I’ve been looking at small house plans recently.

One thing I didn’t expect to notice is how rare foyers have become.

Most layouts now open directly into the main living space.

You walk in the front door and you’re immediately in the house.

No transition. Just… inside.

I’m not sure why this is a thing now.

But I don’t like it.

A foyer doesn’t have to be large or grand. It can be a small, almost forgettable space.

But it serves a purpose.

It’s a threshold.

A place to pause.

To take off your shoes. Set things down. Adjust to being inside.

It creates a boundary between:

outside and inside

public and private

movement and stillness

Without it, that shift happens all at once.

Which can feel unsettling.

I notice this physically.

When I walk into a home without any kind of entry space, it feels like I’ve been placed directly into a room.

Not arrived.

Placed.

The house can be nice too. It’s technically functioning.

But the sequence is missing.

Which makes me sad. 

A foyer is a small thing.

But it does quiet work.

And it’s often the small things that make a space feel settled.