Some spaces tell you almost immediately that they need a little more thought. For me, our entryway was one of them.

When we moved into our home, the entrance was completely empty. The walls were plain, the space felt raw and cold, and the low ceiling made everything feel a little more closed in than I wanted.

And because this is the first space we see when we come home—and the first glimpse guests get of our home—I didn’t want it to feel like a forgotten passageway.

I wanted it to feel warm. Welcoming. And most importantly, like it belonged to the rest of our home.

So began my small entryway makeover.

It wasn’t a dramatic renovation or an expensive redesign. It was a series of fairly simple decisions involving wallpaper, wall moulding, lighting, furniture and accessories. But together, those decisions completely changed how the space feels.

Here’s how it came together—and a few things I learned along the way.

The Biggest Challenge: Decorating an Entryway With a Low Ceiling

My biggest challenge wasn’t actually the size of the entryway. It was the low ceiling.

With a low-ceiling space, I knew I had to be careful about making the walls feel visually heavy. I wanted to add character, but I didn’t want that character to come at the expense of making an already low space feel even more enclosed.

The other problem was that there was simply nothing there.

No furniture. No architectural detail. No warmth.

That gave me a completely blank canvas, which sounds wonderful until you actually have to decide what to do with it!

My starting point became quite simple: keep the overall palette light and add interest through texture, lighting and carefully chosen details instead of relying on dark colours.

A tip for decorating a low-ceiling entryway

If you’re working with a similar space, think about visual weight before choosing your wall colour or wallpaper.

Dark colours can be beautiful, but in a compact space with a low ceiling, they can make the walls feel heavier. A lighter palette can help the room feel more open while you introduce personality through wallpaper patterns, mouldings, mirrors, lighting and décor.

Starting With the Console and Mirror

The console and round mirror became the starting point for the entire entryway.

Both are from Home Centre Bahrain.

I didn’t want to fill a relatively narrow entrance with too much furniture, so having one main console gave the space a focal point without making it feel crowded.

The round mirror helped break up all the straight lines of the walls and console, while also reflecting light around the entrance.

But even after adding them, something was missing.

The entryway had furniture—but it still didn’t have enough character.

And that’s when I started thinking seriously about the walls.

Paint or Wallpaper? The Decision That Changed the Space

This was probably the decision I debated the most.

Should I simply paint the walls and keep everything understated?

Or should I use wallpaper?

Paint would certainly have been the safer and simpler option. In fact, there were moments when I wondered whether I was overthinking the whole thing.

But every time I looked at the space, I came back to the same feeling: it needed texture and personality.

A plain painted wall would have looked neat, but I wasn’t convinced it would give this particular space the warmth I was looking for.

So I chose wallpaper.

Because the ceiling was already low, I deliberately stayed away from anything very dark or visually heavy. I chose a subtle, light-toned wallpaper that added texture without overwhelming the small entryway.

And that one decision changed the character of the space almost immediately.

Would I Choose the Same Wallpaper Today?

Interestingly, I wouldn’t style the wall differently if I were doing the makeover again.

I still love the wallpaper, moulding, mirror and lighting combination.

The one thing I might change is the type of wallpaper.

Today, there are some beautiful scenic and botanical mural wallpapers available featuring delicate trees, foliage, birds, peacocks and nature-inspired motifs. I think one of those could look lovely here while still keeping the overall colours soft.

At the time I was doing this makeover, however, online deliveries to Bahrain were disrupted, which made ordering the wallpaper I had in mind difficult. Rather than leaving the project unfinished indefinitely, I decided to work with what I could find locally.

My wallpaper came from a local shop at Dragon Mart, and in the end, I’m glad I didn’t allow the search for the “perfect” wallpaper to hold up the entire makeover.

That’s probably one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned while decorating my own home: sometimes you have to stop searching for perfect and start working with what’s actually available to you.

Adding Wall Moulding and Sconces

Once the wallpaper was in place, I wanted to give the wall a little more structure.

That’s where the wall mouldings and sconces came in.

The mouldings added subtle architectural detail and helped make the wall feel intentional rather than simply decorated.

For lighting, I chose sconces from Noon Bahrain.

The best part? They’re wireless and rechargeable.

That meant I could create the look of wall-mounted lighting without having to plan new electrical points or run visible wires.

For anyone decorating a rental—or simply trying to avoid major electrical work—rechargeable wall sconces can be a very practical way of adding layered lighting.The sconces also gave me something I felt the entryway had been missing from the beginning: warmth.

During the day, the wallpaper and mirror add character. In the evening, the lighting completely changes the mood.

Styling the Console Without Making It Feel Overdone

With the main elements in place, it was finally time for my favourite part: styling.

But this part took some trial and error.

I already owned the Buddha face lamp, and I knew I wanted to use it here. Rather than buying an entirely new collection of décor, I worked around it and experimented with different accessories until the console started to feel balanced.

I added vases and a few decorative pieces from Home Centre Bahrain, but I resisted the temptation to fill every empty surface.

That was important.

In a small entryway, more décor doesn’t necessarily mean more character. Sometimes it simply means more visual clutter.

A few pieces with enough scale and breathing room between them can make the space feel much more considered.

If your console styling never seems quite right, try removing something before buying something new. Then look at the height, scale and shape of what’s left.

You may find that the problem isn’t that you’re missing an accessory—it’s that too many small pieces are competing for attention.

The Rug Was the Finishing Layer

One of the final additions was the rug, also from Home Centre Bahrain.

It might seem like a small detail compared with wallpaper or lighting, but textiles can completely change how a hard, empty space feels.

The rug softened the entrance visually and helped anchor the console area.

If your entryway feels cold even after you’ve added furniture, look at what’s happening at floor level. A rug can introduce softness and texture without requiring another piece of furniture or more accessories.

What Did My Entryway Makeover Cost?

One of the nicest surprises was that some of the changes that made the biggest visual difference weren’t particularly expensive.

The wallpaper cost BHD 17, including installation, and the roll was approximately 15.5 metres.

I also paid around BHD 20 in handyman charges for work that included fixing the lights and wall mouldings.

Those figures don’t represent the complete cost of everything you see in the finished entryway. The console, mirror, rug and various accessories were purchased separately, and I already owned some pieces, including the Buddha face lamp.

But I think it’s useful to share these costs because a room transformation doesn’t always require replacing everything you own.

Sometimes changing the backdrop and lighting is what finally makes the things you already have work together.

Where Everything Is From

The console, round mirror, rug, vases and several decorative accessories are from Home Centre Bahrain.

The wallpaper was sourced locally from Dragon Mart.

The wireless rechargeable sconces are from Noon Bahrain.

I deliberately mixed pieces from different places rather than trying to buy everything as a matching collection. I find that this helps a home feel more collected and personal rather than overly coordinated.

What This Makeover Taught Me About Small Entryways

Looking back, there are a few things I’d repeat if I were decorating another small, low-ceiling entryway.

Keep the main wall treatment relatively light. You don’t have to choose plain white, but be conscious of how much visual weight you’re adding to a low space.

Use texture when you don’t want lots of colour. Wallpaper, wall moulding, rugs and warm lighting can give a neutral room plenty of character.

Don’t underestimate lighting. The sconces don’t just decorate the wall—they change how the entire entrance feels in the evening.

Use fewer, more intentional accessories. A small entrance needs breathing room just as much as it needs decoration.

And finally, don’t decorate simply to fill empty spaces.

This was probably the biggest lesson for me.

Every wall doesn’t need something. Every surface doesn’t need an accessory. The goal isn’t to fill a room; it’s to create a space that feels right when you live in it.

Before & After: The Difference Isn’t Just What You See

When I compare the before and after photographs now, the physical changes are obvious.

The empty walls have wallpaper and moulding. There is a console and mirror. There are sconces, a rug, vases and accessories.

But for me, that’s not really the biggest transformation.

It’s the feeling I get when I walk through the door.

Before, the entrance felt plain, cold and disconnected from the rest of our home.

Today, it has warmth and character. More importantly, it feels like it has been styled with thought rather than created randomly.

And that was what I wanted all along.

I didn’t need my entryway to be grand or perfect. I simply wanted the first few steps into our home to feel welcoming.

Sometimes creating that feeling doesn’t require a huge renovation.

It just takes a series of thoughtful little decisions.

What would you have chosen for this entryway—a simple painted wall, subtle wallpaper like mine, or a statement botanical or scenic mural? I’d love to know in the comments.

And if you’re working on your own small entryway, save or share this post for when you’re ready to start your makeover.