9 Welcoming Entryway Flooring Ideas

First impressions are not everything but that doesn’t mean they aren’t important. The state of your entryway, first and foremost, sets the tone for how you feel when you come home. But it doesn't just affect you. When your guests arrive and walk through the front door they can be greeted with either of the following scenarios: they either step into a drab and boring hallway with chipped and uninviting flooring, or a sleek, polished, and well-built entryway that just says “welcome”. 

Your guests’ first impression may influence what they think of the rest of your house and your interior design skills. So, if you wish to impress your guests and have the pleasure of regular visits, proper entryway flooring is a great place to start.

Your foyer is going to say a lot about you and your home. So, picking out the best flooring for your entryway can help you start your dinner party or house tour off on the right foot. The best options for entryway flooring come in all manner of styles and designs for you to pick from, so there’s no shortage of choice. 

1. Ceramic or Porcelain Tiles

Beautiful and Practical Tile Ideas for Your Entryway

A classic in entryway tile ideas, ceramic or porcelain tiles are stylish, sleek, and quite practical. Tracking in mud and dirt is quite common especially if you live in an area with a lot of rain. The problem with mud on the floor is not so much the mud itself but the effect it has on your flooring. Carpets, for example, can hold on to this dirt for years and will need specialized cleaning to get the much out.

Ceramic and porcelain are sturdy and sleek materials, which makes them easier to clean as well. Their super smooth surface helps prevent dirt particles from slipping into little pockets in the flooring. Grout can get dirty over time, but there are ways of cleaning it that are easy and fast. There are also methods of protecting the grout from getting dirty which can help you prevent dirt buildup altogether.

2. Creating Contrast Around Wood Flooring

Dark Hard Wood Floor Entryways and How You Can Dress them Up

Contrasting colors are a great way to welcome your guests to your home. You can always have a more subdued entryway interior that does not put too much emphasis on visual flair. But if you decide to kick it up a notch there are ways to keep your guests visually engaged.

If you have bright walls and furniture in your entryway, consider installing dark wood flooring which will complement the lighter elements of the surroundings. Entryway vinyl flooring panels come in many colors and styles so you can surely find darker hues. Additionally, vinyl planks are also quite easy to install on your own which means that even if they chip or crack, they are easy to replace.

3. Luxury Marble Mosaic

Glamorous Entryway Marble Flooring that Will Up Your Foyer Game

Few things are as magnificent as a gorgeous marble floor with its luxuriously ornate veins. This is the kind of flooring that tells guests that you’re not indifferent to the details and a fun journey awaits them throughout the house as well

The sleek marble surface plays nicely with both natural and artificial lighting. Increased natural light through ornate glass panels or simply more windows will be a great way to emphasize the high quality of the flooring. This is why you should also consider some foyer lighting ideas to complement your flooring and turn your mudroom into something truly special.

4. Bright Loft or Industrial Wooden Flooring

Brighten Up a Dark Entryway with Lighter Wood Accents

One of the most popular interior design aesthetics out there is loft or the industrial style. While these two design styles are not the same they do share some similarities. For example, both loft and industrial interiors rely on the roughness of exposed cement or brick walls, and plenty of exposed black matte textures. This rustic look can be paired with a range of foyer flooring ideas.

Consider brightening up the atmosphere with a lighter shade of wood flooring for a nice contrast with the roughness of this design. You can find engineered wood flooring planks that are a mix of natural wood and glue. This type of hardwood is designed to withstand water damage and temperature fluctuations. By brightening up the floor you are also making your home more welcoming. 

5. Dark Marble Floor

If You Want Your Entryway to Say Dignified and Regal Go With Dark Marble Flooring

Of all the foyer tile ideas there is something rather enchanting about dark marble. Maybe it is those earthy brushstroke patterns that are positively enchanting? Or perhaps it is how the light gleams off the surface and makes the interior bright despite the floor itself being of darker color? 

Regardless of why you love marble, it is a classic flooring option for a reason and is quite popular for entryways. Your foyer is going to look a lot more luxurious with dark marble flooring and it can play nicely with a variety of interiors.  A dark marble floor can fit quite well with many design styles such as modern classic, contemporary, and even the fabulous art deco. Pair it with a glamorous foyer rug and you have yourself a mudroom that exudes grandeur. 

6. Natural Wood Flooring

The Traditional Charm of a Natural Floored Foyer

While it will require regular maintenance and thorough cleaning to ensure its longevity, natural wood can make for some of the most attractive foyer floor ideas. Hardwood tends to be expensive to install, especially when you consider the regular refinishing work required to protect it from damage. But the outcome is well worth the expense.

There is something so welcoming and warm about natural wood. It is the uneven, natural texture and those rich, gorgeous colors that make natural wood a great way to welcome your guests and make them feel at home. 

7. Checkered Tiles

Classy and Retro Just May Be the Perfect Element for a Serene Entryway

Checkered entryway tile is one of the most common mudroom flooring options out there. Black and white tiles are a classic and have found their way into many homes and countless hearts. Among the most common interiors to feature the checkered design is the mid-century modern, but these entryway flooring ideas can work well in any home.

For those heartwarming old-school vibes, consider installing checkered tiles. This is one of those classic mudroom floor ideas that has not gone out of style for decades. 

8. Vintage Large Marble

Bright Color and Natural Materials to Ground and Modernize an Extravagant Marble Foyer

Marble flooring does not need to include small geometric tiles. It can very well be huge slabs of the material marble that will expand the space of your entryway. Huge marble tiles are a vintage mudroom tile idea that is gorgeous when installed in a spacious interior. 

Marble slabs may be somewhat difficult to install and can be quite expensive, but large marble tiles are gorgeous in their design. Pair it with an old-school interior style such as Victorian or Hollywood Glam and you’ll have yourself a tile entryway worthy of welcoming royalty into your home.

9. Herringbone Entryway Floor

Herringbone Flooring for a Rustic Modern Entryway

Herringbone flooring patterned much like the bones of a fish make for very unique entryway flooring ideas. The angular layout of the floorboards is a little more complex than your typical wood flooring patterns and that makes the Herringbone entryway design very attractive.

The only problem you may have with the Herringbone layout is if you are installing it yourself. While more common wood plank patterns are quite easy to install, Herringbone is a bit more complicated and may require the help of a professional floor specialist to get right.