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For decades, the view from the front door has been the focus of realtors, builders, and designers. It has been said that buyers form an opinion of the house within the first 5 to 10 seconds upon entering the home. A builder once requested the view upon entering the house should be so awesome that the prospective buyer would faint – but not before reaching for their check book. Okay – perhaps that’s a bit extreme. Let’s just say the view should be jaw dropping.

Privacy First

While the focus on what you see from the front door is critical, the desired view has changed over the decades. In the sixties and seventies, it was considered appropriate to open the door to a formal foyer with no view into the home. A view into the home was too intrusive. Instead, there might be a nice piece of art as the focus. This was more about creating a buffer from unexpected guests than it was about selling a home.

A Change in Focus

In the eighties and nineties, the buffer idea was tossed out. Now the goal was to create a long vista into the home in order to make the house seem as large as possible.

The optimal view would include a window at the end of the long view – since our eyes are naturally drawn to light. If the house was on a view – then the view should be through the home and out to the view.

The idea was taken a step further when glass front doors became popular. This allowed guest and prospective buyers to the awesome view even before the enter the house. Other acceptable views might include the view of staircase, especially in a two-story foyer with open handrail.

What to See and Not to See

For years, it was acceptable to have a long view into the formal living room. Indeed, this may have been the only meaningful purpose for this formal room which for years went unused. It was the norm for the living room to be directly in front, the formal dining room to one side, and the “power” den to the other side – a formula that went on for decades.

What you didn’t want to see – ever – was the view into the kitchen. Of course, that was before our kitchen became the center of our casual living and entertaining. Now our kitchens are a showcase of furniture grade cabinets, high end countertops, decorative lighting, top grade appliances, surrounded by a beautiful backsplash. Adding an adjacent “messy kitchen” to handle the dirty work made it acceptable to see into the main kitchen from the front door.

Resale Homes

Of course, when selling model or move-in ready homes, the view from the front door is as the designer intended. But what about resale homes when the seller still lives there? The last thing prospective buyers want to see is a mess. If the foyer has an open staircase, it shouldn’t be cluttered with piles of shoes, kids’ clothing, or the pile of things to take upstairs next time someone other than the kids goes upstairs.

The same philosophy would apply to the gathering room which should be tidy and free from clutter.

The Owner’s Entry

While the focus for decades has been on the first impression from the front door, the view the owners experienced daily was completely ignored. Who can forget the daily entrance through the laundry room – a chore space that is rarely clean?

We once toured a resale house whose laundry room included a cat’s stinky litter pan and bras hanging on hooks. Not my idea of a “Welcome Home” experience. The antithesis of that laundry room experience is what we like to call the Welcome Home Valet.

Coming home should always be cherished. Whether it is coming home from school, a stressful day at the office, or travel. A Welcome Home Valet should include nicely finished built-ins or furniture along with ample storage to neatly collect shoes, books, backpacks, purses and keys. Having natural light and a long view here is just as welcomed. Always keep in mind, not all guests arrive to the front door. Some guest arrive in the owner’s car and use the owner’s entrance – don’t make them walk through your dirty laundry!

Dual Focus

Designs today need to include both the front door “first impression” and the daily entrance. While both are equally important, many prospective buyers may not consider the daily entrance. If you were showing a house, how might you showcase this dual focus on first impressions?