Lounge
Rely on a rug A boldly striped rug does double duty in this hallway, catching mess before it gets further and scoring style points to boot. Not all rugs are suitable for this job. Only those that can cope with what suppliers call heavy traffic should be used in a hallway or they’ll suffer the consequences. Consider also indoor-outdoor rugs. Designed to go on patios and decks, they won’t be affected by wet and mud and come in patterned as well as plain finishes.
Roll out A long runner is a dirt-stopping solution in this home, and it’s in a shade that tones with the floor beneath. Repeating the strategy? Choose from runners specially designed to keep your home cleaner and which have rubber backing to stop slippage, or add a non-slip underlay to an ordinary runner.
Cut down on cleaning The qualities of the material chosen for a hall floor make a difference to how dirty it gets. In this home, anti-static Marmoleum’s been used, so the floor doesn’t attract dust. Need to keep the noise down because you live in a flat? This type of flooring is quiet underfoot. It might also be a hit with pets as it feels warm and comfortable.
Maximise the mat There’s no dodging the doormat in the entrance to this home. It’s fitted from wall to built-in cupboard and extends to the end of the storage unit, providing space to wipe feet, remove shoes and put them away all without stepping on to the flooring beyond. If you’re designing a mat well like this, remember that you need to be able to open the door fully, walk inside and close the door while still standing on it, so be generous in sizing.
Remove a wall This is a big house, but the hall was cramped before the owners decided to take out part of the wall that divides the living room and entrance. Not only does this mean that light can flow freely everywhere, but the new open-plan design also makes the entire ground floor of the house feel larger. Always get professional advice about how Building Regulations may affect your design before committing to remove a wall. The now-spacious hall looks stylish thanks to that statement pendant.
Brown + Brown Architects Put up a mirror And not just any mirror – ideally you’ll want a made-to-measure floor-to-ceiling design to really make a difference in a compact space. It will add depth, plus, if you have natural light – as this hallway does, thanks to the glazed door – it will add brightness, too, by bouncing the daylight around the space. If you’re on a budget, a full-height freestanding mirror will have a similar effect.
Use up dead space Have you got an awkward area you don’t know what to do with? Challenging spaces are often left bare, which can in turn lead them to be filled up with stuff over time. If an unused corner in your home has become messy it might well take away from the enjoyment of the room. Think about how you can transform the space, as there are some clever ways of putting these awkward areas to good use. In this home, a nook behind a door has been turned into a gorgeous window seat that’s both a super-functional and cosy spot.
Shutters. Wood shutters don’t have to look old-fashioned; in crisp white, they are classic — and practical, too. Open just the top shutters to let in light while preserving privacy, or open them all. Shutters work best on their own, so if you want to add curtains too, it’s better to go with wood blinds.
Cellular blinds, particularly those that can be lowered from the top down, are a great option for adjusting light levels without sacrificing privacy. Instead of using traditional curtain rods, consider curtains on a ceiling-mounted track system. In the right space, this can be a clever way to include curtains that fully close, even with a large radiator in the way.
Mops, brooms, vacuum cleaners… It’s the fiddly bits that can overwhelm a home, so try to create at least one cupboard for these miscellaneous household items. A closet 60cm wide and 40-50cm deep would be ideal. And a height of 160cm should suit most situations. Maximise every centimetre of space by strategically placing hooks and shelving baskets on every available surface, including the door.
Home office or study The most important thing with a home office is to make sure that any shelving is of a depth and height to accommodate your biggest files or books. Lever arch files, for example, need shelves 30cm deep and with a minimum clearance of 32cm. Leave a space of at least 50cm between the top of your desk and the underside of the first shelf. This can provide a useful zone for a pinboard, whiteboard or magnetic paint, should you wish to have an area for notes.
Books A key decision with shelving for books is whether to opt for fixed or adjustable shelves. Fixed shelves have the advantage of creating in-built, visual harmony. Adjustable shelves mean that each shelf can be positioned to suit books of differing heights. This might be important where space is limited and every centimetre needs to be maximised. Shelves 60cm wide will work well here and allow a single book to be removed without the rest collapsing. Adjustable shelves wider than 60cm run the risk also of sagging under the weight of heavy books Next is the matter of the types of books to be stored. Most books fit happily on shelves 23cm deep. And most books, including paperbacks, need a clearance (ie, the distance between each empty shelf, measured vertically) of just 23cm, with a clearance of 30cm accommodating all but oversize books. These need shelves 30-40cm deep and a vertical clearance of 50cm. While you’ll need to fine-tune the dimensions to suit the context and visual appearance of the shelving, good all-round dimensions for fixed shelving would be a depth of 23cm and a clearance of 30cm.
Coats When is comes to coats, you’ll need to choose between hanging them on hooks or on hangers. Hangers have the clear advantage of keeping your coats and jackets in good shape. A hanging rail in a traditional closet requires a space 60cm deep. Where space is limited, you could fit the rail perpendicular to the wall, in which case you will need to leave 30cm clear each side of the rail to accommodate the hangers and their coats. Hooks have the advantage of taking up little space, with the disadvantage of tending to get over-loaded and consequently somewhat annoying to use. Whichever option you choose, a height of 120cm suffices for most coats. So place your hanging rail or hooks either 120cm above the floor or above whatever items you wish to store below.
Give yourself a dedicated space to unwind and daydream Though it may be tough to carve out some personal space in the bustle of a family home, it’s essential for the ENFP or INFP to have their own retreat – even if it’s just a corner of a room. Ideally, it should be a place where you can let yourself unwind and be alone, but it can be in any form that suits you. For the bookworm, it can be a cosy reading nook positioned just below a window, with plenty of space for your favourite books. All you need are some cushions and a low, sturdy surface to position next to the window – preferably with storage space beneath.
Keep your desk simple and free of clutter Since mundane, administrative details don’t appeal to you, neither will a cluttered desk strewn with mail and papers. Keep your desk empty and free of all these by using drawer units, or consider going paperless with a scanner and shredder system. The things that you choose to leave on your desk should be items that make your desk feel more homely: a plant, for instance, or a few well-loved pieces of stationery.
SaveEmail Add interest high and low Sometimes it’s all about the art of distraction. This stunning entrance hall boasts a striking tiled floor that immediately grabs your attention as you walk through the door, making you forget about the narrowness of the space. And the beautiful ceiling lights and mirror draw the eye up, so that you’re looking up rather than side to side.
Utilise an awkward space One of the many joys of floating shelves, such as these ones, is that they can be cut to fit into almost any nook or cranny. Under eaves, in an alcove, around a door – the possibilities are endless. If you’re not too confident with your saw skills, consult a professional to get the best results.
Show off a collection If you really want your shelving set-up to be beautiful, why not use it to display something you collect? Whether that’s tea cups, 1950s glassware or pottery, your arrangement can really elevate a nondescript space. To make the biggest impact, display your objects on a series of shelves instead of just one long shelf. You’ll need to think about the scale of the items you want to put on display, and then size the gaps between your shelves to suit.
Say it with stone The exposed brick walls that sit at the heart of the industrial look can be translated into any home. You can either get a builder to expose the brickwork and treat it, or install simple stone slip tiles as a feature. There are also a range of brick-effect wallpapers and coverings that will bring heaps of character to your space.
Wood wall
booooooks
This bold map wallpaper features illustrations by Icelandic artist Kristjana Williams, who has a whole range of intricate designs for wallpaper on offer, as well as limited-edition prints to enliven your space. There is something to be said for letting your feature wallpaper speak for itself. If there is a particular artist or illustrator you’re taken with, it’s often worth checking to see if custom wallpaper is something they already create or are open to commissions for. When choosing a bespoke wallpaper ensure that the colours and motifs won’t clash with your existing furnishings.
negative space
Do consider scale When there’s a bold backdrop to compete with, the larger your artwork, the more attention it’s guaranteed. Remember that this is a visually striking style to strive for, so to ensure that your art is an arresting interlude in your room you should think big. It’s also important to try to create a connection between your artwork and the wallpaper by ensuring that they have a colour or motif that is the same. Similar colours and patterns feature within this work and the wallpaper behind it, while the white mount and frame helps to create a distance between the two. As a rule of thumb, any framed work smaller than around 30cm x 45cm is at risk of being overlooked.
Make a shoes-off policy This hallway’s neat gym-bench storage visually signals that stepping in the front door means removing shoes right away. After all, what’s easy to do is more likely to get done. It’s a design that makes the most of the dimensions of a very typical hallway as it doesn’t intrude widthways but uses the length of the corridor.
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