How To Design A Goddess Front Entry

The approach and front entry of your home forms a guests’ first impression, and gives people an immediate, visual snapshot about who you are.
I truly believe that outdoor spaces are just as important as indoor spaces, so here are some questions you should ask yourself when evaluating your front entry:
Is my front entry and inviting, balanced and well kept?
Does it accurately reflect my personal style and the “feeling” I’m trying to evoke?
Does it have curb appeal from the street?
Years ago I had my front porch floor redone and the entire entry and front door repainted. The Landscape Architect I use recommended that I put Brazilian Wood planks down on the porch, he said it would be elegant … so even though it was a bit over my budget … I invested in it.
Then I spent weeks trying to decide what color to paint the front door and sidelights – I can tend to over think every detail #virgo
While weighing out my color options, I searched all sorts of traditions, including Feng Shui, for ideas and inspiration. I took classes on Feng Shui when I was in interior design school and remember falling in love with the word “auspicious”.
Auspicious means: conducive to success; favorable. I mean, who wouldn’t want auspicious EVERYTHING – right?
I have a Feng Shui tool called a bagua and refer to it when designing and decorating spaces all the time.
First on my “to-do list” was to find out what direction my front door was facing, so that I could make sure the finished design would be totally AUSPICIOUS!
I really stink with directions and didn’t own a compass… so I did what any mother would do… I asked my teenager.
My son Noah told me to simply download a compass app to my iPhone! HA!
Did I mention that my son Noah is brilliant; a friggin MacGyver. He has literally fixed stuff for me using a paperclip and duct tape – He ingenuity amazes me all the time!

Anyway, back to the compass app… I downloaded a free one (which has come in very handy for ritual and altar design by the way) and discovered that our front door faces Northwest.
The Feng Shui element of the Northwest bagua area is Metal and there are specific colors that work best in that direction… magenta is one of them. My home is sided in a beautiful, mink brown color with a taupe- gray undertone, so I decided to go with Magenta for the front door paint color …. um … it turned out NOT to be my best design decision ever! So, I had my painter, whose name is Romeo (really) repaint the door a soft  shade of Stone Gray (another Northwest direction color).
The stone gray color I chose for the front door was perfect, it also contains a taupe undertone, so it picked up on the mink brown siding perfectly! I placed two rustic, pottery urns to flank the front door for symmetry and an interesting, elegant touch.
At the base of the steps I put my ever-faithful guardians… a pair of stone griffons. I imported the pair of Griffons from England over 10 years ago and they act as guardians to my home and my family. I just love how valiantly they stand watch!
Here are some of my favorite tips to enhance and empower your front entry:

Decorative Ideas

• Lead Them In: Guide guests from the street or driveway to the front door with a clearly marked and well-maintained path. Ideally it should be 3-4 feet wide so two people can walk side by side. I have a formal, boxwood lined walkway to my front porch.
• Make Your Front Door A Focal Point: A punch of color that contrasts with the siding and trim is an easy way to revamp a tired entry. It can be a bright, bold paint color, a subdued, complementary and natural color (like I chose), or a beautiful wood stain.
• Keep Your Entry Plants Trimmed: Trim back overgrown plantings that block views of the front door or spill over onto walkways.
• Add Your Personality: What feeling and impression do you want your visitors to experience? Add little hints about who you at your entry. Some examples would be an old antique crock filled with seasonal flowers, or if you’re taste is more modern, a weather resistant, metal sculpture or wall hanging.
• Decorate For The Seasons: Nothing screams curb appeal and timeless elegance like seasonal arrangements on a porch. Personally, I don’t go for the kitschy stuff, I always decorate with natural, seasonal items such as pumpkins, mums, and gourds in autumn and holly, evergreens, and pine cones in winter, blooming daffodils and tulips in the spring, etc.

Magical Ideas

• Use Crystals & Gemstones: Place a bowl or specimen of chrysoprase (a stone) near the front entrance of your home to protect the entire household from the negative thoughts of all who enter.
• Bless Your House: Charm your doormat with your intentions like a house blessing. I have a “House Blessing” printed out on paper, laminated and taped to the bottom of my doormat so it protects me and my home from any and all outside negativity.
• Use Sentinels: Place a pair of guardians at your entry. I have Griffons but you can choose the kind that resonates with you; Foo Dogs, Angels, Gargoyles, Dragons, etc. There are many to choose from.
• Paint It Blue: If you have a front porch, paint the ceiling Haint Blue (a light blue or light greenish blue color), it’s said to ward off bad spirits. You’ll see this being done in the South, like New Orleans and on Caribbean Islands. I researched the folklore and color options and decided to use a version of it that has a green undertone; I would describe it as a dusty, pale, soft teal.
• Plant Protective Plants: Grow ferns, lilies, marigolds, or juniper by the front door to protect the home.
• Penny Luck: Place five shiny pennies beneath the front porch to bring the household money and love.