3 Benefits of Using a Shoe Mat in Your Apartment

While the welcome mat is a staple of houses all over the country, apartment users sometimes neglect to see the advantages of using a shoe mat in their apartment home. However, the shoe mat may actually be more useful in an apartment than in any other kind of home. Here are some of the main benefits to this nifty home accessory.

1. Decorative Elements

A shoe mat can be the first thing that visitors see about your home, even before they’ve knocked on your door, if it’s placed on the front step of your apartment. There are hundreds of options for shoe mats, thanks to the plethora of online stores. You can customize a shoe mat to say anything you want, whether it’s your last name (which can be very cute if a couple has recently wed) or is simply a short quote on your take on life, such as “Don’t worry. Be happy.” Buy a shoe mat with the photograph of your favorite band or movie logo as well.

Also, if you want to place a shoe mat in the foyer of your apartment, it can greatly enhance the decor. It can invite a theme to a “room” that’s typically bland in most apartment homes, the front walkway. The shoe mat can be a focal point at the entrance to your apartment. Choose a bold color or unusual design. Stores like the Music Stand allow musicians to get shoe mats featuring musical instrument or theatrical designs, while box stores offer a variety of decorative looks and colors.

2. Practical Uses

A shoe mat placed near the doorway reminds guests to wipe their feet, making sure that they don’t mess up your clean floors with muck from the bottom of their shoes. In the absence of a shoe mat, it just doesn’t often occur to people, in the excitement of arriving at your home and delighting in your company. If you have a garden or landscaping outside your apartment that people often step in before arriving at your apartment, you’ll be especially thankful for this little reminder.

3. Diversify Your Apartment

A shoe mat can add some much-needed diversity to the flooring of your apartment. For example, if you have all hardwood floors, a carpeted shoe mat can provide something soft to greet your feet as you step into the door, if you also have a shoe rack by the door for people to leave their shoes in upon entering your apartment. It can also spice up the look of the apartment, through the contrast of the soft carpet against the hardwood floor.

The opposite is also true. If you have a fully carpeted apartment, consider using a wooden shoe mat. This can provided a striking separation from the rest of the flooring, making the shoe mat stand out and also making a strong decorative statement. By having simply a couple of things in the entrance room match the floor mat in color or texture, it can add a whole new dimension to the most trafficked living space in your apartment home.