2 Story Foyer Decorating Ideas

Corbie wrote in asking for help with her beautiful two story entry foyer. She moved in to her house a year ago and is still stumped as to what to hang on the walls in her vaulted entry.

vaulted foyer design dilemma

Vaulted ceilings are awesome, but they can be intimidating when it comes to decorating. There is just so. much. wall. space. to cover. It can be overwhelming trying to figure out what to hang or how high to hang things. The height of a two story space, while breathtaking, can dwarf everything else in a space. On top of that an entry foyer is your home's first impression, so you want that space to be both beautiful and welcoming.

Here are a couple of tips and ideas for decorating a two story foyer:

Let the Staircase be the Main Player

In Corbie's situation this is a little easier to do being that her staircase railings are so beautiful! But in any vaulted entry foyer showcasing the staircase either by adding moulding, painting the banister or adding a stair runner can add enough drama to the entry that you won't need much else to really finish the space.

two story entry foyer

(Decor com Gigi)

design dilemma - vaulted foyer

(Bluewater Home Builders)

In Corbie's entry her wrought iron railings make a beautiful, bold statement so whatever she hangs on the walls shouldn't distract from their beauty. She'll want to hang something that will coordinate but not overtake or compete with the railings.

*In any space deciding what will be the "main player" and then working around that makes decorating the space much easier.

Keep Scale in Mind

If you're going to hang a group of frames keep the scale of the room in mind. You don't have to take your wall art all the way up the wall, but if you're going to hang smaller frames be sure to hang them in a way that makes one bold visual statement otherwise your gallery wall will get lost in a sea of wall space.

On a staircase wall where you can view the entire wall from the entry you don't want to start hanging the frames too high. In the absence of wainscotting your bottom frames will almost touch the baseboard.

what to hang on a staircase wall

(Forever Cottage)

what to hang on a staircase wall

(Vogue)

Your frames will follow the slant of the stairs.

staircase wall

(entry in our fifth house)

Relax – Blank Space is Good

It's true. Really. Blank space is not a bad thing. The eye needs a place to rest. You don't have to fill every bit of wall space in order to add life and personality to a space. Blank walls can be just as refreshing.

two story entry

(Carla Aston)

When in Doubt, Hang a Mirror

Mirrors never go out of style. Ever. So if you're ever stumped on what to hang on your walls, consider hanging a mirror. This design rule pretty much applies to every space in your home.

two story foyer

(source?)

In terms of Corbie's entry foyer and that large bare wall that has her stumped, bringing in a mirror is exactly what I would recommend. A large mirror, like the Grand Palais mirror from Ballard Designs which is 72″ inches high, will add drama and light to the space. The curve of the top of the mirror will complement the archway of both the windows and doorways in Corbie's home. Plus the antique bronze iron finish will coordinate beautifully with the staircase railings. To add more height and life to the space I'd replace the plant that is currently there with a fiddle leaf fig, or some other vertical growing tree. She's got the perfect amount of indirect light here for a fiddle leaf to thrive, and the large leaves will bring in a nice dose of color to her neutral entry foyer. I'd add sconces to flank the wood and iron wall art she currently has in place, and I'd bring in a modern art print framed in wood for the recessed art area at the top of the stairs. To add more drama and interest to the space I'd recommend painting the recessed art area as well as the recessed area around the front door with Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze. This will give the front door more presence in the space, and it will draw the eye up to the art nook finishing off the space really nicely.

two story entry

(art, sconces)

design dilemma - vaulted entry

While this design plan is pretty simple I think it's effective in finishing the space in a way that works with both Corbie's design aesthetic and the style of her home. One oversized beautiful mirror, a couple of sconces, some modern art, a little paint and a tree would be the cherry on top of what Corbie has already done in her space. Her entry is already breathtakingly beautiful, and these decorative pieces would add to the space without overtaking the beauty of the railings, which are truly the star of the show in her space!

*Just FYI – I have that Ballard mirror in my home (see it here), and it was a beast to hang. I love it! But I wish I had hired someone to hang it. My marriage just barely survived. 😉

What do you think? Would you hang a large mirror or create a gallery wall of frames in this space?

Do you have a design dilemma you need a fresh set of eyes and new ideas to help you solve? Email me at Carmel@ourfifthhouse.com. I'd love to help you brainstorm some ideas!

Thanks to Corbie for writing in and sharing her dilemma!