How to Decorate a Split Entry Home
Homes with split entries set the stage to how visitors enter your home and "define" the spaces they should enter. A home can have a main entry with short flights of stairs that lead to upper and lower levels of the home. Or a home can have a side entry on a level that might include the garage. Of course, there are informal, secondary entries. To help direct guests, decorate the areas around entries with flowers, foliage, borders and accent materials to define the different entries and at the same time maintain a sense of continuity in your landscaping design. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Select plantings to identify the entries. You can use flowers of the same family or variety, but in different colors. This will allow you to distinguish the entries for guests so you can direct them to go, say, to the level with the purple flowers.
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Navigate visitors to the appropriate exterior entry. Some homes with split entries have a formal entrance to the home, and an informal entrance. The formal entrance typically is a foyer that leads to living spaces. The informal entrance may be on a lower level and lead to a space used for casual purposes, such as watching television or playing billiards, or to a home office. In addition to plantings, you can use signage to direct visitors -- a good option for those who see clients at home.
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Use artwork and color to guide guests inside of the home. Select distinctive flooring material. Use wood flooring to convey a more casual look to lead to a downstairs area. Consider a plush carpeting material to lead to more formal interior spaces such as the living room.
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Maximize opportunities to bring in light. Use exterior windows to dramatize staircases that lead to upper and lower levels. Consider frosted glass for privacy.
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Design a two- or three-tiered landscaping plan. This will help to define entry points for the split entries and be especially useful if one entry is higher and the other is on a lower level. Select plantings that are distinctive for each level.
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Create a short retaining wall that also can serve to form a planting bed for flowers and foliage plants. Use brick, stone or faux brick or stone materials to create the retaining wall.
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Use shrubs and foliage plants to create continuity. While the overall goal is to identify separate entrances, your home landscaping should still have structure and a planned design. Shrubs are a great planting choice to provide continuity. Flowering shrubs such as roses or deciduous shrubs such as hollies will give your home a consistent and well-planned look.
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Make landmarks for entries with garden accents. Use a cement statue, for instance, to identify the formal entry of the home. Use a different type of statue, such as a gnome, to direct guests to a lower level entry into a casual living space.
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Incorporate gates, arbors, pergolas or a trellis. A gate is useful for a lower level entry that it is used for a home office. It will define the entry for visitors and alert you that someone has arrived. Use an arbor, pergola or trellis to define the points of entry. These items will also add beauty to your split entry home.
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References
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