips apart what one conceives as beauty, in a beautiful, destructive way.
Photography by Emily Minton Redfield