One of the opportunities a two-story custom built home offers you is the chance to create a dynamic relationship between the stairway and the front entryway. You can combine the two to make memorable first impressions, as well as a functional space for daily living.
Whether you deliberately want the staircase in the front of the house, or it simply works best in that location, combining the two can make a strong design statement. Putting the two together expands the space vertically and horizontally. Although it’s shown most often as a formal space, the entryway can be as casual and relaxed as you want your home to be.
Regardless of the look and feel of the home you want, it’s important to identify how you need to use the front entry space before deciding on the details.
What You Need
The first step in designing the foyer in a custom built home is to identify what you need nearby. These issues might impact how you lay the space out:
- Which door will your children use to go to school? If they exit and enter through the front door, you may want to adapt some of the space nearby for storing coats and boots. Instead of having a powder room, you might want to expand it to a full bath that the kids can also use as a mudroom.
- Will you need a coat closet nearby? If you need to use the front door often, you may want to put the coat closet in the entryway instead of down a hallway further away.
Staircase Designs
Besides the look you prefer, it’s a good idea to look at the staircase with an eye toward selling your home down the road. Even if this isn’t in your immediately plans, paying attention to resale value matters. If the staircase is the only way to access the upstairs or basement, try to make it safe visually and physically for a broader population. Open spiral staircases aren’t the easiest for visually or physically challenged people to manage. An enclosed staircase with a sturdy handrail and a landing halfway up will enable young children and the elderly to use the staircase securely.
Choices to Make
Since it’s a custom built home, you’ll be able to choose each and every material associated with the interior. This includes the flooring, lighting fixtures, doorways and door trim, along with everything associated with the staircase like the:
- Newel and newel caps
- Treads
- Balusters
- Handrail
- Stringers
Bottom Line
As you design your custom built home, pay attention to the entryway and staircase. It might give you an opportunity to express your tastes more clearly while creating a more functional home.
From home design and through every stage of construction, Alair Homes is here to help you make the right decisions for your custom built home. Our commitment to transparency and communication help to make the process easier while you stay involved. To learn more about the advantages we offer, contact us and schedule a complimentary, no obligation consultation.