Entry Way Dilemma

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

We have recently remodeled, making an open concept living, dining room and kitchen.

The problem is after removing the wall around the staircase to the basement, there is now no separation from the front and back doors.

I need help with how to make the entry way feel separate from the living room. It is limited space and also want to make it feel less awkward that the 2 doors are very close.

We will not be doing anymore remodeling, so we have to achieve this with added pieces only. Any suggestions on furniture and rug placement is appreciated. Thank you!

Looking at doors from living area

Looking at doors from kitchen

Featured Answer

miss lindsey (She/Her)

8 years ago

The photos don't do a great job of showing these areas in relationship to each other. Can you post more, taken from further back and showing a larger area of your home? An updated floor plan would certainly help too!

This is the challenge with removing walls to create an open concept. By it's very nature, and in an open floorplan everything is visible from everywhere.

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Comments (9)

gracie01 zone5 SW of Chicago
8 years ago
In the first photo, the half wall by the stairs, I would put a narrow bench or console table.
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Allison0704
8 years ago
Which is which? Several photos showing the space better/in whole will better help people give ideas.
PRO
Sabrina Alfin Interiors
8 years ago
A challenge! I'd recommend adding a see-through room-divider to the top of the half-wall, perhaps in a lattice or Moroccan style motif to create some separation without losing light. And I agree with adding a bench below the half-wall, too. I don't think there's much to be done about the proximity between the front and back doors unless you're willing to move the back door to a different location. My concern is one of safety: that back door is directly opposite the stairs which seems like an accident waiting to happen.

Some room divider inspo:

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Martha Road Ranch House · More Info

Custom Home · More Info
Allison0704
8 years ago
I almost recommended an open divider too, but not knowing about the style of the house, I did not.

This was the house my parents lived in when I was born. The house was condemned and Dad gutted/remodeled in 1958. The hallway was almost as deep as the house (this is almost half of the room length), and the LR was off to one side. Yes, that was ivy...
arcy_gw
8 years ago
The pictures make me wonder if one door doesn't open all the way due to the staircase. Which is front/back. do you need both doors? I think I would be tempted to close one off.
c_tokar
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks for the ideas!

Yes, both doors have to be kept, as mentioned no more remodeling will occur.

The front door only accesses front yard and the back door (in front of stairs to basement) only access the back yard so that just opens a whole other can of worms to move either door...this i not our forever home, though so we will make it work for the time being.
Denita
8 years ago
Do the current pics show how it looks right now?

Is the half wall in pic one there or has it been removed?

It really would help if you showed a larger area in your pics for context so we can see what you see.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
8 years ago
!st everyone needs to take their coats to their rooms or at least limit to one each hung on some nice hooks and a bench to stow shoes in would be a big help I am not sure why you removed that wall honestly it would have been the perfect spot for a closet.