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Need advice for my hall & stairs! Please :)

9 years ago

I'm looking for some design ideas for our hall and stairs. We painted the doors in dark mint and want ivory on the walls to make the hall warm and light. There is space under the stairs and we will use the wall on the right to hang our bikes as we don't have any other place for them. However, not sure what to do with the wall facing the entrance. We need a radiator on it and can't really cover it as we struggle with heating up the house. So really we need great colours and decorations. Any ideas? :)

Featured Answer

PRO

Alternative Flooring

9 years ago

melaniestevensuk we completely agree! We love to add pattern and interest to spaces and what better way than a statement pattern or stripe on stairs with a complementing plain on the floor!

Comments (21)

hortonhearsawho2013
9 years ago
Get a traditional style radiator cover to blend with the house architecture and then paint it in the same mint colour (or if you have the cash then check out the original style radiators and paint that). Above this you could get a unique piece of artwork (or three smaller ones) or if you want something functional, how about getting a long vintage frame, boarding and wallpapering the back of it in some wow factor paper that links in with the mint, adding hooks and using it for your keys? Love the colour, very eclectic! If you go with the key hook idea, you could pull other colours from the wallpaper that you choose and have a drum light shade in a diffferent colour (am thinking pinky purple)
William Staples
9 years ago
Hi there! I've stumbled across this trouble of hall and stairs a couple of times, and my solution has always been to add some vibrant paintings and or artwork to hang from wall just beside the stairs, also if your hall and stairs is the first impression of you house, it's obviously something you would like to stand out, I'm very fond of a modern white or a turquoise paint to add to the walls, it looks like you have a brilliant space to work on and Id be happy to hear more as you get nearer to completion! Cheers Will
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louisep2012
9 years ago
Looks a great house! What are you planning for the floors? I keep imagining a striped staircase and some black and bronze colours coming in somewhere?
If you need a radiator but cant cover it you can buy radiator shelves...or better yet a slim console table that you can pop a vase of flowers on or something similar which would sit just over the radiator.
louisep2012
9 years ago
http://houzz.com/photos/18633248

I would use artwork as suggested rather than the mirror that is in this pic, but the radiator looks great!
Anna
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank for all comments :) really helpful! we will go for ivory walls and light wooden floor. Not sure yet about the colour of the carpet on the stairs. The wall will get a vertical white radiator on the right side and a little table with decor and a rustical mirror :)
melaniestevensuk
9 years ago
A striped stair carpet, either vertical or horizontal would add depth. There are some fanatics colours and styles out there.
Tani H-S
9 years ago
A fabulous column bench radiator would work in your space! It's basically a seating bench but the base is a radiator. We bought one and it's great. It means you only lose a bit of floor space but it's warm to sit on when coming in from the cold and changing shoes etc. Plus then it leaves the wall free for coats or a nice vintage rack.
toffilux
9 years ago
I think I would use the space under the stairs for storing the bikes as it would be less intrusive. hope it all goes well.
Maryam Sinaiee
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I have a similar hallway. We put a shelf above the radiator and hung a big mirror there which greatly lightens up the space and makes it look so much bigger. Here is a pic. A radiator cover pained the same color as the wall will also look great. We later covered the radiator pipes with something silvery coloured that easily slides on the pipes so they don't look as ugly as in this picture and put an umbrella stand in the left corner to balance the look.
gam78
9 years ago
Hi Anna, by the look of the work you have already done to the hallway you don't seem to mind the use of nice vibrant colours, nice!! I would go for a light grey for walls or off white. The wall where you want to put a radiator, have you considered looking for a reclaimed cast iron one? The older the better, and that will be the statement in that wall. Under the stairs, you could try and hang your bikes instead of the right wall, but if they don't fit, hanging them where you suggested will give a young, trendy, cosmopolitan look to your entrance hall, so why not to make a feature out of it? The stairs, perhaps you want to do a search on line with deco for staircases, you will find loads of ideas of how to paint your stairs or give them a cool look without a carpet! Why not paint raisers on gradient Pantone Colors taking the one from your doors as the starting point? The rest of the flooring in the hallway, keep it light ! Warm accents can be given by small deco pieces along your hallway. Whatever you do, post a pic to see the final result! And enjoy the process!
Ciara Mulgrew
9 years ago
Yes I would like advice on what colour to paint my kitchen moving away slightly from neutrals my cabinets are oak my counters are granite in Browns and creams you could put any colour with them and there'd still blend in the bottom half of the walls are panelled
crowningfashion
8 years ago
I would put a mirror there. My reason for this is because it will seem lighter and bounce light, but also when you have visitors one of the first things they will see are themselves, and as they like what they see they subconsciously start feeling at home as they have identified with what they saw when they entered. Thus they feel welcome and hopefully will want to visit again!
louisep2012
8 years ago
Do you have any updates?
Lauren
8 years ago
I agree with Catherine a vertical column radiator in either white or anthracite grey would look fantastic and since we have one in our kitchen I can attest to how much heat they blast out - especially important for a hallway. People always comment on how good it looks.

I'd put a large mirror and smaller art prints on the other walls to liven the space up.
PRO
Caldicot Kitchen & Bathroom Centre
8 years ago
A vertical column radiator would indeed be a good option, and I like the anthracite idea. Alternatively, if you could find a traditional tall victorian radiator (may not be easy to source) and finish it in a bronze/verdigris, it could work really well with your dark mint and would be a real statement!

Your staircase is lovely, and I would go with a contemporary striped runner, white painted sides and a simple rod.
Ciara Mulgrew
8 years ago
I think you need to keep it bright with light colours paint the stairs run carpet up the middle and if you choose the right carpet it will be the main feature the hall is to narrow to start putting anything in and a original radiator would be all you need plus the right carpet
PRO
LN4 Architectural Design Services
7 years ago
A column radiator that incorporated a mirror worked well on one of our jobs
PRO
V.I.P Walls Interior Specialist
7 years ago
We would love to instal our traditional wall paneling to this hall and stairs. Would really set the look your going for off and offer a real class touch.
whippet girl
7 years ago
Could you install some stained glass above the kitchen door, picking colours to match your decor?
We put some plain glass in to brighten our very narrow hall, but can't show you as camera isn't working at the moment!
PRO
Feature Radiators
7 years ago
Following on from the suggestions above, here are some images to illustrate. Let me know if you need any more information.

Etonian cast iron radiators · More Info

Heating and seating combined! · More Info

Radiators for hallways - restricted depth · More Info

Radiators for hallways - restricted depth · More Info

Radiators in narrow spaces · More Info

Radiators in narrow spaces · More Info

Radiators in rural settings · More Info

Radiators in rural settings · More Info

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