Two-Story Foyer Decorating Ideas

Walls

• Consider your accent pieces when choosing paint colors for the foyer walls. Pull a color from the design in the throw rug or oil painting you use to decorate the entryway. Use this as the main color in your palette, and add one or two colors that complement the main color. Use the different shades to tie the spaces together yet define them as separate. To draw the eye to the lower level, use two colors to paint a striped pattern up to chair-rail level on the lower floor, then paint the remainder of the wall in a matching color. If you prefer to paint one color from floor to ceiling, use accent pieces and wall hangings to add interest and a variation of color to the walls.

Lighting

• Light your grand entryway with a dramatic lighting fixture. Hang a chandelier or pendant light from the ceiling. This large piece will serve as a focal point, so choose a design that reflects the decor of the room. A wrought iron piece complements a rustic design theme, while a crystal chandelier would be best suited for a more elegant style. Provide additional lighting with wall sconces and table lamps that match the style of the hanging light fixture.

Staircase

• The connecting point between levels, the stairway is the main attraction in many two-story foyers. Dress up this built-in focal point. Paint the spindles and banister to match the furnishings or woodwork in the rest of the foyer. Add a stairway runner or carpet treads that match the foyer’s accent rug. Alternatively, if bold color appeals to your sense of style, but you’re hesitant to put it on the walls, make a statement by painting the railings and adding a stairway runner in the daring shade.

Accessories

• In a large, open space, small accessories tend to look out of place. Consider large pieces to fill the vast amount of wall space when choosing wall hangings, such as framed paintings, portraits and mirrors. Tall potted plants and furnishings with stature, such as a high-back chair or grandfather clock, are accent pieces that fit with the scale of the room. Use decorative accessories to add bursts of color and texture. Window valances, throw pillows and floral arrangements are design elements that are easily changed when the season, or your mood, calls for something new in the foyer.