10 Entryway Ideas for an Open Living Room

Open living rooms started receiving popularity in the 1970s, and by the 1990s, nearly every new home build was open-concept.

And in many cases, rightfully so.

Open spaces make it easy for families to keep watch over their kids and offer better layouts for entertaining. But even though they have their perks, creating cohesive spaces in an open design can be challenging.

If you’re new to open concept living, here are ten brilliant entryway ideas you can implement today.

Create a Drop Zone with a Sideboard 

The biggest decorating challenge to open living rooms is that there are no defined spaces – which means you need to create your own.

Placing a sideboard or credenza right by the doorway helps create a defined entryway. It gives you space to put down your keys and store your purse. Plus, you can fill the inside with gloves, hats, umbrellas, or any other items you may need to grab before heading out the door.

Place Hooks by the Door

Placing hooks by the door gives you a place to hang up purses and jackets. If you have kids, you may want to put hooks at their eye level so that they can hang up their book bags and coats.

You can place your hooks over a sideboard or make two rows – one for kids and the other for adults.

Look for Cute Shoe Storage

One issue with open concept living is you can’t hide messes. Everyone can see everything in every room – which is a blessing and a curse.

So, instead of lining up shoes against the wall, try a cute option like this storage bench. This bench allows family members to sit down to take off their shoes and then gives them a place to store them.

Add a Coat Rack

An old-fashioned coat rack to hang your coats and store your umbrellas is an excellent alternative to placing hooks on the wall.

And, what’s great about this option is that you can make a big statement with it. For example, you could choose an antique look like the one pictured above or go for a toned-down wood coat rack.

Create a Foyer with a Bench

If you’re wondering how to create a foyer in an open living room, a good starting place is a bench.

A bench will help define the entryway. You can then add hooks over the top to hang purses and backpacks and place baskets on either side to collect shoes.

Use a Hall Tree

If you’ve never heard of one before, a hall tree is a compact piece of furniture that can hold coats and shoes. Most homeowners place them in the hallway or entryway.

If there aren’t many people in your house, this is a great way to create an open concept entryway. It gives you a place to put all of your belongings and helps define the space. However, if you have more than one kid, you’ll probably need to find a larger storage piece or a different solution.

Up Your Entryway Style with a Beautiful Shelf

A great way to define your entryway in an open-concept room is with your decor. As pictured above, you can combine beauty and functionality.

Start with the storage pieces you need, like a shelf with hooks and a credenza. Then layer in decor to create an entryway you’re happy to walk into after work every day.

Create a Mudroom Look with a Bench and Shelf Combo

If you love the looks of mudrooms but don’t have one in your home, you can create your own with a bench and shelf set.

These sets provide ample storage for shoes, bookbags, and coats. This smaller one pictured above could work well for a family of 2-4. If you have a larger family, you can still use this set but may need to add baskets on either side for extra storage space.

Anchor Your Sideboard with a Mirror

When trying to create a defined space, you need to look at the balance of the objects in the room. One way to anchor your sideboard and create good visual balance is to add a large mirror over top of it.

This not only adds to your decor but gives you a place to look in the mirror for a final once-over before heading out the door.

Add Lockers for an Industrial Vibe

While this idea isn’t for everyone, it is a great entryway solution for anybody who wants their belongings to be out of sight.

These lockers can hold bookbags, shoes, and coats. They would go great in industrial, farmhouse, and even rustic spaces. If you have kids, you could purchase one of these for each child.

Final Thoughts

There are many advantages to open concept living – you can enjoy your family from any room, entertaining is easier, and if you have young kids, you can keep an eye on them.

However, as good as open-concept living can be, it’s also a challenge to create separate spaces that remain cohesive with the rest of the room. If you’re struggling with entryway ideas, try one or several of these until you make the perfect system for you and your family.