Designer Spotlight
Meet the Designer
Isabel Ladd
Founder, Isabel Ladd Interiors
What’s your top tip for creating a beautiful, welcoming entry?
Make an entry a showstopper! As a passthrough space that greets you the moment you come home, give yourself permission to decorate with extra-personality. This space greets you the moment you get to your home, so surround yourself with the aesthetics that bring you joy. You could wallpaper the walls, the ceiling, or both. You could paint - or color drench - the space in your FAVORITE color. Rugs, accessories, and warm lighting cozy up the entryway instantly. However you decorate your entryway, my biggest tip is to decorate with what lights YOU up.
What’s a design hill you’re willing to die on?
The ceiling is the fifth wall, and the floor is the sixth! Don't just decorate the walls - but consider the ceiling and floor, too. Leaving a ceiling white if you have color and pattern on your walls can make the ceiling feel like an afterthought and the starkness of the ceiling can actually direct your eye there. Similarly, a well designed floor can do wonders for any space. Ideas include painting, stenciling, or adding a rug with a dose of pattern to instantly bring design to the floor.
What’s a design rule you love breaking—or one you’ll never break?
My only design rule is to decorate for YOU, and not for "resale". You (and your family) are the ones living in your home and it should reflect the energy YOU desire. If you decorate for resale (a hypothetical next person) by following "design rules" that reflect banal, unoriginal, conforming design to avoid offending, you miss out on creating an environment that would otherwise lift you up. So mix and match the design periods and styles, envelop yourself with the colors and patterns you love, and experiment with new designs you're inspired to try out. You miss out on the good stuff if you succumb to "analysis paralysis" and worry about what you should or shouldn't do. Design is meant to be experimented with, and personal style is meant to evolve. So just trust yourself... or hire an interior design to do it all for you :)
SHOP THE LOOKMeet the Designer
Heather Weisz & Lisa Hynes
Co-Founders, HW Interiors
What's your top tip for creating a beautiful, welcoming entry?
We like to start with one standout detail that feels special and then layer around it. Whether it's a striking piece of art, a sculptural light fixture, or a beautiful antique console, a focal point instantly gives a space personality and purpose. From there, we add texture, warmth, and pieces that feel collected over time rather than overly coordinated.
What's the biggest design mistake you see in entryways or other high-traffic areas?
Scale and proportion. People often fill an entry with several small accessories when one larger, impactful piece would create a stronger statement. Too many undersized items can make a space feel cluttered rather than curated. A well-scaled rug or mat, for example, can often do more for a space than several smaller decorative pieces.
What's a design hill you're willing to die on?
Finish the room.
Artwork, accessories, lighting, a great mat: they're not optional extras—they're the final layer that makes a home feel complete. We often tell clients that a beautifully designed room without those finishing touches is like leaving the house without jewelry, shoes, or a handbag.
Meet the Designer
Gail Davis
Founder, Gail Davis Designs
What’s the biggest design mistake you see in entryways?
People tend to treat the entry as a pass-through instead of connecting it to the rest of their home. I treat every space as if a party could happen—so it feels as considered as everything else.
How can someone make their entry feel more inviting?
Design with intention: Add wallpaper that makes folks do a double take, or a mirror that has an unusual shape or color. And choose a mat that will make you smile. The Insider runner in Retro Orange makes my entry feel like it’s always sunny. It’s a joy to come down the steps and see the space bright and welcoming.
What’s your most-used design phrase with clients?
“You live in a home, not a museum.” It is not meant to remain pristine. It’s meant to hold your routines, your quiet moments, and the rhythm of your life. It will become messy at times. It will shift and change. And this is a beautiful thing. Because the purpose of your home is not perfection. It’s meant to be warm, inviting, and deeply livable.
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Glenna Stone
Founder of Glenna Stone Interiors
What’s your top tip for creating a beautiful, welcoming entry?
It’s simple: create a moment of pause. The entry is a transition point between the outside world and the comfort of home. It should communicate that you’ve arrived somewhere intentional and cared for. That doesn’t require a grand foyer—it just requires thoughtful details. In a larger home, that might look like a defined console table with a lamp for soft light, a mirror to reflect natural light, or a tray for keys and mail. In an apartment or rental, the same principle applies on a smaller scale: removable wall hooks, a slim shelf, or a mirror to visually expand the area. Even with three feet of wall space, you can create that shift—the feeling that you’ve truly arrived.
What’s the biggest design mistake you see people make in high-traffic spaces?
Prioritizing appearance over function. High-traffic areas need durable materials and intentional storage—without them, clutter builds quickly. These spaces work hard. When they’re designed for looks alone, they can’t do their job. Function and beauty should never be separate—they should support each other.
What’s an easy fix people can try right away?
Start by identifying what naturally collects in your entryway—from shoes and bags to mail—and assign each item a designated place. Use a closed basket or stylish storage bench for shoes. Create a drop zone for keys and bags. Add a durable rug or mat that can handle daily wear and define the space. When you give everyday items a home, the room instantly feels calmer. And that sense of calm is what makes an entryway truly inviting.
Shop the LookMeet the Designer
Tina Ramchandani
Founder of Tina Ramchandani Creative
What’s your top tip for creating a beautiful, welcoming entryway?
Think of the entry as an invitation to the home: it sets the mood for what’s to come. I focus on balanced proportions, warm lighting, and one strong focal point, like a statement mat, sculptural console, or great piece of art—something that feels intentional and cohesive with the rest of the space.
What’s the biggest design mistake you see people make in high-traffic spaces?
They’re often treated as an afterthought. I see people either cram in too much or leave the space feeling bare and unfinished. Entryways and other high-traffic areas work hard, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be beautiful. Function is important—but without thoughtful design, it just turns into storage.
What’s a design hill you’re willing to die on?
Editing—removing anything that doesn’t belong. If a space needs to be explained, it’s probably doing too much. Luxury comes from restraint. When every piece has a purpose, the room feels calm, confident, and timeless.
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