Designer and artist Natalie Papier, founder of interior design company Home Ec. and star of the Magnolia Network show Artfully Designed, is unapologetic about her love for funky textiles, eccentric art, colorful wallpaper, and all things others might consider unconventional. Three years in the making, Papier’s first design book, Start with the Art (Voracious, 2024), features nearly 300 pages of delightful spaces and insightful tips for decorating on a budget with a focus on affordable art and how it can serve as the springboard to an incredible room. In the first chapter, titled “But Natalie, I don’t know anything about art…,” Papier divulges the undeniable truth: you don’t have to. “Choosing a piece of art comes down to one question,” she writes. “Does it move you?”

Perhaps because this column is called Style Room, we have yet to feature an entryway; the foyer of Papier’s Charlotte, North Carolina, home provided the perfect opportunity to do so. “To me, an entryway is the book cover to your home,” the designer told MH+D. “You’re setting the stage with your style right from the moment you open the front door.” Papier emphasizes that foyers are functional (with necessary items like a mirror, coatrack, and bench to put on your shoes) while simultaneously providing a chance for personality to shine through (in paint color, wallpaper, art, and lighting choices).

The biggest challenge Papier faced in designing her own foyer was its sheer size. “Because it’s so big, with such tall ceilings, I had to think about it in stages,” she explains. The lacquered credenza and mirror (both found on Facebook Marketplace) act as a focal point upon entry, while the credenza doubles as a storage container for the family. High ceilings called for a dramatic chandelier (read: floating art); this selection from Stray Dog Designs is a favorite of Papier’s thanks to its overall scale and handmade papier-mâché artistry. “The scale of the art [on the credenza] was also an important variable,” she notes, adding that leaning art in the arranged vignette—as opposed to framing art on the wall—means she can “swap new pieces in and out as the mood strikes.” Rethink your own entryway with these nine finds inspired by Papier’s playful approach.