Give your Hallway some TLC
The hallway. It is a space that introduces your guests to your home, the threshold to your personal space. However, in most cases it is left bare, lifeless and a little boring. Many people struggle with the hallway or entrance because it is an awkward narrow space that is mainly there for function. Do not let the size put you off putting your personality into the space as the hallway can be very decorative and a showstopper in itself.
Photo: Wealdentimes
A hallway does have to be functional. Keys, post and bits and bobs need to be put somewhere. In addition, shoes and coats need to be stored and a mirror is always useful to have to make sure you don’t have food on your face or lipstick smeared everywhere, (we have all been there). However, these functional needs can be made decorative and showcased in a ‘pretty’ manner. So without further a do, let's go!
Photo: Pinterest
Storage units and solutions come in an abundance of looks fit for any home design: rustic, traditional, modern, muted, bold. Benches are a great solution as not only do they create a space to store shoes underneath, they also provide a seat when putting your shoes on. Baskets and storage boxes are also a great way to hide all the bits that you don’t want to be seen by your guests: gloves, scarfs, dog leads. Think of innovative ways to store your belongings. Vintage suitcases, vintage grocery boxes or even plant pots will all add some flare to your space.
Photo: LovetoHome
A console table is always a good idea or if that is too big, a floating shelf. It always makes sense to have somewhere to store your keys and post in a handy location near the door. If you want to keep clutter to a minimum, utilising the space under your stairs is a great solution. Add coat racks, shelving units, and turn it into a mini cloakroom.
Now that function has been check-listed off, we can get onto the exciting aspect – decorating!
Photo: Wealdentimes
The hallway is normally narrow and corridor-like. Especially in the majority of London terraced properties, they all hold the same layout. One of the first proposals would be to enhance the space with lighting. Lighting can drastically change a room. If you have high ceilings, think about a chandelier or decorative showstopper. The light that would be created, especially if reflected off a mirror, would be dazzling. If your ceilings are low, then LED downlights are always a safe bet. A little design tip to make your narrow hall feel bigger, is to place a large mirror on one wall, and then on the opposite wall, place LED downlights positioned so that they are shining light on the wall opposite the mirrored. This light will spatially make the room appear bigger through illusion.
Photo: uponathread.co.uk
Another way to brighten up your hallway, would be to go for a white painted wooden floor. Obviously marking and ageing would occur but embrace it and go for the shabby-chic look – vintage and very fashionable at the moment with its beachy rugged look.
Photo: Pinterest
You may think that a hallway being windowless and dark already would mean staying away from dark colours. However, going bold in your entrance can be truly beautiful. As stated before, your entrance way is the first thing you and your guests see of your home so make it a wow factor and go bold! Dark colours and highly patterned wallpapers can look amazing – Cole and Son, Osborne and Co., and Andrew Martin have some beautifully eccentric wallpapers.
Photo: Cole and Son
If that is too much of a leap for you, and you would prefer a more toned down but still cool vibe, a colourful or patterned stair runner is a great look to add personality to your hallway. One step further would be to take a colour from your runner and paint your banister in that shade. This will round off the entire look.
Photo: homedit.com
Adding wall panelling to your hallway is another great look, especially for the more traditional house. In addition, wall panelling will tone down the look if you have gone for a bold wallpaper as the wallpaper will not cover the full wall.
Photo: Pinterest
Bring some 3-dimension to your entrance. Create a gallery wall with the use of decorative items, prints, artwork, photos, enlarged clocks.
Photo: Pinterest
And finally, do not forget about your front door. Many people paint the outside of their door in beautiful, bright colours. Do the same for the inside of your door. It is the last thing you will see before leaving your home so make it a feature that you smile about.
Happy Tuesday everyone,
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