Beyond the welcome mat at the front door, the foyer or entry hall is the first room in your house guests will see.  For most of us, the foyer is not a huge space and that can make it more difficult to decorate.  The small space needs to be welcoming, functional and stylish.  One way to add style and a welcoming feel to this greeting area is pattern on the floor.

Putting pattern on the floor, while keeping the rest of the space simple and neutral, creates balance. Letting the patterned floor set the colors for the foyer’s color palette will create a unified and stylish looking space to greet your guests.  Installing a pattern floor, like this black and white harlequin pattern, is something best left to professionals. The intricate pattern with a border of smaller diamonds and then a black border feels almost like an area rug, another great choice to add pattern to a foyer.

Area rugs or runners are an easy way to add pattern to the foyer or hall floor.  Stripes running the length of the runner will expand the feeling of the space; horizontal stripes will help widen the space.  Florals, traditional Persian patterns, geometrics—all work as pattern for a foyer floor.

You could also do an inlaid wood floor, a painted floor or a brightly patterned Moroccan tile floor in the foyer. Whatever you choose, make sure it is durable to withstand heavy foot traffic.