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Wise Design FAQ: Shoes & Coats

If we had to answer, what is the ONE question that we get asked all the time, the answer is easy: "What do I do with my shoes, coats & bags in the entry?"


And boy, do we get it. Especially as we live in an environment that can be rainy, muddy, sometimes very icy, sometimes a little dusty, sometimes we're back from the beach & we're a little sandy. Some clients garden, have dogs, sports-playing kids, babies with strollers, etc etc etc. The point is that we all have a lot of STUFF and where does it all go?


Images above via The Brownstone Boys


It's not as though our homes here in Portland were built with vestibules, like the images above. That's another easy question to answer: what architectural feature do you wish would come back in style? The vestibule. But you can see, even in the images above that there's still very little room for coats or shoes to be stored.


In an ideal entry, you have a moment to gather yourself. It's a spot for transitioning from the outside world and its stresses to the comfort and safety of your own home. You would take off your coat and put it in its spot, which would be empty and waiting for you. You place your keys, fobs, wallet, change, sunglasses in their designated locations- no rushing around trying to find anything tomorrow morning when you leave! It's a place for everything and everything in its place. You have a comfortable spot to sit and take off your shoes and your shoes are tucked away, still accessible, but not in any spot where someone would potentially trip over them. Any daily bags, purses, backpacks or gym equipment all have their own spot as well. Your entry makes you feel ready for a cozy evening at home. It doesn't stress you out in any way.


I know. I'm laughing too.


Imagine if your front door is the same as the black door in the above image. This may not be a big leap in imagination as so many homes in Portland have a similar layout: the front door opens straight into the home with no real moment for pause, no available walls for hooks or spots for a closet. What do you do?


Remember, this is our most commonly asked question. And the answer is not simple. However, this post will cover our tips & techniques we've used in previous projects to help as much as we can.


Hooks & Storage



Like our NW Nob Hill House project above, various furniture pieces can often save the day. Hooks for coats, baskets for the shoes (maybe each family member has their own basket?) and a coat tree with a built-in storage bench solve the immediate concerns of daily used items.



Important to note that this option does require a level of self-discipline. Coats, bags, hats can easily pile up on the hooks. Shoes can overflow from the baskets, especially with the seasonal shift from rain boots to sandals. The bench itself can start to turn into a horizontal surface for mail and bags, leaving zero room to actually sit. For this to work successfully, it's best if you add a weekly sorting into your schedule. Only have in-use items in these locations. Everything else finds storage in a closet or bin elsewhere.


If you're lucky enough to have additional storage areas and it's not technically needed for day to day life, consider your guests. Where will they sit to take on/off their shoes? Where will their personal items go? A simple bench, like the one above in our SE Contemporary Craftsman project, can be an easy solution.


The Console

The console option works best if you have a nearby coat closet and are consistent with storing your coats and bags there. You may also be using your front porch as storage for shoes. However, this does not solve for the storage of keys, glasses, change, wallets, phone charging, etc.


Our Alberta Arts Bungalow has a floorplan many of you may recognize: the front door opens with the living room on the left and the dining room on the right. The only available wall is directly in front of the entry door.



Enter the console! It's a catch-all for the smaller items in your daily life. A mirror for checking your reflection as you enter or leave your home. The open space below works for basket storage: hats in summer and scarves/gloves in winter. A small tray on top for keys & sunglasses. Drawers for charging phones and other tech.


That moment of pause we talked about earlier? A console does that for you. It makes you take a minute, unload and reset.


And we do love a console!



Consoles can even help define an entry way. In our NE Mason Residence project (shown below), the console served as a divide between the entry and the living room. Our clients had an existing small coat closet directly beside the door but found that for their growing family, the closet alone was not enough storage. Two long consoles were added behind a sectional sofa, creating an entry "hallway." The consoles provided open areas for baskets containing shoe, hat, winter accessory storage as well as drawers for tucking away keys, etc. Opposite the consoles, a comfy chaise lounge provides a spot to take on and off shoes and additional hooks were added on the wall, tucked around the corner for neatness. FLOR tiles created an oversized entry mat so all dirt, mud, ice, etc. is not tracked into the house.


Even if it's not technically needed for storage, a console can still be a 'welcome to our home' moment for your guests. Maybe it displays your family photos or art or it also serves as an area for guests to place their own items.


Built - Ins

If you're home has available space to borrow from other generously sized rooms, you may want to consider built-in storage. In our Laurelhurst Park Home, a new thickened opening was created between the entry and living room. Two new storage areas, one for coats and the other for shoes & accessories were tucked into each side of the opening. Slats in the doors were added for ventilation as well as a touch of historic detail.



Built-ins can also create an entry for you. In our Beaumont Village Cottage, a sort of mini-vestibule was created through the addition of a half wall and tile floor. The tile design spells out the year the home was built and the half wall matches the height of the entry wainscoting. A small built-in bench allows for a spot for shoes & storage.


It's a charming greeting, right as you walk in the door.


Finally, remember that you are not alone in the Great Struggle of Storage. Every household out there is experiencing this struggle and every single person, even the ones that seem like they have it all together, are going through it, just as you are. It's an ongoing battle. As needs and phases evolve, so will your storage solutions. Be adaptable, be willing to do the organizational work, be willing to make the hard calls of what can stay and what should go. Don't allow yourself to get frustrated but instead focus on what makes you most relaxed. Is it important to have an empty hook for your daily coat or is seeing the coat hung up on the wall bothering you? Do you like having a spot for everything or would you rather it all be hidden? Answers to those questions will help determine what sort of storage solution is best for you.

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