I wrote about fantastic patterned, painted and carved front doorway layouts that give a greeting to visitors. As important is what is on the opposite side of the doorway. These designers reveal how background can provide the great welcome.

Elizabeth Reich

Keep it going. “This bud fabric was the ideal tone-on-tone pewter color to liven up the foyer and also set the mood for this modern yet traditional-style house,” states Elizabeth Reich of Jenkins Baer Associates. “It isn’t a large area, but placing a background with this much movement in the entrance stairs and upstairs hall gave these spaces a massive presence.”

She adds,”The neutral color worked well off of the other chambers which are connected to it. It was a splurge, but the customer was so happy she did it.”

Grass fabric: Rings, Phillip Jeffries

Dillard Pierce Design Associates

Layer it. This entry was part of a series house and was created by Christy Dillard Kratzer of Dillard Pierce Design Associates (previously Dillard Design Group). “The inspiration was a fantastic, fresh conventional spin on a foyer,” she states. “The large-scaled damask was a excellent way to give the walls a subtle background and allow to get a spoonful of art and furnishings to shine in front of it”

She adds,”I think background gives a space great measurement and a nice layered effect”

Wallpaper: damask, Bone, Dillard Pierce Collection

Dillard Pierce Design Associates

Create a cohesive feel. Here is another layout by Christy Dillard Kratzer where she took a subtle, textural approach to a contemporary-style interior. “The customer wanted neutrals in the foyer, so I made a way to see all the special elements in the area with cohesiveness,” she states. “The influence on the wall is to have it look like a cloth treatment but with a wallpaper that is more durable.”

Wallpaper: Texture, custom color, Dillard Pierce Collection

Siemasko + Verbridge

Balance is essential. Jean Verbridge of Siemasko + Verbridge used this large-scale wallpaper to supply a little bit of formality to the entry of an otherwise casual house. “The stylization prevents it from being overly formal,” she states. “The oversize pattern makes a balance with all the woodworking detail in the entry — the stair railings, crown molding and the inglenook. The color provides a neutral background so the art can be rotated occasionally.”

Siemasko + Verbridge

Warm things up. This is another design by Jean Verbridge of Siemasko + Verbridge. “The conventional background establishes a formal theme appropriate for this upgraded Victorian,” she states. “The warm, golden colors provide a welcome balance to the white of their trim details, and the warmth is recorded again in the timber flooring.”

Ben Dial

Reference the past. “My customer was heavily influenced by her grandmother’s style and use of acrylic and mirrored furniture from the 1960s,” states Ben Dial of Dial Meyers Design. “She also had a monochromatic color palette in mind, coupled with a grand foyer. This background was my solution.”

Wallpaper: Zoffany, Spitalfields, National Trust Collection 2.

Andrea May Hunter/Gatherer

Embrace picture patterns. “This hall is really somewhat small, but rather than reflexively picking something mild, I intentionally chosen for something dark,” says designer Andrea May. “If you go dark in a smaller area, the corners disappear and it fools the eye into believing it’s a grand room.”

She adds,”I chose the picture pattern of the paper because it keeps the eye . Soagain, you do not focus on the size of the space and it sets the tone for a somewhat offbeat, eclectic scheme. Graphic patterns in this way are a staple for me personally, and they’re extremely usable in smaller spaces like halls and powder rooms. They are also a excellent way to bridge traditional and modern elements.”

Wallpaper: Neisha Crosland

Tres McKinney Design

Give a sneak preview. This is an elevator foyer at a high-rise condominium on Nob Hill in San Francisco. The elevator door opens into a tiny personal foyer that’s just outside the front door of the apartment.

“My goal was to create a warm, welcoming area that would give a preview of what to expect upon entering the house,” says designer Tres McKinney. “It’s a little area, so there was only room for the chest of drawers, a pair of lamps, a beautiful area rug along with a pair of classic benches. The background elevates the space and gives it character and a polished, cohesive appearance.”

She adds,”I use background in most of my endeavors. It brings texture and warmth to the chambers, whether it’s a contemporary grass fabric, a simple stripe at a bedroom or more exuberant pattern in a tiny powder room”

Wallpaper: Brocade Stripe 7958-05 in yellow, Colefax and Fowler

jamesthomas Interiors

Shine like a rare gem. I previously interviewed Thomas Riker of all jamesthomas to get a Tour of the Wonderful Chicago apartment. He explained that since this entry has he, a ceiling and James Dolenc went moody, with a little glamour. “The dark paint on the ceiling relates to the color of the iridescent background and defines the space in a stone box type of fashion,” he explained.

Rikki Snyder

Reflect on reddish. I adored this foyer from the moment I walked to the 2012 Kips Bay Decorator Show House in Manhattan. Bryant Keller used red to decorate a space that receives little natural light. Monster accessories cushions and the zebra background are a tribute.

Zebra background, tiger-print cushions: Scalamandre

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