Is your living room (and a week's worth of mess) put on immediate display the minute you open your front door? Interior designer Laura McDonald, IIDA/ASID, shares four super (and simple!) design ideas to help you create a welcoming entrance without remodeling the room.

Screen Savvy
A standing screen is an easy way to create a division between spaces without calling in the contractor. Not only will it visually shield adjacent spaces upon arrival, but it will also set the decorative tone of your home since it will be one of the first things guests see when they walk through your door.

Bookcase Barrier
Whether partial- or full-height, a deep, open bookcase creates a substantial divider that provides prime display space for eye-catching collections, beautiful books, family photos or a variety of beloved accessories. Display a fashionable bowl or tray to collect keys, change and other small, everyday items as you pass in and out of the front door.

Fabric Effect
Drapery panels hung from the ceiling are another simple method to delineate an entryway from the main room. Either mount the curtain rod directly to the ceiling or use a hospital-type track, which you can now find in curved configurations. This option allows you to change the look and feel with the seasons: something light, airy and sheer for spring and summer versus something heavy, cozy and opaque in autumn and winter.

In the Shade
A roll-up window shade hung from the ceiling is a quick fix for a nonexistent foyer. Choose your width (from a narrow two-foot to a wide six-foot) and your material (bamboo, painted canvas, polished cotton), then securely fasten it to the ceiling. Leave it down a majority of the time to act as a screen or roll it up when you require the space to be more open, such as during a cocktail party.