West Elm's Genius New Mix-and-Match Entryway Idea Will Finally Tame Your Foyer
As far as entryway ideas go, this storage and décor solution from West Elm is absolutely gorgeous.
Entryway ideas typically focus on refining the décor, so the first space guests enter can make a positive first impression on behalf of the whole house. Incorporating storage solutions into an entryway (a.k.a. a foyer) is equally important, though, because it improves the functionality of the space. Entryway ideas for an efficient system should make coming home and leaving every day more seamless for the people who actually live in the home, which is no small thing. Unfortunately, finding an entryway furniture option that both looks great (for the guests) and serves as a storage and organizing tool (for the residents) isn’t as easy as one may hope.
West Elm, as it has in so many other tricky appearance vs. function situations, is now offering a solution—and this entryway idea is prettier than we could have even hoped for. The new Nolan Entryway Collection (from $179; westelm.com) consists of seven solid wood furniture pieces, all with a sleek, modern walnut veneer that can fit easily into (or help guide) any entryway décor. The hardware and accents are bronze-finished, so each piece of the set is a little understated but still boasts West Elm’s signature contemporary flare.
Nolan Entryway Bench + Wall Shelf Set by West Elm
The collection includes a closed cabinet; a cabinet with an open-shelving top and a closed-door bottom; an entryway table with shelves (for shoes, maybe?) and drawers; a wall shelf with hooks for coats, hats, and umbrellas; a storage bench; an entryway hall tree; and a set of three connected trees. Depending on your needs, one, several, or all of these pieces can offer a compact, good-looking solution to entryway clutter for a relatively affordable price. (IKEA’s organizers are still more budget-friendly, but if you're aiming for a slightly more elevated aesthetic, you'll love this contemporary-chic look.)
The pieces all fit nicely together, and West Elm both sells pre-chosen sets and offers a build-your-own option, so you can mix and match for a set-up that feels custom to your space. Individual pieces of the set are also available for purchase. All together, the set has the curated look of custom built-ins, without the sky-high prices.
Lockers are a great, functional entryway idea (they also work well in mudrooms), but many affordable lockers have a distinctly industrial look, with metallic finishes that rarely fit into an entryway’s décor. With the dark wood veneer, the Nolan set doesn’t have that issue—and the Entryway Hall Trees Set of 3 ($1,797; westelm.com) has the same utility as a locker, just with a little more style.
Nolan Entryway Hall Trees (Set of 3) by West Elm
Turning a bare entryway or foyer into a useful storage space or creating a makeshift mudroom near the back door just got a whole lot easier—and prettier. The Nolan set won’t work for people with atypically shaped rooms or unique storage issues, but anyone with the usual pile-up of clutter near the most-used door to the house can certainly use it to tame some of that disorder.
