Entry Halls

Everyone has heard the expression "you only get one chance to make a first impression," and for your house, the Entry Hall is just that. Not only is this the place for a first impression, it is also the place for most people where car keys are put, school bags dropped and newspapers delivered. So how do you go about creating a space that works well for all of these different needs? Here are some ideas for making your entrance something special:

• Lighting is important, have the ability to make the space bright. I like to have lots of dimmers, that way when you are entertaining the space can have a warm glow, but on a day to day basis, you can keep it bright so that you can sort your mail, etc.




• A mirror is a great idea. You will want to check yourself before answering the door, or at least a last moment of preening on your way out.




• A coat rack is a handy thing to have as well. I am not a big fan of having one out all the time ( it feels a bit untidy to me), but if you are expecting guests, its not a bad idea to bring one out. That way if guests have to leave, they do not have to rummage through your closet to find their things.




• A space set aside near the front door to unload is something you will use every day. It should have a place for keys, your cell phone charger, baskets for mail, both ingoing and outgoing, and a hook for dry cleaning. This activity area will keep you organised and will help decompress you as you enter the house.




• Most importantly, make your Entry the most honest expression of you and your values. Family pictures (not too many), a few books on your favorite subjects, maybe even some flowers from your garden. All these things signify that you are home, and there is no better place to be.

The First Post

This is the first of what I hope will be many, many posts in the time ahead.

You might wonder what is the goal here, well I think that this is a great medium to bring my philosophy of design to a large audience. I plan to post images not just of my work, but also images that I find that highlight particular design ideas, and I plan to discuss issues that people face when trying to create environments for themselves.

I hope you enjoy.

The image on the right is a project that I recently completed in Los Angeles. I will post more images in the days and weeks ahead but for now I think this image of an Entry Hall is a great picture for the entry to my Blog.

The floor is a pattern that we saw at the entry to Banana Republic in San Francisco and fell in love with. It is made of three different stones and i think creates a very dramatic entry to the home. The chandelier is one of my personal favourites, it was designed by Fuse Lighting (http://www.fuselighting.com) and is made of thousands of Capis shells strung together and is held up with leather straps. The whole effect is quite magical when there is the slightest breeze, it becomes like a giant wind chime. At night it is possibly the most elegant, shimmering chandelier you could imagine.

I am particularly fond of the tension between the light airy chandelier and the heaviness of the stone. Great design exists in that space of tension.

Most of my design work is an eclectic mix of periods and styles, I firmly believe that design should be like a portrait and should speak volumes about the people who live there.