Create A Welcoming Foyer With Unexpected Paint Colors

Your foyer is the first space guests see when they step foot into your home. Consider this space a preview of the rest of your home, encouraging a welcoming,  inviting feeling. Cultivating a united and impactful design scheme throughout your home should start with the entryway, and our foyer ideas will help provide you with inspiration.

What Do You Want Your Home’s Entryway to Portray?

When you think about the entrance into your home, does it give off the vibe you intended? If not, what needs to be changed? Maybe you’re looking for something more creative but instead, you have a dull white color. Perhaps your light gray walls came out more passive than you wanted and you’re interested in something more bold and striking.

Once you consider these questions and get a clear idea of your design ideas, you’ll be able to start hunting for a fresh entryway color that will not only entice your guests but also make you more excited to walk into your home each day. There are many different options for foyer paint colors, but regardless of your style, you’ll want to ensure that whatever color you choose feels welcoming to your guests. If you’re not sure what kind of look you’re going for, below are some entryway paint color ideas and top picks along with foyer ideas to help inspire your design vision.

Define the Space: Is It a Mudroom or a Foyer?

You should determine if your space will be dedicated as a mudroom or foyer. The mudroom is designed to be the room between the outdoors and the entrance to the home. It gives family and friends the opportunity to remove wet, muddy shoes and clothes and to wipe off pets so they don’t track dirt and germs into the home. In newer homes, mudrooms are typically located at the entrance to the home from the garage, and some may also include laundry machines and storage cabinets or closets.

A foyer is still meant to separate the outdoors from the rest of the home and serve as an area where guests can orient themselves before heading into the home. It’s typically more formal than the mudroom, with nicer decor and less storage space, and located at the front door entrance.

Popular Color Palettes and Inspired Ideas for Welcoming Foyers

After you’ve determined which purpose you want your entryway to serve, choose a color palette that reflects the purpose of the space as well as the personality of your family.

Hazelnut Tones

Different shades of browns, tans, and dark beiges are a way to incorporate neutrals into your foyer while also introducing an elegant aesthetic. These go-to colors are classic and comfortable, but still bold enough to make a statement.

For example, a foyer paint color like Nearly Brown SW 9093 by Sherwin-Williams is a neutral taupe with yellow undertones that will warm up your foyer and set a welcoming tone.

Dark Greens

A great option for a beautiful green is Night Watch from Pantone. As a rich, luxurious shade of green, it’s a take on the more traditional forest green but more muted with a slight hint of blue. It is a black-infused, earthy green tone that is reminiscent of a plush forest on a foggy afternoon. Night Watch brings a nature-inspired look that can make your home feel fresh, calming, and welcoming. Whether you have windows offering views of trees, fields, and open skies or you just want to incorporate nature into your home, this beautiful green tone is an excellent choice. Easily bring this color into your home with Hunt Club SW 6468 by Sherwin-Williams.

This earthy green tone can be used as an accent or painted on all the walls in the foyer, anchored by light trim. Match it with light accents such as whites, tans, creams, or light blue colors, wood or metal furniture, and bright glass mirrors.

Pewter Shades

Pewter is a rich, alluring shade that adds intrigue to any room while also remaining a neutral color. Introducing Benjamin Moore’s Pewter 2121-30 hue into your foyer will set a sleek, comfortable, clean tone for your home.

Although it’s not a color you see every day, it’s becoming more and more popular as it blends perfectly with all types of wood and metallic furniture pieces. It works cohesively with almost any other color or shade, making it a great option if you’re not interested in purchasing any new furniture or decor pieces.

To make a pewter foyer even more captivating, try painting the trim the same color as the walls for an uninterrupted look and feel throughout the entryway.

For a darker take on this classic shade, Sherwin-Williams Peppercorn (SW 7674) would make a lasting impression in any foyer.

Dark, Bold, Expressive Colors

Traditionally, entryways have been painted a light color. Whites, light creams, light yellows, and light blues have been a go-to for many over the past few years. However, incorporating darker, bolder colors into the foyer can create a “wow” factor for guests as they enter. But CertaPro Painters® is encouraging homeowners to incorporate darker colors that are less frequently used into foyers.

Consider using dark paint colors in your foyer, such as Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy. Deep shades such as Hale Navy are regal, make a lasting impression, and look crisp and clean against white accents.

Add an Accent Wall

Add an element of interest when guests step foot into your home with a different color on one of the walls in your foyer. This is also the perfect alternative if you like a dark color, but don’t want the entire foyer to be a deep shade.

Incorporate Patterns

Whether you use it as an accent wall or around the entire foyer, a pattern can add even more eye-catching interest to your home. Patterns can be simple painted designs like chevrons or stripes or can be complex and textured with wallpaper, stenciling, and more. It also offers a great way to add multiple colors into the space depending on the complexity of the pattern.

Add an Accent Door

An alternative to painting an accent wall in your foyer is to paint the front door an interesting color. This small project can completely change the look and feel of your home, welcoming guests from the outside and breaking up the monotone colors you see when coming home every day.  As a bonus, a colored door will hide everyday stains and wear and tear that is likely to appear on a white surface.

In addition to a front door refresh, you can even try a bold accent color to lighten up your dark foyer. One example is to paint a bright yellow door for a navy blue foyer. If your foyer is more of a muted color, such as a sage green or a light gray, painting your door a deep shade could provide a pleasant contrast.

Consider Your Flooring

Having your foyer repainted is a quick and easy way to change the entire aesthetic of your entryway. But when you’re choosing your color palette, be sure to consider your flooring to avoid clashing colors and materials.

In many cases, flooring is a neutral shade so you may not have to worry. But you don’t want to pick a color that is too close to your flooring. A contrasting floor and wall color ensure that the room is broken up and has clean, straight lines.If you want a dark wall color but your flooring is dark, you can still make it work. Just make sure the hue is light enough that they do not run into each other.

Incorporate the Color Throughout the House

After you’ve selected the perfect color to wake up your foyer, don’t stop there. Incorporate the shade into the rest of your house for a cohesive look across your decor. A few options for this are painting one wall in the room, painting half the wall and breaking it up with a border or chair rail, or painting doors for an added accent.

Let’s Get Painting

Our team at CertaPro Painters® of San Francisco is trained to help walk you through the process, from color to finish. Schedule your estimate online, or by calling us at 415-661-8400 to speak with a painting professional about the painting plan that fits the goals of your space and your budget.