I'm Alessia Corpino, founder of Alessia Corpino Design, an Italian-born designer based between New York and Greenwich. This tiny entryway is part of a 2,500-square-foot home where every inch had to work hard without feeling crowded. The challenge was to create a small but elegant moment of arrival right next to a laundry closet — functional, but far from glamorous. Instead of forcing storage into the space, I decided to treat it as a sculptural vignette. A narrow walnut console mounted to the wall keeps the footprint light and airy, while a single, tapered leg adds balance and a touch of craftsmanship. It's just enough surface to hold keys or sunglasses, but not enough to attract clutter. Above it, a softly curved smoked mirror bounces light from the living area and visually opens the wall. I paired it with two ceramic vases of different heights and a few dark blooms to add movement and a hint of drama. For the organization, I kept things hidden. A slim drawer near the kitchen holds mail and small items, and simple hooks behind the closet door take care of coats and bags. That way, the entry stays calm and clean while the practical pieces remain out of sight. The result feels intentional but relaxed — a quiet, welcoming moment that sets the tone for the rest of the home. This is the link to the photo: https://alessiacorpino.com/contact/ (High-resolution photo available for publication, credited to Alessia Corpino Design and the photographer.) Regards, Alessia Corpino
I run an interior design and staging firm in Denver, and small entryways are honestly one of my favorite challenges. We've transformed countless cramped foyers--some as small as 15-20 square feet--into functional, welcoming spaces that set the tone for the entire home. My go-to strategy is vertical storage combined with multi-functional pieces. In one recent project (a 1,400 sq ft home in Capitol Hill), we installed floating shelves above a slim console that doubled as a charging station and key drop. We added hooks at varying heights for coats and bags, plus a narrow mirror that visually doubled the space--that mirror trick alone makes any tiny entryway feel 30-40% larger. The biggest game-changer is decluttering ruthlessly before adding anything back. I tell clients to keep only what they use daily in that first five feet of their home. Everything else gets relocated to closets or a mudroom area. One family I worked with had 14 pairs of shoes piled in their 18 sq ft entryway--we added a vertical shoe rack hidden behind a decorative screen, and suddenly the space breathed again. For organizational elements, I'm a huge fan of wall-mounted mail sorters and small catchall trays that corral the chaos without eating up precious floor space. Happy to share photos and more specific details if this sounds like what you're looking for--just shoot me a message and I can walk you through some recent changes with exact dimensions and sourcing details.
I've always been fascinated by the challenge of making small entryways functional, organized, and visually appealing. Growing up immersed in home construction and waterproofing projects, I learned the importance of balancing durability, practicality, and aesthetics. Tiny spaces often require creative solutions to maximize every inch while keeping the area welcoming. From my experience overseeing projects in homes across New Jersey, I've noticed certain design strategies consistently deliver results. Wall-mounted hooks and narrow benches with hidden storage keep clutter off the floor. Mirrors and lighter finishes help open the space visually. Multipurpose furniture, such as benches that double as shoe racks, ensures no area goes unused. Lighting plays a critical role, brightening corners that might otherwise feel cramped. I'd be happy to share photos from projects where these strategies were implemented. Each image can include notes on the organizational techniques used and the total square footage of the home to provide context. These examples illustrate that even the smallest entryways can function efficiently without sacrificing style. Connecting with designers who specialize in maximizing tiny spaces is exciting because it offers an opportunity to see how creative ideas come together. Sharing photos, tips, and tricks from real projects helps homeowners and designers alike understand what works in small areas. If you'd like, I can provide a selection of images showcasing different approaches, complete with square footage details and a brief explanation of how each design was executed. These examples highlight practical, achievable solutions for transforming small entryways.
The main tip for a small spaces - break the rhythm and add more mirrors! In this example I've added different shapes of mirrors, which helps feel this space bigger, and includes practical function for my client as well. Image1 https://drive.google.com/file/d/11d6thWPTEAz0Zku5WW7NwaR1KW3m5Ffy/view?usp=drive_link Image2 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t6vkIBluJAm3M45xlf4I_fCy1ep1aFxo/view?usp=drive_link