While new homes often feature an entry hall with vaulted ceilings and no shortage of storage space for coats and boots, older homes may lack a foyer entirely. In smaller houses, it's common for the front door to lead directly into the living room.

Luckily, making a foyer in the living room isn't impossible. If you get creative, you can carve out a welcoming spot and some room to store your outerwear without taking up too much of your living space.

Weatherproof the Floor

One main advantage of a foyer is that its floor is typically tiled in ceramic or stone to keep you from tracking dirt and water into the rest of your house. If you're handy, you can replace a small section of your flooring to create a landing pad inside your front door. You can also fake it by layering an outdoor carpet over the existing floor just inside your doorway. These are easily cleaned and will create a visual separation from the rest of your living room. 

Consider Storage

If you have a coat closet just inside the front door, you may be able to get the most out of it by removing the doors and interior fittings, painting the inside a bright color, and adding a bench and series of hooks to emulate the look of a built-in entry hall. You can also consider using a bench, hall tree, or console table to separate the front door from the rest of the living room and visually emulate a short hallway. No closet? A row of Shaker pegs or a coat stand let you hang your hat in style.

Add Accessories

Useful items like a boot tray and an umbrella stand will go a long way towards keeping a small foyer organized. You might also want to add a ceiling light over the center of the space to brighten the area. If there's room for a small table, use an attractive dish for house keys and some fresh flowers to welcome guests into your home.

With a little imagination, these simple and inexpensive steps can easily create an inviting and functional foyer for your home.