If designers and real estate experts are to agree on anything, it's the power of our entryway. Our color choices arguably matter more in this space than any other, so which hue can we trust? Eva Longoria has the answer.
The Desperate Housewives actress painted her airy entryway a subtle cream hue that complements the light wooden floating staircase and flooring – and while this hue is safe, it's an eternally favored classic. This entryway color is often labeled as a 'blank canvas,' allowing us to experiment with blocks of color through accents that exhibit our personality – something that is evident in Longoria's space.
'Shades of cream are my top recommendation for entryways, especially if a move is on the cards,' comments interior designer and award-winning home stager Jane Lee. 'Besides making the space calmer, lighter, and more spacious, neutral walls create a blank canvas that homeowners can easily put their stamp on.'
Longoria has drawn from her versatile base hue and decorated the first room of her home with large artwork, textured chairs, and a circular rug that adds just the right amount of color.
'Decorating with artwork, vases, a decorative rug or doormat, a console table, and flowers is cost-effective and also simpler to change than repainting when the novelty wears off,' Lee explains.
'A mirror is another great way to make a narrow or small hallway seem bigger as the light bounces around the room, tricking the eye that it is bigger (try to hang mirrors where they will catch the natural light). Chandeliers act in the same way.'
Curating the right first impression matters whether we're selling or not, but as Lee emphasizes, decorating with neutrals is one of the most powerful things we can do when our home is on the market.
'Bold or dark wall colors can have a 'Marmite' effect when the time comes to sell. While some house-hunters will love them, others might be put off by the time and expense of repainting; this might result in lower (or even no) offers,' she says. 'Lighter colors are much more straightforward to paint over.'
Entryway similar to Eva Longoria's.
'It's important not to go too neutral and minimal though: the aim of home staging is to make a property appeal to a wider range of buyers – so it needs to be eye-catching,' Lee adds.
'On average, it only takes a few minutes – sometimes seconds – for people to decide whether a property is the one. That's why it's crucial to make a great impression in the hallway, the first room they usually see.'
Jane Lee has worked as an interior designer and home stager since 2019. She works with house sellers around the UK to stage their properties as they prepare to move.
Shop the Eva Longoria-inspired edit
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