What is a foyer?
Does your home have one?
A foyer is a homes first impression, saysAnnie Hewittof Martha Turner Sothebys International Realty in Houston, Texas.
Credit: Paul Costello
Its what welcomes your guests and sets the tonecasual or formal, colorful or neutral, traditional or eccentric.
Foyers serve many purposes but have faded away as families use their spaces differently and home layouts shift.
Today, of course, both definitions of foyers and their uses have significantly shifted.
Credit: Dustin Peck
These experts discuss how foyers are commonly used todayand whether having one is a point in your homes favor.
What Is a Foyer?
A foyer is the space you step into as you key in your home through the front door.
Credit: Jay Wilde
It’s the transition from outdoors to indoors.
However, some areas of the country have a more formal definition of the space.
Zuber says you might see these spaces referred to by different terms, such as entry halls or vestibules.
Regardless of what theyre called, foyers are generally used for the same purpose.
Also, new builds in many areas tend to be open-concept, with no separate foyer.
Together, these factors mean that foyers are on the decline.
Open-plan homes do not have foyers.
At that time, there was an emphasis on building efficient, more utilitarian homes.
Today, again, more and more new builds dont have foyers, Hewitt says.
The Rise of the Mudroom
Mudroomsare less formal than foyers but much more practical.
Colberg says the preference for mudrooms over foyers could also be regional.
In northern climates, the use of [the foyer] is like a mudroom.
Its a space to keep stuff youre going to use, such as outerwear, footwear, and more.
As mudrooms have become more popular, how we use foyers is also changing.
This has left the foyer with little practical use, especially in homes with children and pets.
More of a focal point in the home and thefirst impression when you enterthrough the front door.
Are foyers nice to have?
Hogan sees foyers as a plus but not necessarily a feature that would greatly influence value.
Hewitt believes these spaces can still affect a buyer’s attitude toward a property.
Foyers today are meant to impress but have a long history of practical function."
There are two widely accepted pronunciations of the word “foyer” in the United States.
For the way these spaces function today, the words foyer and vestibule are largely interchangeable.
There are, however, small differences.
Foyer is a French word that stems from the Latin wordfocariusor focuswhich relates to the hearth.
Vestibule, also French, comes from the Latin word vestibulum or entrance court.
These days, a vestibule is more closely compared to a mudroom.
There are afew tricksto make the entrance of your home function as a foyereven if your space is limited.
Hang some hooks on the walls to gather jackets and hats or add a coat rack near the door.
