Westbourne Grove, LondonTraditional Entrance, London
George Sharman
What Houzz contributors are saying:
Love your lighting A ball of fluttering butterflies creates a striking focal point in this neutral hallway without the need for bold colour or glittering crystal. The interesting shadow and light play created by the mass of cream-coloured butterflies is mesmerising. Do be aware of scale and proportion in a large hallway like this one: a teeny light fixture would be swallowed up in all this space, while extra-long droppers might just cause a nuisance.
Pay attention to proportion The size of the pendant in the space needs consideration. ‘A small space with a low ceiling might not be suitable for a pendant at all,’ says James. ‘While if the space is vast, with very high ceilings, then a small pendant close to the ceiling would be lost and not only appear proportionally incorrect, but also provide little or no light.’ In a small, low-ceilinged room, a small pendant with minimal drop could work, while in a stairwell, where the vertical floor to ceiling height is huge, a more dramatic pendant with a slender form but considerable drop would work and provide more uniform ambient lighting for the stairs. ‘It sounds obvious, but it’s essential to think about the proportions of the space you’re working in,’ says James. ‘It might be appropriate to have more than one pendant to create more of a statement. Three smaller pendants over a breakfast bar, for instance, might have more impact than one central one.’
Clean up your hallwayMathilde likens the entrance of the home to the mouth of a person. ‘All the energy enters your house through this place,’ she says. Kay adds: ‘If the front door isn’t healthy, the house isn’t healthy.’ So it’s important your hallway is clean, well-lit and clutter-free so chi can flow in freely. ‘Once energy gets in, it has to flow around the house,’ Kay says. Shiny surfaces and objects, such as crystals, glass and mirrors, help to move the energy around.However, Mathilde advises against placing mirrors right in front of the door. ‘A mirror in the entrance will reflect everything that comes in back out,’ meaning that good energy from outside won’t have a chance of even entering your home. In fact, mirrors facing doors should be avoided in all parts of the home for that very reason. Also avoid lining up a staircase with a front door. ‘The energy will leave your house too quickly,’ says Sophie Watkins of Create Yourself. For the same reason, you also don’t want the main door to align with the back door.’Discover 10 ways to de-clutter your hallway
Hang a fabulous lightIn a plain white or neutral scheme, go all out on a decadent light fixture. Mix and match styles and scale for a really striking look. The quirkier, the better, I say…
Hang an eye-catching pendant lightStatement lighting works in a hallway and a big, bold pendant sets a stylish tone from the minute you open the front door.Browse a selection of pendant lights
Transform a hallway A large pendant light hung in a hallway gives real identity to this in-between space and can totally transform even the most vanilla scheme. In hallways with tall ceilings, remember to think about flex length. If the light is hung so high that it is outside the line of sight, its impact will be diminished.
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