Not Your Ordinary Entryway: No Built-Ins, No Problem!
510
- Modern Organic
- HDB (Maisonette)
- ≥1,500 sqft
- 4 br
- Living with Family
Hello again, everyone! I have to admit, posting about our entryway right now feels a little premature—and if you know me, you know that’s not exactly my style! But here we are, with a rug in place, plants settled, and a growing sense of home... yet still waiting (rather impatiently, heh) for the finishing touches. The large arched standing mirror and the console table destined for this space are still en route. And don’t even get me started on the décor accents I’ve been curating in my head to perfectly fulfill our home’s modern organic theme! But...incomplete as it is, the space already has a heartbeat—and that’s worth sharing! ❤️ 
In the floor plan, this area near the entrance is marked as the dining space, and indeed, most of the EMs we viewed during our house-hunting journey used it for exactly that. However, we knew from the start that we wouldn’t be using this space as our dining area—for two key reasons: 1. We didn’t like how it would feel separate and disconnected from the living room. When we imagine hosting family and friends, we didn’t want conversations or laughter split between two spaces. Thus, we’ve instead transformed the balcony into our dining area, as its proximity to the living room creates a more cohesive flow between the two spaces. 2. One of our hopes for this home upgrade was to finally have a large dining table—one that seats 8-10 people—so we could host bigger gatherings. The original dining area simply wouldn’t accommodate the size of the table we envision. With that, we’ve repurposed the designated dining space into a welcoming entryway instead—a lobby of sorts for our home. We think the openness of this space greets guests (and us!) with a sense of airiness and makes our home feel larger, compared to walking straight into a dining table. Now, let’s talk entryways! These unassuming spaces often get overlooked, BUT they’re essentially the handshake of your home because an entryway is the first thing you and your guests see when stepping inside! It’s the area that sets the tone for what’s to come, whether it’s cosy and inviting, sleek and modern, or simply a chaotic pile of shoes (hey, no judgment, haha!). A well-thought-out entryway can anchor a home’s aesthetic, create a sense of flow, and even serve a functional purpose by keeping your essentials within reach. In short, it’s more than just a place to walk through, it’s (ahem!) your home’s opening act. 😊 They’re the first thing people see when they walk in and the last impression they leave with. Beyond aesthetics, a functional entryway can also simplify daily life, providing storage, organisation, and a sense of calm as you come and go. Here's how our entryway looks at the moment from the top of the stairs! So, what have we done with ours so far? For starters, we anchored the space with a huge round rug in a warm, earthy tone that complements our home’s aesthetic. Rugs, I’ve learned, are magical at adding texture and defining a space, especially in an open floor plan, making it feel intentional rather than an afterthought. Of course, finding the perfect spot for the rug was its own saga. I was spinning in circles (quite literally) trying to figure out the best placement to make the entryway look balanced and inviting. Enter my husband, who casually suggested positioning it in a way that I hadn’t even considered - pulled all the way to the wall and tucked under the bench and small cabinet. And let me tell you—it was genius! I was floored (pun intended, heh!). Sometimes, it takes a fresh set of eyes to see what you can’t! We’ve kept the furnishings minimal: a bench for putting on shoes and a small cabinet for essentials like our toolbox, first aid kit, etc. Our shoes are stored in the storeroom under the stairs, so this allowed us to do away with the usual built-ins at the entryway for shoe cabinets. We're not huge fans of carpentry / built-ins and prefer to keep them to essential areas of the home, like the kitchen and walk-in wardrobe. For the rest of the space, we love the flexibility that loose furniture offers - it just feels more open and adaptable to us, but of course, it’s all about personal style and what works best for each home! By the wall, we did a layering of plants to bring life and freshness to the space because, let’s be honest, every corner of our home needs some greenery! There’s something about plants that immediately makes a space feel alive and fresh. Between these plants will be the perfect spot for a tall 2m x 1m arched standing mirror, which will work its magic to visually enlarge the space, making it feel more open and inviting. Plus, it’s going to be my go-to for those last-minute OOTD checks before stepping out the door! 🤭 Oh, and if you’re wondering about that axe in the display box…the husband got it when he was made lieutenant. I mean…𝘧𝘪𝘪𝘪𝘪𝘯𝘦 I’ve already got full control over every square inch of this house (yes, even the bathrooms, haha), so I thought I’d 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆 let him have a wee little corner to display his work achievements. Right? But even then…it’s curated, okay? 😂 Only these two made the cut because they’re wood and actually go with the house. Medals and all that other stuff? Display at work, please. Gotta keep the aesthetics intact, ammiriiite? Haha! By the stairs, we plan to place a 1.2m console table (which we have already purchased from HipVan and is on its way!) to anchor the space and provide a stylish yet functional spot for decor accents. Next to it on the floor, we’ll be adding some large/tall floor vases to create height and add a sculptural element to the area. At the moment, the vases you see are treasures we lugged home from Bali during our recent trip (yes, totally worth it, haha!). But once the console table arrives and we get a better sense of the overall vibe of the space, we may switch up the vases to better complement the console and tie the entire entryway together. Here’s how the space leading up to the living room looks when you’re standing at the entrance of our home ⬇️ As you can see, yep, we’re big fans of greenery, so our space is filled with lush plants in every corner that feels right or just calls for a pop of green. 💚 And that's it! How our entryway became a little unconventional—by skipping built-ins and opting for loose furniture, creating a more open and laid-back feel. Stay tuned, though, because this entryway is far from finished! 🤭 Once that dreamy arched mirror arrives and the console table is in place, you can bet I’ll be sharing the full reveal! For now, I hope this little preview of our progress inspires you to give your entryway the love it deserves. After all, it’s not just where you enter—it’s where your home begins! ❤️ xx Ann
- 28 January
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