Home & Design

For this McLean, Virginia, entry, designer Rebecca Penno of Penno Interiors relied on a lightened-up formulation of Benjamin Moore’s Bone White to connect the living room’s palette with the dining room’s Schumacher wallpaper. Anchoring the foyer with a Highland House center table, she notes, “provided the perfect silhouette to see from all sides of the entry space.” PHOTO: ANGELA NEWTON ROY

Warm Welcome

Experts share their insights for creating an inviting entry

“The statement you want to make in a foyer depends on the personality of both the client and the home, and how far we can extend that mood into the rest of the house. I make sure finishes coordinate with colors and patterns in adjacent rooms. The scheme does not have to be limited to one to two colors, but they all need to sing together.”  —Ann Gottlieb

Ann Gottlieb, IIDA, LEED AP ID+C
Ann Gottlieb Design PLLC
anngottliebdesign.com
571-771-9357
Photo: Angela Newton Roy Photography


“We select furnishings that create an emotion and set the tone for the adjacent interior spaces. Eye-stopping light fixtures, wall and ceiling details and distinctive furniture bring the vision to fruition. Finishing with a bold accessory or art is like adding jewelry to a black dress for a perfected look.”  —Joyce Pearl

Arlene Critzos & Joyce Pearl
Interior Concepts, Inc.
interiorconceptsinc.com
410-224-7366


“When a foyer opens to multiple rooms, the color scheme becomes a crucial connector. We use tones that complement adjacent spaces without directly copying them. It should feel like the first note in a beautiful composition, hinting at what’s to come while standing confidently
on its own.”  —Bonnie Ammon

Bonnie Ammon
Bonnie Ammon Interiors
bonnieammoninteriors.com
703-778-5755


“For me, if a foyer perfectly marries function and aesthetics, then it feels complete. This includes providing a place for someone to remove their shoes. It could be a beautiful bench along a wall or an ottoman that tucks nicely under a center-hall table. I also believe every foyer is elevated and softened by a gorgeous area rug.”  —Hannah Goldberg

Hannah Goldberg
Hannah Charlotte Interiors
hannahcharlotteinteriors.com
Photo: Jenn Verrier


“Effective and multi-layered lighting is essential. In a small, intimate foyer, sconces and recessed lights create a welcoming and elegant atmosphere. In a grand, two-story foyer, a properly scaled chandelier, recessed lights, and cove lighting create a wow factor.” —Barbara Hawthorn

Barbara Hawthorn
Barbara Hawthorn Interiors, Ltd.
barbarahawthorninteriors.com
703-241-5588
Photo: Kenneth M. Wyner Photography


Dennese Guadeloupe Rojas
Interiors by Design, LLC
interiorsbydesignmd.com
301-933-7723

Laura Hildebrandt
Interiors by LH
​interiorsbylh.com
571-334-6476
Photo: Christy Kosnic Photography

Jamie Merida
Jamie Merida Interiors
jamiemerida.com
410-819-8666

Rebecca Penno
Penno Interiors
pennointeriors.com
703-859-9749
Photo: Angela Newton Roy Photography

Laura (Fox) Wolff
Laura Fox Interior Design, LLC
laurafoxinteriordesign.com

Sarita Simpson
Interior Matter
interiormatter.com
202-900-3818

Cathy Purple Cherry
Purple Cherry Architects
purplecherry.com
410-990-1700

 

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HOME&DESIGN, published bi-monthly by Homestyles Media Inc., is the premier magazine of architecture and fine interiors for the Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia region.

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