Essential Style Tricks to Give Your Hallway a Boost
Turn this often neglected space into something special with these inspirational design ideas
Laura Wheat
25 January 2016
Houzz UK Contributor. Freelance Journalist and interiors obsessive, newly ensconced in a handsome Edwardian semi on top of a hill.
Houzz UK Contributor. Freelance Journalist and interiors obsessive, newly ensconced... More
You pass through your hallway multiple times a day, but it’s unlikely to be somewhere you spend any significant time. Consequently, this crucial corridor to the outside world probably gets the least love of any room in the house.
However, it’s the first thing visitors see as they enter your home and a hallway that’s poorly decorated or neglected will probably make your heart sink every time you walk through the front door. So check out these 10 clever styling tips and turn this forgotten part of your home into somewhere truly memorable.
However, it’s the first thing visitors see as they enter your home and a hallway that’s poorly decorated or neglected will probably make your heart sink every time you walk through the front door. So check out these 10 clever styling tips and turn this forgotten part of your home into somewhere truly memorable.
Highlight wonderful woodwork
If you’re lucky enough to have a home with beautifully deep skirting boards or a statement staircase, consider punctuating your scheme by painting the woodwork in a contrasting colour. Think carefully about where your paint will start and stop – door frames look best when they’re the same colour on both sides – and aim for consistency throughout the house.
If you’re lucky enough to have a home with beautifully deep skirting boards or a statement staircase, consider punctuating your scheme by painting the woodwork in a contrasting colour. Think carefully about where your paint will start and stop – door frames look best when they’re the same colour on both sides – and aim for consistency throughout the house.
Make magic with mirrors
It’s an oldie but a goody – mirrors help to reflect light and enhance the feeling of space in a small hallway. This piece of mirror has been specially cut to fit neatly into the wall at the foot of the stairs. Not only is it a smart design trick, it also creates the perfect place to check your hair before dashing out of the door.
Explore 10 ways to make mirrors work wonders
It’s an oldie but a goody – mirrors help to reflect light and enhance the feeling of space in a small hallway. This piece of mirror has been specially cut to fit neatly into the wall at the foot of the stairs. Not only is it a smart design trick, it also creates the perfect place to check your hair before dashing out of the door.
Explore 10 ways to make mirrors work wonders
Add a natural touch
Fresh or potted flowers, or even a vase of simple green foliage from the garden, will work wonders to inject a bit of life into your hallway.
Consider placing a scent diffuser or candle in your hall, too, to ensure your guests are welcomed with a sweet-smelling entryway, rather than a pile of smelly shoes!
Fresh or potted flowers, or even a vase of simple green foliage from the garden, will work wonders to inject a bit of life into your hallway.
Consider placing a scent diffuser or candle in your hall, too, to ensure your guests are welcomed with a sweet-smelling entryway, rather than a pile of smelly shoes!
Switch on stylish lighting
Hallway lighting is notoriously difficult to get right and the choice available can feel bewildering. For a modest space, look at simple pendant styles with glass surrounds to allow lots of light transfer; lantern designs work well, as they often have multiple bulbs, or try a bare bulb design like this.
Bear in mind how you’ll maintain consistency with your upstairs landing – use either the same style of light fixture or try simple spotlights on a dimmer for a subtle effect.
Hallway lighting is notoriously difficult to get right and the choice available can feel bewildering. For a modest space, look at simple pendant styles with glass surrounds to allow lots of light transfer; lantern designs work well, as they often have multiple bulbs, or try a bare bulb design like this.
Bear in mind how you’ll maintain consistency with your upstairs landing – use either the same style of light fixture or try simple spotlights on a dimmer for a subtle effect.
Maximise light
There’s always a lot going on in the hallway area – anything from multiple doorways, colour schemes showing from adjacent rooms to dado rails, coving, stained glass and tiled flooring – all of which can make for a very busy scheme.
If you’re wondering how to marry so many different elements and maximise light in a narrow hallway, go back to basics and opt for classic white. Choosing the same shade for the walls and ceiling will create a calm and soothing space.
Lighten up your hallway by discovering all of these wonderful white hallways.
There’s always a lot going on in the hallway area – anything from multiple doorways, colour schemes showing from adjacent rooms to dado rails, coving, stained glass and tiled flooring – all of which can make for a very busy scheme.
If you’re wondering how to marry so many different elements and maximise light in a narrow hallway, go back to basics and opt for classic white. Choosing the same shade for the walls and ceiling will create a calm and soothing space.
Lighten up your hallway by discovering all of these wonderful white hallways.
Ditch the default door colour
It’s not just the exterior of your front door that makes an important style statement – the inside colour can have an impact on the overall look of your hallway, too. In this scheme, the stunning cement tiles and stained glass elements take centre stage, while matching the door paint to the wall panelling ensures cohesion.
If your hall lacks a focal point, consider opting for a bold front door colour both inside and out, or match the door to the stair runner for a colour prompt that works both when you’re leaving and returning to the house.
It’s not just the exterior of your front door that makes an important style statement – the inside colour can have an impact on the overall look of your hallway, too. In this scheme, the stunning cement tiles and stained glass elements take centre stage, while matching the door paint to the wall panelling ensures cohesion.
If your hall lacks a focal point, consider opting for a bold front door colour both inside and out, or match the door to the stair runner for a colour prompt that works both when you’re leaving and returning to the house.
Plump for picturesque panelling
If you feel your hallway or landing lacks character, painted wall panelling could be the answer. Regency-inspired designs like this are fairly simple to make using MDF and stick-on moulding, or it’s possible to buy ready-made panels in different styles online and in DIY stores.
If you feel your hallway or landing lacks character, painted wall panelling could be the answer. Regency-inspired designs like this are fairly simple to make using MDF and stick-on moulding, or it’s possible to buy ready-made panels in different styles online and in DIY stores.
Select slimline storage
Storage near the front door is always a good idea – but only if it’s tidy and practical. Narrow console tables, slim shelves and specially designed skinny shoe cabinets can all help to keep your entryway clutter-free.
However, if there’s room to spare, built-in storage wins every time. This clever cupboard features a sliding door to avoid encroaching onto the hallway space.
Storage near the front door is always a good idea – but only if it’s tidy and practical. Narrow console tables, slim shelves and specially designed skinny shoe cabinets can all help to keep your entryway clutter-free.
However, if there’s room to spare, built-in storage wins every time. This clever cupboard features a sliding door to avoid encroaching onto the hallway space.
Try a transformative stair runner
A boldly patterned stair runner adds the ‘wow’ factor as soon as you walk through the front door, particularly if the rest of the scheme is kept simple. Look out for midcentury-inspired geometric styles or classic stripes for a contemporary but elegant look.
Find more great stair runners and carpeted stairs by checking out our staircase photos.
A boldly patterned stair runner adds the ‘wow’ factor as soon as you walk through the front door, particularly if the rest of the scheme is kept simple. Look out for midcentury-inspired geometric styles or classic stripes for a contemporary but elegant look.
Find more great stair runners and carpeted stairs by checking out our staircase photos.
Accent with art
Use artwork as a visual cue in narrow spaces to lead you through the hallway and into the home. Choose pieces in a similar style and identical frames for a graphic quality, or compose a gallery wall of different sizes and styles for a more eclectic effect.
TELL US…
How have you made your hall welcoming? Share your tips or photos in the Comments below.
Use artwork as a visual cue in narrow spaces to lead you through the hallway and into the home. Choose pieces in a similar style and identical frames for a graphic quality, or compose a gallery wall of different sizes and styles for a more eclectic effect.
TELL US…
How have you made your hall welcoming? Share your tips or photos in the Comments below.
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You give, as always very good ideas but you have not given any suggestions where to put a shoe rack in your latest photos.
Maybe you could help ??
Thank you for all your wonderful ideas so far !
Mrs I. Klynman
Console tables, interesting table lightts.