· In any foyer there is nothing more beautiful than using a fine gilt framed mirror.

· Change out your old lighting fixture and replace it with a new chandelier. This will improve rooms’ light and add charm.

· Give attention to hardware in room. The switch plate cover for instance should be attractive. This gives a sense of quality. Especially in foyer. If you can’t afford to replace your switch plate cover that’s okay, just make sure that it blends in. If walls are painted, paint it to match. If they are papered, well you get idea.

· If you are using a pricey rug in your entry. Do what I do. Protect it with a small washable throw rug. Covering spot most traveled on a daily basis. Then for special occasions stow throw rug in closet. Meanwhile, better rug will stay clean.

· No space for a rug? Paint an interesting design on floor. There are a wide variety of stencils that you can use if you do not consider yourself an artist. Be sure to use a sealer topcoat to ensure your painted design holds up to heavy traffic and will clean up easily.

· A plant stand made of wood; wicker or iron with a luscious green fern is a gracious look.

· Why not use foyer as a tiny art gallery? Designate an entry hall area or wall where you can hang paintings or pictures that are special to you.

· Hang a group of fine prints all framed same. The prints will stand out more, if color of frames contrast with wall color.

· A small chair may be all you need in your foyer, providing a place for a visitor to rest. It also serves as a temporary place for packages or anything you need to put down as you come through door.

· A narrow console table may be just ticket.

· A towering case clock is always great in a foyer.

· Garden Statuary isn’t just for garden. Bring it indoors! Be greeted by a life size statue. Depending on your budget you could select from concrete, resin, marble or bronze.

· Use an oversized urn with a sprawling palm tree.

· A 19th century Victorian Hall Tree in right home would be beautiful and functional. An antique store would be best place to look for a piece like this or better yet an auction or estate sale.

· Use a pair of corbels topped with marble or a pair of iron supports topped with glass for a shelf to hold a vase of flowers, keys and mail.

· Hang a tapestry on an iron rod and place a garden bench beneath. The tapestry will add softness and texture. The bench will not only be esthetically pleasing but functional as well, serving as a place for removing shoes or simply a resting place.

· If you have ample room in your foyer, using a chest or commode is an excellent choice. The top of chest gives you plenty of area to display your favorite lamp or a pair of candlestick lamps. You may also want to accessorize with a small collection of boxes or any other collection. I love idea of all extra storage space you gain when using a chest.

· I would also suggest a pair of occasional chairs to flank chest of drawers.

· I love to group, silver candlesticks on foyer a table.

· A large crystal compote placed on any foyer furniture piece looks fascinating. In Spring, fill it with fresh flowers…Summertime it can be filled with loads of seashells…Fall, potpourri with your favorite scent…Christmas, fill it with beautiful sparkling ornaments and in between seasons it will look dazzling all by itself.

I have more ideas I’ll share with you later! So have fun decorating your foyer!

©Donna Jolean 2005 January For more ideas and articles, please check Donna's site at http://www.classicdazzle.com

Donna is an independent interior designer and has written numerous articles on her work. Visit her website for more articles and information. http://classicdazzle.com/decorating

Although attractive and functional, cast-iron firebacks are too heavy for many people to manage easily. Their weight also adds to their shipping costs, and therefore to their total price.

A more modern fireback design, one that is growing in popularity, is made of a sheet of very gently curved, tempered stainless steel. These stainless steel firebacks warm your room in two ways. First, like cast iron firebacks, they radiate heat of fire forward into room. But they also reflect heat, as well as light, of fire into room.

Stainless steel firebacks weigh only one-sixth as much as a similarly sized cast iron fireback, so they are easier to manage and less costly to ship. But their main appeal may be their price: They cost only a fraction as much as their cast iron cousins. Whereas a cast iron fireback, depending on size, can cost $250 to $700, stainless steel versions usually go for $50 to $150.

Both cast iron and stainless steel firebacks dramatically increase room-warming capacity of your wood or gas fireplace fire. The addition of this simple fireplace accessory to your hearth can mean warmer toes and lower heating bills.

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