General Info

First impressions are lasting ones, and the entryway to your home is the first thing a visitor experiences when approaching your door. We wants our visitors to feel welcome, and to feel positive about their visit. These tips will enable you to assess your entryway, and determine if people are getting the message you want to convey.

Draw a design of your current entryway. Be sure to include the path from the driveway, steps, and any existing plants. If it helps, take a few pictures for reference. How is the layout? Is there a clear, direct route from the driveway to the door, or do people get annoyed and cut through the flower beds or grass? Does the existing layout make sense?

If you are unhappy with the current layout, draw a new picture that shows your house and driveway, but eliminate the existing pathways and gardens. Make a line that represents the smartest path to your entryway. It may take a bit of work, but it is possible to put in a completely new path and garden areas. A smart pathway is usually 4 to 6 feet wide, as that allows two people to walk side by side up to your entryway.

Take a look at the landing area by the door. It should be large enough to accommodate a couple of people comfortably. Make sure that it has a roof to give shade and protection from the rain and snow. This is the main entryway to your home, and the area where people will stop and look around while waiting for you to open the door. A good design tip is to coordinate the color of your front door with the colors you choose to put into your garden areas. Pick plants that will complement that color, and not clash with it.

After all of the design issues involving pathways and garden shapes have been determined, it is time to choose plants. I always recommend picking the largest plants first. Choose small trees or shrubs as a focal point, and put them in first. Use evergreens as an anchor. They maintain their color through the year and provide stability to the appearance of your entryway landscape. Do pay attention to the mature size of the shrubs and trees that you choose. Anything that gets too big will become a problem down the road, so it usually best to go with slow-growing, smaller varieties.

From here, you can add smaller, softer looking shrubs for variety and interest. You may also consider ground covers or flowering perennials for even more color and softness. It is always acceptable to add in a few pretty annuals for sparks of spring and summer color, but of course, this is something that would be added on a yearly basis.

Finally, lighting is critical to a welcoming entryway. Be sure to have adequate lighting on the landing, but illuminate the pathway leading to your entryway as well. You and your visitors will appreciate the lighting, especially when you come home on dark winter nights. Good lighting not only assists people in their approach to the entryway, but it catches attention and illuminates your home, adding to it's curb appeal.

Your entryway is the focal point of your home. It welcomes friends, and invites them in. Take the time to consider its appearance and affect on the overall look and feel of your home. And be sure to consider its appearance during various times of the day and seasons.