What Is a Foyer?
The transition from outdoors to indoors can be very jarring if a visitor walks straight through a door and directly into a living room or front parlor. An architectural design element called a foyer often helps visitors orient themselves before moving into a specific room of the home. A typical foyer is a small hallway or open space just behind the main entrance which acts as a reception area for guests. Other ground floor rooms may connect with the foyer, as well as a staircase leading to an upper floor. A foyer also serves as an initial introduction to the home’s overall design scheme. An open foyer’s walls may feature framed paintings or other fine art objects. It may also be sparsely furnished with decorative tables, coat racks, an oversized room clock or framed mirrors. The foyer may be lit with several floor lamps or a dramatic overhead light fixture. The foyer of a home may also be considered a transitional space, much like a mud room or anteroom. Coats, boots and umbrellas are
