Just a few key elements can keep a busy hallway or entry better organized. Let accessories set the style - rustic or romantic.

Maintain household order with a well-organized front hall or back entry. Provide a home for shoes and jackets, papers and mail, keys and glasses, and dirt won't travel, important items won't get misplaced, and your home will make a better first impression.

Start with a bench

It provides both a focal point and a place to slip on boots; individual cubbies offer family members a catchall for scarves and gloves. A boot tray collects shoes along with drips and mud; a rug softens the surface underfoot. Pull it all together with a fresh coat of paint in Lavender Mist. Then use accessories to establish your style: For a rustic approach, dog prints from Richard Parkman imbue a small space with personality, while a woven pillow from Mark Snider and an Elizabeth Eakins rug layer on texture.




For the romantic at heart, try ruffled Shabby Chic pillows and a Manuel Canovas floral on the cushion, along with a fanciful rug from The Rug Company. A vintage-inspired memo board from Anthropologie displays invitations. Add height with a graceful iron coatrack from Garnet Hill.



Written by Jill Kirchner Simpson