Barkway House Foyer Renovation | Mosemann Design Studio

Barkway House - Foyer, Reducing the closet door created space for an additional step and, together with a new handrail, improved access to the main floor. New flooring, oak treads, and sage paint complete the contemporary update.

Reducing the closet door created space for an additional step and, together with a new handrail, improved access to the main floor. New flooring, oak treads, and sage paint complete the contemporary update.

Barkway House - Foyer - New Front Door, A new craftsman style front door provided a weather-tight seal, eliminating cold winter drafts while improving comfort on the main floor and overall energy efficiency.

A new craftsman style front door provided a weather-tight seal, eliminating cold winter drafts while improving comfort on the main floor and overall energy efficiency.

Barkway House - Foyer - From Living Room, undefined

Barkway House - Foyer - Before, BEFORE: Fewer, steeper steps and no handrail made access to the main floor more difficult, while dated flooring and finishes left the entry in need of an update.

BEFORE: Fewer, steeper steps and no handrail made access to the main floor more difficult, while dated flooring and finishes left the entry in need of an update.

Barkway House - Foyer - Front Door Before, BEFORE: The original front door lacked weather stripping because of the height of the existing flooring, allowing cold air into the foyer and making the main floor uncomfortably cold in winter.

BEFORE: The original front door lacked weather stripping because of the height of the existing flooring, allowing cold air into the foyer and making the main floor uncomfortably cold in winter.

Sketches of planned updates

The original foyer had two practical problems in this split-level home. The thick existing flooring interfered with the front door’s bottom weather seal, which had been removed and allowed cold air to enter the house during the winter. The two-foot elevation change to the living room also created a steep and difficult-to-navigate stair transition.

The renovation addressed both issues. New moisture-resistant luxury vinyl plank flooring, with a thinner profile than the original floor, provided the clearance needed for a new front door with a proper weather seal while offering a more durable surface for a high-traffic entryway. The closet door was reduced in width to make room for an additional step, reducing the rise of each step and creating a more comfortable transition into the living room.

Completed 2025