A space too small for three busy kids.

The tight entryway lacked character and didn't have enough room to take off shoes and boots, and the closet (left) was too small to be useful.

Sally removed the closet to make room for a small bench.

Make the most of a small entryway by creating a pretty and practical storage spot. A modern bench acts as convenient seating and offers a space to tuck away shoes beneath it. Wall hooks on either side of the bench keep bags and coats out of the way.

Take a video tour of Sally Armstrong’s home on Online TV, plus see more photos of this home in our photo gallery. Plus see more organized front halls in this photo gallery.

The dark walls separated this room from the other bright rooms on the main floor.

The dark blue walls in the dining room seemed out of date, and Sally was tired of the white dining set.

Black pendant lights and chairs add contrast to the white walls and table.

Sally traded dark blue walls for bright white paint and two walls of graphic yet soft Eskayel wallpaper. The dated floors were updated with timeless stained oak in a herringbone pattern.

Art adds interest to white walls.

A floating fuchsia sideboard and a friend's photography break up the white walls. Flowering plants in the window also add a pop of colour.

The sunken family room beyond interrupted flow.

The kitchen had a functional layout, but the cabinets and appliances were dated.

A raised floor makes for a better layout.

Sally splurged on one unbroken line of custom cabinets and built-ins along one long wall (left), visually joining the two spaces together.

A functional space for a busy family.

Clean white cabinets extend to custom built-ins in the family room (right). The wall of cabinetry creates flow from one area to the next. New appliances, like a kid-accessible microwave, make rushed dinners a breeze.

Open shelving allows for casual displays.

Combining open and closed storage is practical for family living. The top shelves are perfect for magazines and objets, and the cupboards below hide DVDs, photo albums and extra glassware.

The coat closet cluttered the family room.

The drafty side door opened directly into the sunken family room, and the placement of the closet made for hectic coming and going.

A custom sofa fits the new space perfectly.

Consider splurging on a custom sofa to suit your space. H&H senior design editor Sally Armstrong ordered her sectional from Silva in a silvery grey fabric she picked out herself. It’s a trim shape, but it’s comfy and casual enough for the whole family to pile onto for movie night. The carved-wood coffee table and eclectic pillows strike an exotic note.

Take a video tour of this home on Online TV, plus see more photos in our photo gallery.

More square footage maximizes storage.

A small addition allowed H&H senior design editor Sally Armstrong to add a mudroom at the side entrance of her home to accommodate her three busy kids. “I asked for open shelving so I could add storage buckets in playful printed fabrics — one for each person in the family,” she says. Dark hexagonal tiles on the floor conceal mud tracked in from boots. A bench seat upholstered in a bright yellow pattern adds a hit of colour.

Take a video tour of this home on Online TV, plus see more photos in our photo gallery.