How To Design a Luxury Entryway in Your Custom New Home Construction

The entryway is your home’s first impression, and for many homeowners, it’s important to make a striking statement. Especially when you’re investing in a luxury custom home, you want it to exude luxury and sophistication from the moment you walk in the door, which is why so many homeowners are placing special emphasis on designing a high-end entryway.

At our 45 White Oak project, we had the chance to construct a multi-million dollar entry that included everything from a custom staircase and plaster walls to a stunning skylight that floods the space with natural light. If you’re seeking inspiration for your custom new home construction, here are some ideas for a luxury entryway to get you started.

Plaster Staircase

Plaster staircases serve as a stunning focal point in any luxury entryway, adding a sculptural touch that is simultaneously ultra-modern and warm. Whereas traditional stair railings force you to choose between metal materials or wooden finishes, a plaster staircase eliminates any clunky railings and instead blends seamlessly with your home’s walls and surrounding design.

The versatility of plaster allows you to customize the finish to better suit your home decor. You can add sweeping curves or intricate detailing and choose between a smooth or textured finish. Plaster can also easily be painted to perfectly complement your interior design, whether you want it to blend in with neutral walls or stand out as a pop of contrasting color. However you customize it, a plaster staircase instantly elevates the grandeur of your entryway and adds a timeless architectural element that will wow everyone who visits.

LED Lighting

Integrating LED lighting into your entryway design is a great way to enhance ambiance and improve your home’s energy efficiency. LED lighting is known for its longevity and low energy consumption, making it an eco-friendly choice that many homeowners love as a primary lighting source. However, LED’s numerous benefits also mean that it can be installed in innovative and creative ways beyond just recessed ceiling lights.

In our 45 White Oak project, we incorporated LED lighting strips underneath the plaster staircase wall to enhance the ambiance, showcase the architectural feature, and emphasize the plaster’s movement and texture. By situating the lighting strips completely flush with the flooring and at the base of the staircase wall, the source of the lighting is hidden while the light itself subtly highlights the entryway’s design. While you may have considered LED lighting strips for your kitchen cabinets or shower nooks, strategically incorporating them into your entryway design can give it a luxury touch that adds a subtle wow factor.

Seamless Built-In Handrails

Another small, subtle detail that can make a big impact is seamless, built-in handrails. In this design, stainless steel or wooden handrails seem to come out of the wall itself, with no visible hardware or brackets. This creates less visual clutter, resulting in clean lines and a minimalist appearance.

In our 45 White Oak project, we achieved this by installing the standoffs inside of the wall, attaching it directly to blocking. Once blueboard and plaster were added to finish the wall, all you can see is a stainless steel rod coming seamlessly out of the wall — a small detail that exudes luxury and modernism.

Architectural Skylight

If you want to create a feeling of grandeur when guests step into your entryway, enveloping them in a wash of natural light from above is an effective way to achieve this. By flooding the space with natural light from a skylight, you’ll create an open and airy atmosphere that makes the space feel even bigger than it really is. The natural daylight also enhances the visual appeal of your interior finishes and reduces the need for artificial lighting during the day, helping your home become more energy-efficient.

If you want your luxury custom home to truly feel luxurious, go above and beyond the traditional flat skylight with a more unique architectural design. At our 45 White Oak project, our 9x9’ skylight was surrounded by angled walls on three sides and a vertical wall on one side, drawing the eye up to the skylight. We also covered those walls, in the space above the second floor, with the same siding we used on the exterior of the home to create the feeling of the indoors transitioning to the outdoors as you look up toward the sky. 

Energy-Efficient Heat Return

If you have an entryway that’s open to the second or even third floors — especially with a skylight at the top — heat will naturally rise and get trapped near the ceiling. For a luxury finish that uses resources more efficiently, ask your luxury home builders about a custom heat return system.

In our 45 White Oak project, for example, we installed multiple returns behind the shingles decorating the skylight area. These returns pull warmer air from the top of the entryway, redistributing it throughout the home. This helps minimize temperature inconsistencies and keeps the entire home comfortable year-round. 

If you’re seeking a luxury new home construction experience, NS Builders is here to help. We pledge to be your lifelong partner in the home renovation journey, working alongside you to create a custom home that fosters decades of happy memories for you and your loved ones. No matter your design goals, our team of award-winning home builders has the knowledge, resources, and experience to turn your dream home into a reality. Let us show you the difference that our commitment to excellence and client satisfaction can make. Give us a call at 774-381-7821 or contact us online and book a design consultation for your custom new home construction or luxury home remodeling today.