23+ Genius Ways How To Make A Small Entryway Look Bigger

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By the end of this list you’ll have 23 real ways to make a tight entryway feel twice its size! No demo, no knocking down walls, just smart little swaps.

So how did I pick these? Well, I scrolled through hundreds of entryway pins over a few weekends and kept only the ones that actually work in a everyday home.

Some of these cost basically nothing. A can of paint, a mirror from the thrift store, a rug swap, that kind of thing.

Others take a weekend project, but nothing here requires a contractor or a second mortgage, lol!

The goal is the same for every single one: trick the eye into seeing more space than you actually have. Small entryways are famous for feeling like a hallway you rush through. That doesn’t have to be the case!

Pick two or three that fit your space and budget. You don’t need to do all 23 at once, promise!

ENTRYWAY IDEAS TO MAKE A SMALL SPACE FEEL BIGGER

Install Floating Wall Shelves

Floating shelves keep the floor clear, which is basically the whole secret to making a small entryway look bigger.

Skip the bulky bookcase and mount a couple of thin shelves instead. A candle, a small plant or a dish for keys is plenty. Anything more and you have just built a smaller bookcase!

Add Vertical Striped Wallpaper

Vertical stripes pull the eye up toward the ceiling. That upward pull is what makes a narrow entry read as taller, am I right?

Go with a soft stripe in two close tones rather than high contrast. Bold black and white stripes can actually shrink a room, so keep it subtle.

Use Slim Console Table

A slim console table gives you a landing spot for mail and keys without eating up the walkway. Look for one under 12 inches deep if the space is really tight.

This is the piece that keeps a narrow hall from feeling like an obstacle course.

A vintage brass one from a flea market adds a little character too.

Hang Wall Mounted Coat Hooks

Hooks mounted right on the wall skip the need for a coat closet or a standing rack entirely. That alone frees up a surprising amount of floor space.

A row of five or six hooks handles jackets, bags and even dog leashes. Talk about multitasking!

Skip Bulky Furniture Pieces

Big benches, deep cabinets and oversized baskets belong in a mudroom with square footage to spare. In a small entry they just block the path.

Scale everything down. A narrow bench with slim legs will always beat a chunky one in a tight footprint.

Add A Round Mirror Cluster

A cluster of small round mirrors bounces light around the entry from multiple angles, which reads as way more space than a single mirror ever could.

Group three to five in different sizes for a gallery wall effect. Are you guys seeing how much bigger this makes a hallway look?

Paint Ceiling Bright White

A bright white ceiling reflects more light than a colored one, plain and simple! It pushes the ceiling line up visually, even if it hasn’t moved an inch.

This is one of the cheapest fixes on this whole list. One gallon of paint and an afternoon, that’s the entire project!

Install Recessed Ceiling Lighting

Recessed lighting sits flush with the ceiling instead of hanging down, so there’s nothing visually crowding an already tight space.

No fixture eating into the room means the whole entry reads as open. Dark corners are the real enemy in a tight hallway anyway. Get rid of those and the size problem mostly solves itself!

Choose Glass Front Cabinets

Glass front cabinets let the eye travel through them instead of stopping at a solid door. Something about seeing depth inside a cabinet tricks the brain into reading more space.

Keep what’s behind the glass tidy though. A jumbled mess on display kind of defeats the whole purpose, lol!

Add A Slim Runner Rug

A slim runner draws a clean line down the hallway, leading the eye straight through it. Who doesn’t love that?

Stick to a narrow width so there’s still visible floor on either side. That exposed floor is doing a lot of the heavy lifting here. Go too wide and you have just built a smaller hallway with extra steps.

Use Monochromatic Color Scheme

Sticking to one color family from floor to ceiling removes the visual breaks that make a small room feel choppy.

Think soft greige walls, a matching runner and trim in a close shade. No hard stops for the eye means the whole entry reads as one continuous space.

Hang Curtains Higher Than Doorway

Mounting curtain rods a few inches above the actual doorway tricks the eye into thinking the ceiling is taller than it is.

This works on entryway windows or even a curtained closet nook. Cheap trick, huge payoff!

Add Vertical Line Details

Vertical lines show up everywhere in good entryway design, from paneling to slatted wood accents to tall framed art. They all do the same job of pulling the eye upward.

Board and batten on just one wall can completely change how tall a hallway feels.

Even a single accent panel behind the console makes a difference, haha!

Add Wall Mounted Umbrella Stand

A wall mounted umbrella stand keeps wet umbrellas off the floor entirely, which matters more than you’d think in a tiny entry.

Standing umbrella stands are notorious for tipping over in narrow spaces anyway. This one just skips that problem, haha!

Choose Transparent Acrylic Furniture

Acrylic furniture is basically invisible in a room. That’s the whole appeal for a cramped entry! A clear bench or stool holds weight without visually taking up any space.

This one is a favorite for renters since it works with literally any color scheme already in place.

Hang Pendant Light Fixture

A single pendant light frees up floor and wall space that a lamp or sconce would otherwise use. It also draws the eye up toward the ceiling. We’ve established that’s the whole game here.

Pick one with an open or glass design so light travels through it instead of stopping.

Use Mirrored Closet Doors

Mirrored closet doors do double duty as storage and as a light bouncing trick, which is honestly the best kind of multitasking. How cute is that?

They work especially well directly across from a window or entry light source. This one turns a boring closet front into the hardest working surface in the room!

Add Baskets For Shoe Storage

Woven baskets tucked under a bench or shelf hide shoes without needing a bulky rack. They also add texture, which somehow makes a plain entry feel more finished.

Mismatched sizes from a thrift store give the whole setup an easy layered look. Consistent bins just look like storage. A little chaos in the baskets reads as charm instead, lol!

Install A Statement Light Fixture

A statement light fixture gives a small entry a focal point, so the eye lands on the fixture instead of noticing how tight the walls are.

This works best when everything else in the space stays fairly simple. Let the light do the talking!

Add Reflective Metallic Accents

Metallic accents in brass, chrome or gold catch and bounce light around the room the same way a mirror does. A few small touches go a long way here.

Try a metallic tray on the console table or a gold framed mirror. Not everything needs to match either, mixing finishes actually looks intentional.

Use Open Shelving Units

Open shelving skips the bulk of a cabinet while still giving you a spot for baskets, books or a small plant. Isn’t that such a simple fix?

Since there are no doors, the wall behind stays visible. That visible wall space is what keeps the room feeling open.

Paint Trim Same As Walls

Painting the trim the same color as the walls erases the hard line between them, which makes the whole entry read as one continuous surface instead of separate pieces.

It sounds like a small detail. It genuinely changes how big a room feels, haha!

Choose Furniture With Exposed Legs

Last but definitely not least, furniture with exposed legs lets you see the floor underneath it. Visible floor space always reads as more room. Same!

A console or bench on thin tapered legs looks lighter than one sitting flush to the ground. This one small swap can change the whole feel of an entryway, no demo required.