Please help! - Advice needed on Hallway

8 years ago

Hi there

I recently moved into a 1905 terrace and am starting to make my mark on it. However, I have drawn a blank on what to do with my Hallway and stairs. As you can see from the pics, its very narrow, and gets quite dark going up the stairs. So Im thinking a light colour,,,,but then I also love rich colours and think a darker paint would highlight the original cornicing nicely. Im also thinking of painting the floorboards, but am not sure what colour? So its really a blank slate - Ive stripped the wallpaper, ripped up the carpet (the stairs carpet will soon be gone!)...and am now at a loss. Please help :-)

Featured Answer

PRO

Property Reviver Ltd

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

I would do ceiling woodwork and cornices in white. For the walls you could consider a two tone effect using a light colour for the walls above the dado rail and then below the dado rail two or three tones darker from the same fan deck. Colour depends on what colour scheme you have chosen for the house. The floorboards in the hallway look to be in good condition from the picture so I suggest getting a floor specialist in to sand and re-seal them. As already suggested I would add a large mirror and some artwork. Also as already suggested a light colour carpet on the stairs, there are some fun stripped carpets to choose from if you fancy something a little different. Although a runner would be nice, from the picture, the stairs look a little too narrow. I would also recommend a statement light fitting such as this fabulous crystal ball chandelier pendant from BHS. It is on sale at the moment, original price was £300, sale price is £120 and it also looks as though there is a further 20% off until Sunday.

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Comments (22)

Brandi Nash Hicks
8 years ago
Bm decorators white on all trim doors and ceiling, try Bm raccoon for below the chai rail, I would stain the floors and paint the stairs Bm decorators white as well, dark stairs are a trip hazard...then you can find a carpet runner in a fun color or print
mcpeeple thanked Brandi Nash Hicks
headers13
8 years ago
What colours to you like as this will impact on the scheme. I would add a picture rail as I think it would have had one originally. What about doing a dark grey ceiling & carry on down to a picture rail. Then do the woodwork & cornices in white with pale grey on the walls. Dulux Grey Steel 3 or 4 for the walls (mixed) or grey pearl (off the shelf) & then Farrow & Ball plummet on the ceiling down to picture rail. Grey carpet. Add a very large mirror to reflect light back into the hall & add some interesting prints to the stairwell.
mcpeeple thanked headers13
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Agree with GD11 - a warm white or grey will work well all year. As you have a porch in front of the door that is limiting light coming in and especially in winter you will find some greens and blue very depressing. I would also ditch the stair gates. We had one for the first child and he kept playing with it, so we just taught him not to go near the stairs and he learned to bump, or more normally slide down the stairs. never bothered with a gate at all for my other kids. How nice is it not to have to open and close a gate every time you need to go up and down the stairs? It is only the illusion of safety.
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Without looking under the carpet its hard to say. That said its also the last job you should do in the house. You don't want tradesmen (or yourself) trucking muck onto a nice new runner whilst plastering/painting/sanding is still ongoing upstairs elsewhere. Any house built before 1940 is more likely to have nicer wooden treads. Often they are painted white just down the sides precisely because they would have had a runner previously. Newer homes can be hit or miss - worst case would be if they're ply or similar in which case you're pretty much restricted to just re-carpeting. Are you able to check the stair underside if you have a cupboard under the stairs? At least that'll confirm if they're solid wood. I stripped my stair carpet a while ago, taking it up is pretty easy - you just need a little patience. A flathead screwdriver is best for digging out staples whilst I found wedging a metal scraper between the gripper strip tacks and the floor, and then again using a flathead under the scraper to lever the strips up worked best (see pic). Give the stairs a good hoovering and wipe down, then use some wood filler (sometimes referred to as spackle) to fill in the holes left. Finally sand if needed (and if you want a perfect finish) and paint as desired - leave the middle as it won't be seen and so you can walk up and down when its drying. It took me an afternoon to remove the carpet, staples and gripper rods. Then another couple of hours to fill in the holes. I used Dulux Once Satinwood on the edges after priming which is very forgiving as it only needs one coat and levels itself so you don't get brushstrokes. Only downside is that its oil based so you need white spirit to clean the brushes. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ronseal-HPWFN550G-550g-Performance-Filler/dp/B001GU2H6S/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1506440774&sr=8-3&keywords=ronseal+wood+filler
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headers13
8 years ago
Like this

https://www.houzz.co.uk/photos/clapham-family-home-victorian-hallway-and-landing-london-phvw-vp~2349370
PRO
StairBox
8 years ago
Hi Mcpeeple!

First of all, add a wallrail to the staircase, this will make it substantially safer, but also add a little interest to the staircase, maybe something like this Rail in a Box?

Then on the staircase itself, maybe consider a lighter carpet, maybe a cream or light grey, this would add a little light to the hallway and make it more welcoming. I'd also echo headers13, some light prints on the stairwell would look great!
mcpeeple thanked StairBox
mcpeeple
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks so much Houzz-peeps - thee are all great suggestions....the colours I like are rich blues and greys. One thought I had was to paint the floor an inky-blue (like Stiffkey Blue) and everything else white, but then that might look a little 'clinical'. Im also thinking about a light sisal (or similar) carpet for the stairs....
Juliet Docherty
8 years ago
I would paint the walls a stone/olive colour like Little Green Portland Stone or F&B Old White. Definitely sisal on the stairs, it keeps its looks and is tough. Woodwork off white (white too clinical) and ceiling off white too (Pointing). Would the floor boards come up nicely with a bit of sanding?
mcpeeple thanked Juliet Docherty
mcpeeple
Original Author
8 years ago
The floorboards have potential (though Ive no experience of this). But Im guessing that the dark stain down each side will limit what i can do with them (ie paint, or stain darker). Or maybe not?
hortonhearsawho2013
8 years ago
why not paint the floor and the corbel features in a bluey grey and the rest in an off white and sisal carpet. You will need to have plenty of layers on the floor as it will be a high traffic area.
mcpeeple thanked hortonhearsawho2013
PRO
Amber Jeavons Ltd
8 years ago
Hello mcpeeple,

Lovely... First decide on the scheme you want and then work the colours accordingly.. So I like where you're thinking with this... I'd paint the ceilings whitening by Little Greene then give the floor a darker shade you want say grey for instance, then you can choose to compliment the bottom half of the wall up to dado rail with a slightly lighter shade..

Paint the above half in a lighter version still of said colour and then all wood work and details a darker shade which may be close to the floor or bottom half of the wall colour. I'd do the cornicing and all architrave on doors the same darker colour... If not grey then blue will also work in this way.. Hang a large mirror on the right.. Square really plain but old! Doesn't need a rail or anything just the dado is good! Paint the sides of the stairs and you could have some small mirrors going up the stairs to give some idea of space here... bounce light..

On to lighting...

https://www.jim-lawrence.co.uk/product/22961/deben-glass-pendant-light#3394AB

https://www.jim-lawrence.co.uk/product/22109/bellingham-pendant#3040AB

https://www.jim-lawrence.co.uk/product/16077/holborn-pendant-light#3316AB

https://www.jim-lawrence.co.uk/product/16024/bloomsbury-pendant-light

Some ideas... Wood work doesn't necessarily need to be white or cream it can be any shade you like that you want to compliment the walls with... I actually much prefer to see someone really embracing colour which include all the wood work, architraves and doors... Skirting too... So two images that give you an idea of how you can use colour in more interesting ways.. It adds a lot of class too... : ))

Dark dark...

Dark/ light & chalky!!
mcpeeple thanked Amber Jeavons Ltd
PRO
Property Reviver Ltd
8 years ago
I definitely recommend asking a wooden flooring specialist to advise on the floorboards. I have worked on several projects where I have called in the professionals. They can usually restore solid wooden floors to their former glory, I can't say for sure but I suspect they would be able to remove the painted strips at the sides. Worth asking.
mcpeeple thanked Property Reviver Ltd
PRO
Bespokeible
8 years ago
I agree with Brandi at the top. Paint everything white to really open up the space and a carpet runner in a fun colour with a stripe the length of the stairs.
mrshste
7 years ago
This hallway is virtually identical to mine, apart from the flooring (mine is tiled). We have just had it plastered and have given it one coat of white paint to brighten it up while we decide what to do. I will be following this thread for ideas and pictures of your lovely hallway!
PRO
V.I.P Walls Interior Specialist
7 years ago
We do just what your looking for ..... Check out these beautiful hallways . I would install some picture rail to really set it off.

Get in touch if you like what you see.

Kind regards

V.I.P Walls Team
Lou Laugh
7 years ago
This is what I did with mine, soft taupe/grey and fine strips on the carpet with an amazing radiator and some bold pics and on the landing upstairs, a large statement light and a darker grey. Zoffany paints, amazingly chalky but they do mark, so a high endurance paint is probably the best way forwards! Love the idea of staining or painting the hall floor. Mine wasn't good enough for this and I carpeted. Made it warmer when folks walked it and less hollow but had to be hoovered a lot!
PRO
Feature Radiators
7 years ago
I would recommend a skinny 2 column cast iron or steel column radiator. You can add some interest whilst not taking up any more space.
Radiators for hallways - restricted depth · More Info

Radiators for hallways - restricted depth · More Info
astridx
7 years ago
Hello Mcpeeple, I have a hallway/ staircase very similar to yours and I'm going through the same dilemmas. I wish my floorboards were in as good nick. Whilst I much prefer matt paint in my Victorian Terrace I have chose a silk for the hallway to try and bounce as much light around. Have you thought about a narrow radiator cover which would be cheaper then replacing your radiator but allows for a small shelf to dress in the hallway? Whilst I appreciate it's narrow you can remove it should you need to move larger items such as furniture. I'm also planning on dressing mine with a range of antique mirrors all of different shapes. As you will know the mirrors should give the impression of more space. Good luck with your project!
PRO
re-decorate
7 years ago
have you considered a wallpaper... I know I often mention wallpapers but they are amazingly resillient if you get a good one. I have a paper in my own hall that has been up for 9 years and has outlived the paint by a long chalk.

Wipeable, and strong, and there are so many that have a little bit of opalescence or metallics that will bounce a bit more light about. Doesn't have to be a pattern, could be a texture to keep in your colour palette.

I agree with those who have suggested white for the woodwork , a slight off white that is. Unless your house is brand new or has been replastered perfectly brilliant whites will show off all the lumps and bumps. so stick to a milky/creamy whites for warmth or a grey white if you want a cool scheme.

striped runners will make the hall seem longer if you want to give that impression and a large mirror in the narrowest part is helpful for illusionary width. ( also helpful for that last minute check theres no toothpaste round your mouth on the way out the door)

don't put anthing like coat hooks along the narrow part or it'll be like navigating through the wardrobe to Narnia. but a high shelf might be useful
PRO
JAMEITE Hand-painted Silk Wallpaper Co., LTD
7 years ago
Hello,

You can consider our hand-painted wallpaper, color and size can be customized.www.jameite.com

Maybe inside our website, you can find inspiration。

Thanks!!
obo1
7 years ago
We have a very similar (shared) hallway – we recently removed the carpet, sanded the floorboards and applied a natural oil finish:
PRO
Bathroom + Kitchen Eleven
7 years ago
How about light grey walls with a tiled floor
Or use discreet spot lights to illuminate the stairs

If you are after colour you could do as they have done here with selected colour in the ceiling panels? This could be incorporated in the tile colour you go for.

Good luck!

Shannon
PRO
Bisque Radiators
7 years ago
Why not keep the walls simple but add in the colour with a brand new radiator! https://www.bisque.co.uk/