When we walked through our house before buying it, I wondered what in the world I was going to do with the entry hallway. It seemed so long and so wide. Just a weird, useless space. It’s like it was too small and narrow to be a room but too long and wide to be a normal entryway.

I think the entryway in a home is important because besides the outside of a house it is the first impression someone gets of your home. It’s like the first page of a book, the first conversation you have with someone, the first bite you have of a new dish, or whatever you want to compare it to. That said, I want our home’s entryway to be a space that reflects our style and gives a peek into who we are.

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Hallway Before Pictures

Here is what the entryway looked like when we did the walkthrough.

And here are two angles of it completely bare right before we started moving in.

Ideas for a Modern, Boho Hallway & Makeover After Pictures

After months of searching Pinterest and trying to figure out what to do with the space, I finally came up with my plan. I needed four main things: 1) a functional place for guests to hang coats, jackets, purses, etc. and store shoes, 2) a console table to break up the hallway length, 3) something to soften up the space, and 4) wall art or something to add interest to the longest wall.

Modern Coat Hangers and Shoe Storage in Long Entryway

Adding coat hangers and shoe storage was a form and function move. We liked the modern aesthetic in our wooden coat hooks, the minimalist look of our shoe storage bench, and the boho vibe from our geometric pillows. We also hung the mirror to help reflect in more light and give guests a chance to sneak a peek if they need.

Live Edge Wood Shelf in Long Entryway

To break up one of the long walls a bit, we wanted to add a console table. After looking around for months, I couldn’t find anything that was cheap enough that I liked. So, I took matters into my own hands and decided to make a DIY live edge wood shelf. (Click here for a tutorial on how to DIY one yourself.) We put up a large art piece that I quickly made, and we added a couple plants.

Modern Pendant Lights in Long Entryway

To help the space feel more soft and cozy, we decided to change the ceiling and floor. We switched out the existing flush mounted lights for lower-hanging pendant lights instead. This helped bring the feel of the super tall ceiling down a bit, and it added some interest and style too. We also softened up the floors by adding runner rugs.

Travel Gallery Wall in Long Entryway

Finally we decided to hang a gallery on the longest wall. I thought of what was important to our family and travel definitely made the list. We husband and I have loved traveling the world together, so we put up five over-sized frames with some travel photos from different countries around the world. Click here to read our tutorial for this gallery.

What started out as our least-favorite room in the house is now one of our favorites. After changing out the lights, adding the travel gallery, putting in a wood live edge shelf, wood coat hooks, rug runners, and more, this is such a fun, meaningful space. And thank goodness because we walk through it about a thousand times a day.

Here is a before and after picture right by each other so you can see the transformation. Pretty remarkable to me!

What is your least favorite spot in the house? Have you thought about how you can make it awesome? Please leave any questions or comments below!

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