Small and affordable entryway makeover: “I finally got the entryway I dreamed of 19 years ago during the toddler years”

Our entry vestibule is very small and narrow. I’m visually oriented and love interior design, but when the children were small, practicality had to come first.

I knew it would be impossible to get the entryway to a state that would make me happy. For example, we had so many shoes that they wouldn’t fit on the narrow, custom-made shoe rack. Sometimes I got annoyed while vacuuming, but I reminded myself that everything has its time. It’s like this now, but later, things can be different.

Mari wanted the entryway to be as functional as possible. The coat racks and the switchboard are hidden in a custom-made closet with mirrored doors. There’s a practical dirt-trapping mat by the door. “I don’t like the idea of dirt getting tracked far into the apartment,” Mari says.

Besides its small size, another challenge in the entryway was an unattractive, doorless switchboard, which I previously covered with a cardboard screen I made. When the children were teenagers, we replaced the open coat rack with a sliding-door closet. It had to be custom-made, and fitting the doors in such a tight space came down to just a few millimeters. Finally, we managed to hide the switchboard inside the closet, along with some clothes and shoes.

The entryway only underwent a major change once the children moved out. When the amount of stuff was cut in half, I realized it was the perfect time to redecorate.

We parents are active, so the entryway has always been full of gear, from Gore-Tex to studded winter boots. And we need enough space for my spouse, who plays hockey, to move around easily with a large equipment bag.

It took me a while to figure out how to make the cramped entryway feel welcoming and serene. First, I smoothed out the dark gray walls and then painted them with a lighter chalk paint to open up the space. I chose non-toxic Frenchic Paint, which can withstand wiping, as entryway walls inevitably get dirty.

We replaced the low-mounted coat rack we had for the kids with hooks, where I now hang umbrellas and whichever bag I’m using. It amuses me that even now, the kids still hang their coats on those hooks out of old habit whenever they visit.

We still have plenty of shoes, but after I covered the old shoe boxes with d-c-fix decorative film, I was able to conceal them neatly. Now I only keep out the shoes I’m currently wearing, storing the rest in boxes inside the sliding-door closet.

After I was able to clear out some of the shoe racks, there was space for a narrow table. I found one at Jysk after a long search. I already had a small shelf on the wall for decorative items. Now I love being able to create different seasonal displays on the table. It’s wonderful to come home and see something beautiful right away.

Mari decorates the entryway with seasonal displays. The cards in the frames are from Desenio, the rattan snowman from Riviera Maison, and the baskets from Rusta.

I wanted the entryway to stay practical as well. I keep my beanies, gloves, and bike helmet in the large baskets on the table, so I can grab them quickly in the morning without rummaging through a closet.

In the end, the renovation was small and budget-friendly, but the difference is huge. Now I’ve finally created the entryway I dreamed of 19 years ago during the toddler years. Still, sometimes when I come home, I pause and wonder wistfully where all the kids’ friends’ shoes have gone.