A charming welcome to the entrance of this rustic, mountain home.
Front door - rustic front door idea in Salt Lake City with a dark wood front door

Recessed entry is lined with 1 x 4 bead board to suggest interior paneling. Detail of new portico is minimal and typical for a 1940 "Cape." Colors are Benjamin Moore: "Smokey Taupe" for siding, "White Dove" for trim. "Pale Daffodil" for doors and sash.

Steve Hall, Dave Burk@Hedrich Blessing, Doug Snower Photography
Large minimalist dark wood floor foyer photo in Chicago with white walls

Gracious foyer area with stairs leading to lower level.
Large transitional dark wood floor hallway photo in Portland with white walls

Huge elegant red two-story brick exterior home photo

This new modern house is located in a meadow in Lenox MA. The house is designed as a series of linked pavilions to connect the house to the nature and to provide the maximum daylight in each room. The center focus of the home is the largest pavilion containing the living/dining/kitchen, with the guest pavilion to the south and the master bedroom and screen porch pavilions to the west. While the roof line appears flat from the exterior, the roofs of each pavilion have a pronounced slope inward and to the north, a sort of funnel shape. This design allows rain water to channel via a scupper to cisterns located on the north side of the house. Steel beams, Douglas fir rafters and purlins are exposed in the living/dining/kitchen pavilion. Photo by: Nat Rea Photography

The Black Gum tree, Nyssa sylvatica, becomes a show-stopper in the fall season with its outstanding red color.
Inspiration for a rustic backyard formal garden in DC Metro for fall.

Brick Walkway done using Cambridge Pavers in Tumbled Ruby Onyx with an Onyx Natural Border.

Eric Roth Photography
Elegant medium tone wood floor vestibule photo in Boston with green walls and a medium wood front door

Example of a large southwest red two-story adobe flat roof design in Santa Barbara

Landing step done using Cambridge Pavers in Tumbled Ruby Onyx with an Onyx Natural Border.

A warm and inviting mudroom and entry area with herringbone brick flooring, blue cubbies and white shiplap wood wall covering.
Inspiration for a small timeless brick floor and red floor mudroom remodel with white walls and a white front door

Every culture has multiple ways of saying hello. Greetings are an essential, and important, human interaction. Smiles, handshakes, high fives, and hugs all convey welcome; but, as I tell our three boys, your choice of greeting, sends a greater message than just, “hi”. A firm handshake and eye contact says a lot about you and how you regard the other person. Homes greet us, too. A home’s entrance sends a message, whether formal like a handshake or warm like a hug, it greets guests and owners with the same message. A mudroom entrance might invite a guest into the heart of the home like an old friend, or a formal entry may give a guest pause to look around and gauge the home’s owner by the impression left on the guest. One of our Red House “clients for life” is a couple that bought a builder grade development home in RI. After taking care of some high priority functional & aesthetic remodeling (a new master bathroom and walk-in closet), the owners contacted Red House again to finally upgrade the front door & entry to the home. The original, a low-end entry door from a big box store, had finally reached the end of its’ usable life. It was leaking air and starting to rust. It didn’t live up to the aesthetic improvements the owners had made in other areas of the home, and, it no longer served its purpose to shelter and protect or to welcome and greet. After gauging the space, we realized that with a few minor adjustments to the entry area, we could add some paneling above the door and center a window feature in the foyer. These details created a elegant, yet warm, formality. A three-quarter glass door with a unique window patter provides warm light and an openness that creates the friendly invitation of a true home. The newly remodeled space speaks to the quality standards of the owners of the home, and, in turn, it will continue to inform the identity of the family while they live there. But more than that, the new entry foreshadows the quality and aesthetics of the other rooms in the house, just like a firm handshake and eye contact is a preview of what to expect. - Justin Zeller owns a design-build remodeling firm, Red House Custom Building, serving RI and MA. Besides being a Certified Remodeler, Justin has led the team at Red House to win multiple peer-reviewed awards for design and service achievements. Justin also sits on the Board of Directors and serves as Vice President of EM NARI. Photos by Aaron Usher Instagram: @redhousedesignbuild

Inspiration for a traditional partial sun front yard brick flower bed in Denver.

Stunning modern craftsman style door with transom and a pair of sidelites. Photo Courtesy Of: James Zabilka
Mid-sized arts and crafts front door photo in Chicago with a red front door

Photo: Sarah Greenman © 2014 Houzz
Inspiration for a contemporary exterior home remodel in Dallas

Example of a farmhouse stone exterior home design in Austin

Martha’s Vineyard; Vineyard Haven, MA This entryway space provides a welcoming transition from the outdoors, blending a classic coastal feel with practical design elements suitable for a home on Martha's Vineyard. The space is defined by a striking dark wall with horizontal shiplap paneling painted in Black Tar by Benjamin Moore, creating a bold, modern accent that contrasts beautifully with the crisp white trim and doors. This dark wall features a set of simple metal hooks, offering a convenient place to hang coats or bags. Below the hooks, a small, vintage chest with a distressed, peeling green and red paint finish adds a pop of vibrant color and a rustic, antique touch to the otherwise clean space. The floor is a durable gray tile, which is a practical choice for a high-traffic area like a mudroom. A small, woven doormat is placed near the entrance. The room is brightly lit by recessed ceiling lights, highlighting the clean lines and contrasting textures. A key feature is the set of double French doors with glass panes, which open into a bright, screened-in porch with a wood-plank floor, seamlessly connecting the interior to an outdoor living space. This design balances functionality with coastal charm, making it a perfect entryway for a beach home.

Large transitional l-shaped light wood floor and beige floor eat-in kitchen photo in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, gray backsplash, stone slab backsplash, white appliances, an island and marble countertops