This Japanese Entryway Design Makes a Serene Boundary to the Outside World — Here's How to Create One

Entering into the home is an everyday ritual of sorts that can really set the mood of your space and your presence within it. Sometimes, you want to shed every layer and kick off your shoes as soon as you step in the door, and other times you just need a moment to take a breathe and recenter yourself before entering back into your home. Either way, an organized and calming entrance, creates a little sanctuary within your abode that is as practical as it is aesthetically pleasing.

The entryway is the first place that both you and your guests greet as you leave behind the outside world and enter into the rich, interior world of the home. It is a place to store your outside layers as you get a glimpse of the home that lies beyond the doorway. You may be familiar with the terminology mudroom, vestibule, or foyer, but 'genkan' is the term for the traditional Japanese style of entryway that we have seen recently trending in modern home designs. The chic design style of genkans makes them a popular choice for entryway ideas, and brings an elegant, sleek touch of tradition into your space.

Genkans are perfect for homeowners that want to tie nature and tradition into their space, while also increasing the functionality and intention of small foyers.

What is a Genkan?

The invention of a genkan originated in Japanese culture as a place to leave your shoes before entering into the rest of the building. Technically speaking, a genkan will include a ground-level foyer area, usually made of a stone material, to shed outerwear garments, with a step or raised (usually wooden) platform up into the entrance of the home. Amanda Gunawan, architectural designer at OWIU Design, explains that "genkans are used as a zen practice to allow people to be more present and aware as they are entering the sacred space of a person's home."

"Traditionally they had an earthen floor, level with the street outside, and then one to three steps up to the wood floor of the house," explains interior designer and architect, Graham Hart of Kokomo Studio. Of course, the materials used and added elements included change through the years, but the tradition of the genkan and the Japanese style decor stays alive. There are many ways in which this style of entryway has adapted in contemporary homes, and to fit the needs of the homeowner. Some interpretations "might have tile or concrete floors, rather than earthen, but the space and level change is still very much a part of contemporary Japanese design," explains Graham.

Removing one's layers and shoes before entering a home is a tradition that we see not only in Japan, but around the world as well. Having shoes lined up at the door is a sign that there is a gathering happening in your home, as Graham explains "the space at the front door with dozens of discarded slippers, sandals and shoes is a familiar and heart warming sight when entering the home of friends and family." The feeling of coming home is beautiful and cherished thing. A curated space by the front door provides a calming haven to transition between being in and out of the home.

How to Style a Genkan

Genkans are very much both a practical and experiential area. With this in mind, it is important to consider how your entryway will connect with the rest of your home, and how to include the components that are necessary to best serve you. You want to make your entryway feel cozy, so you should think about what it is that you would need in that space. A coat rack? A dish for keys? A bench or piece of furniture that you can rest belongings on? Keeping an organized and tidy space will help uphold the traditional idea of the entryway being a sacred and serene place.

Shoe storage is probably one of the most important aspects of a contemporary genkan, as not tracking in dirt is the main purpose of an entryway mudroom. "In modern homes, genkans now have built-in shoe storage and other useful storage units as well," says Amanda. Having a place to leave articles of clothing that you take off as you enter keeps them from plying up and causing clutter.

Again, keeping in mind how this fits into your space is important--function always comes first. "Depending on the size of the home, the genkan can be large enough to have a bench to sit on while taking on and off shoes, or even a closet to store jackets and garments," says Graham. Small entryway benches are a great way to cozy up the space, and create an environment that feels more conducive to greet guests in, if that is what you are after.

Using organic materials is one of the top ways to adhere to the traditional theme of a genkan as well. Materials like "tile, concrete, brick or stone floors that are weatherproof, durable, and can connect visually the exterior space with the first level of the genkan, are great ways to tie back to the earthen floors of the past," says Graham. Earth-found materials will also bring in a sense of the serenity present in nature. You could even try adding Japanese indoor plants to really draw back to the indoor-outdoor theme and introduce a pop of color. This is a subtle way to elevate the space, and still keep it easy to clean.

"Some of the most beautiful genkans I have seen have large paver stone floors with roughness and natural irregularities and shapes, juxtaposed with with the refined and smooth wood floors of the interior of the house," says Graham. Keeping balanced proportions is important to keep the entryway from becoming its own room entirely.

An entryway is not a room that you want to spend time in, but it still acts as a portal into the rest of your personal sanctuary. Genkans are entryways that are sleek, minimal, yet provide warmth and coziness to the home. As Graham says, "a well-designed genkan will hide the splendor of the rest of the house, but will still be inviting enough to create intrigue."

More Ways to Adorn Your Genkan