Decorating Foyer Stairways

Choosing a Wall Color

• The color that you choose to paint your foyer depends on the look and feel that you're trying to achieve. Make the ceiling appear higher by painting it in a lighter color, or lower by painting it in a darker color. A foyer can be made to look more inviting by painting the walls in warm colors like, red, gold, orange or brown. Warm colors advance toward you and are vivid and energetic. To help your foyer appear larger, paint the walls in cool colors, like blue, green or violet. Cool colors make the walls appear to recede and give the space a calm and soothing feel. If you prefer something a little more subtle, paint the walls in a neutral color, such as white, off-white, beige or cream. These colors can also make the space appear larger.

Lighting

• General lighting, as opposed to task lighting, is needed in a foyer. Lights in the foyer should create a welcoming atmosphere. In order to create a welcoming atmosphere, choose a lighting fixture that diffuses light over a wide area. Select something that's ornamental and suspended, such as a chandelier, or a flushmount fixture affixed to the ceiling. Likewise, if you have a large foyer stairway, you can also add sconces along the wall.

Wall Art

• Decorate your foyer stairway with wall art or photographs. Choose your favorite framed family photos to display on the wall by grouping a few together. Hang artwork along the wall, and like photos, different shapes and sizes can also be grouped together. Other ways to decorate a foyer stairway is to hang a group of mirrors or a collection of antique keys or other objects.

Flooring

• You should also find ways to decorate your stairs aside from decorating your walls. One way to decorate is to install carpet that runs along the center of the stairs. Not only does the carpet serve a decorative purpose, but it can help preserve the quality of your staircase. Another way to decorate is to paint the steps in a bold color or by painting a colorful, geometric design on the steps.