No matter a home’s size or stature, a well-designed entryway can say more than just a quick hello. The most creative ones tell a story about the people who live there, while combining good form with the functions of daily life: a place to drop keys and dog leashes, or slip on a pair of shoes. After all, a foyer is more than just a pass-through; it’s an entry into a home, into a life.
We asked five Dallas designers to share their favorite entryway designs with us, and what they bring to the (entry) table is bold, layered and sophisticated.
Studio Thomas James: Bridging the old and new
As part of a home addition, this entryway fuses the old with the new, literally from floor to ceiling. Up top, Studio Thomas James principal and founder Philip Thomas Vanderford painstakingly replicated the 100-year-old home’s rough-hewn wood beams. “You wouldn’t know what’s new and what’s old. It’s indistinguishable,” he says.
Walls wrapped in a patterned Donghia grasscloth add both tactile and visual texture. Because the space sits between the home’s original footprint and new addition, light streams from each end, and it felt a bit shadowy. Tiered sconces and a strategically placed mirror reflecting art the homeowner picked up in Paris lighten things up. A dramatic, high-backed McGuire chair sits next to a table from the client’s previous home, refreshed and styled with locally sourced custom lamps from Hall Snyder. An Abrash rug sits atop timeless limestone floors.
“That was just a great moment. I feel like that really sets the tone when you walk in. It feels very elevated and kind of gives the space a permanency,” says Vanderford, adding that he hopes he’s given the home another 100 years of life.
Layered Dimensions Interior Design: Black, white and warm
When Christina Garcia Lysaught’s longtime clients downsized to a high-rise near The Star in Frisco, they challenged the Layered Dimensions founder and principal to warm up their “oasis in the sky” while sticking to their preferred palette of black, white, gray and taupe.
“We had to make it feel cozy and comfortable without it feeling too sterile and stark, because black and white can often feel that way if you don’t think about tones and textures,” Lysaught says. The entryway pulled double duty as a visual statement and practical drop zone. Against a dark, textured wall covering, a fluted secretary hides a pullout workspace and mail station, flanked by light chairs for longer laptop sessions. Sculptural mirrors float above, softening the cabinet’s strong vertical lines. On the opposite wall, a custom console anchors the space, its floating drawer suspended in acrylic and finished in high-gloss piano lacquer over rift-cut white oak. An ottoman tucks neatly below, while a custom mirror and Picasso-inspired art framed in acrylic create a layered focal point, along with a floor lamp reimagined as a table lamp after a custom shade replacement.
Urbanology Designs: Modern heritage
“Designing this entryway was about honoring legacy while creating something deeply personal and functional,” says Ginger Curtis, founder and CEO of Urbanology Designs. The home is essentially a family heirloom filled with treasures, including those that pay homage to the owners’ Asian heritage.
With 20-foot ceilings soaring over the entry and adjoining living areas, Curtis decided to embrace the grandeur and create what she describes as a warm, soulful welcome. On one side, “the 11-foot antique table — originally used for canning in the 19th century — was a gem we discovered during a Round Top trip,” she notes. Opposite the long table, “we designed a custom bench with ample shoe storage as a thoughtful nod to cultural traditions around hospitality.” A gallery wall above the bench also celebrates the clients’ Chinese heritage, featuring authentic art they’ve collected over the years.
In the center of the entry, a round table with a lava stone top and concrete base “blends seamlessly” yet “also makes a bold statement through its use of raw, natural materials and rich textures,” Curtis notes. The leather stool is a sculptural detail that serves a practical purpose.
Tara Lenney Design: Striking the right note in limited space
“A lot of us can relate to this: In North Texas, depending on when your home was built, you don’t have an entryway. You’re just sort of thrown into the middle of the house when you walk in,” designer Tara Lenney says with a little laugh.
She’s not wrong. Because there wasn’t much of an arrival moment other than the stairs in this particular home, she toyed with a couple of different options. The typical entry table or chest felt a little “strange and squatty” next to the staircase, and there wasn’t room for a grand round table. What the homeowners did have going for them was an heirloom piano.
“It’s immediately kind of something interesting, a focal point,” Lenney says. “We accessorized it; we have cute plants happening up there. It’s just a unique little moment.”
Lisa Henderson Interiors: Statement color in a sizable entry
“This entryway comes right off of the elevator, so it’s the first thing you see when stepping into the apartment,” Dallas-based designer Lisa Henderson says of this high-rise space she created in Manhattan. “It’s pretty generous, so we wanted to use a bold, statement color. The coral-colored paint flows seamlessly into the adjoining dining room and is the same color we used in the draperies.”
While the buffet would traditionally be used in the dining room, Henderson thought it was ideal for the entry instead. Sitting opposite, a console only 12 inches deep also proved to be a perfect fit, with its curved edges allowing for easy movement in the space. The client already owned fabulous pieces that were brought over from a previous apartment, so Henderson had a sophisticated mix at her disposal. Antique oil paintings, prints, a large mirror, a collection of blue and white ginger jars and even the light fixture brought variety and interest to Henderson’s vision of a “dressy, grown-up” home.
