Functional Foyers That Look Good and Do Good
In recent times, I was handed a project of remodeling a huge villa located at Garhoud, Dubai for a family of five. When I learned this, my investigation began with a few obvious questions.
- What is the family’s daily routine like?
- What kind of storage do they need- do they pile everything together or does every individual have their own space? Etc.., etc..,
Given that this is a family with kids, being a mum myself, my questions pointed towards the pile of shoes, bags, and truckloads of material that come along. Take it from me there is never enough space when you have kids- be it one or many. Who discards a kindergartener’s hand-painted family tree?
We know that the foyer is a high-traffic area of the house. A lot of things happen there ranging from the waiting area to after-school kits, muddy shoes to glittery stilettos. And this was a no different house, hence, we needed to design a space that makes getting out of the door during a busy morning a breeze. The challenge was to construct a space with smart organizing solutions.
During my initial inspection, I discovered that the foyer area was roomy enough to fit the requirements. Given that this is the first area to fall under the guests’ radar, I was on a mission to make it practical, well-regulated, and indeed dazzling. After all, functional foyers that look good, do good!
Up next, colors, design, and action plan!
So here is what I did: I planned the colors and design for the customized structure using an existing sideboard from my client’s furniture. With the derived brown, the integral structure was constructed. Do you still remember the fundamental objective of this space? Yes! A drop station for the busy family of five. Along with my perception of increasing the functionality of the foyer, and adding value to the home, I also wanted to make sure that it doesn’t jump out to be crazily complicated. Well, just in case if a search mission is launched for a pink unicorn hat by the family sans mum-eyes, then you know the aftermath of it. Haha!!
Bearing in mind the rules of the game each cupboard was created to offer the children a personal cabinet, hangers, shoes, bag, and artwork storage.
Popping on a small bench with storage cubbies contributes to a perfect waiting for the family. Ah! Did I tell you it also doubles up as a place to remove or wear shoes? Without taking much of your time, let me reveal my show stopper: Something we all need but seldom plan – Storage for the out-of-season shoes, now who fancies boots during Dubai summers! Oh Yes, we do have it all in there plus it is hidden and covered. Snap, Snap, in there it goes.
To bring this ample space to life, all I needed to do is add a bit of gold/brown charm. The carefully picked accents created a vital contrast. If you have read my previous blog “5 Reasons Why You Must Hire an Interior Designer”[1] you would have noticed I stress smart spending when it comes to home renovation. Hence, we didn’t shell out much for the accents and accessories. Top it up with a few plants and cushions to soften the look. Finishing it off with a fun wood-paneled wall completed the whole look flawlessly.
