I recently designed a very small hallway for a client. It was small, quite dark and very dated. The client wanted something that grabbed attention for visitors rather than a bland room that you just walked through without noticing it.

To give the room the illusion of both height and depth and have a contempory feel I chose this wallpaper by Cole and Son called wood and pear. if you add a large mirror to one wall this would make the space look even bigger.

Light colours are key here, and avoid any pictures on the walls. The wallpaper can be your statement.

Thanks thanks for your advice. I like the idea of wallpaper and a mirror. I recently bought a large mirror from a flea market that I want to use in the hall. I have to keep the bench and also an old bureau which has open shelves in the bottom originally meant for books but now adapted for shoe storage. The hall is only 126cm wide by about 4m long with only a tiny window in the door which we cannot afford to replace. I don't know if it would look odd with one wall only in wallpaper. At the moment it is painted in F & B Farrows Cream which I am fed up with now! I intend to paint the Bench and bureau - what colours would you suggest for walls, wood and the furniture. Any help appreciated.
wallpaper I was thinking of using too busy?

http://www.wallpaperdirect.com/products/sandberg/waldemar-neutral/122205

I think the wallpaper looks great and is a nice light shade so shouldn't look too busy using it to paper the whole hallway. It will add interest instead of your plain cream walls. Keep the furniture a light colour like cream or a soft taupe. With regards to the door, take a look down your local tip at some stage armed with your measurements. You would be amazed at the quality and quantity of doors available which normally sell for around £5.

Be brave with your wallpaper, you won't regret it when you see the end results.

Hello flosunshine,

You could paper and if you had light floors and a dado you could compliment the floor and walls up to dado with a light colour, then use your paper above that up to picture rail. So this makes the hall feel wider. Then add the mirror.

For the furniture yes something that blends so it appears transparent. You then have a hall that feels free. :))

Hi there. I'm doing the exact same thing and would love to see your results! I had papered one side of the L-shaped hallway and painted the other (rich teal colour paint and striped (teal and beige) wallpaper. I liked it at the time (about 6 years ago) but I'm over it now and want to revert to light colours. Here's the wallpaper I'm going for.

http://www.ilovewallpaper.co.uk/wallpaper-c1/serafina-floral-wallpaper-silver-701325-p2624 

I'll probably go for a light grey / silver paint and include mirrors too. I'll post up here when it's finished.