Often forgotten for not having ‘room’ status, your hallway is the last place you would imagine needs a makeover. However, it’s important to remember that this little piece of your home is where you walk every single day. Any time you come into the house, leave the house and even go upstairs in your home, the hallway is used. This constant flow of human traffic can often wear the flooring, end up with finger marks on the walls and doorframes and a place that generally gets a little neglected.
When it comes to decorating your home, remember that it’s more than just a lick of paint. A fresh colour for any part of the house is always welcome, but you mustn’t forget the little details. Artwork on the walls and new lighting, for example. With these ideas, you can brighten up the smallest hallway into something that looks presentable for your family:
Light in a hallway is important as it helps the entire space look bigger than it is. If your front door is solid wood, replace it with one with window panels to allow natural light to stream through. Failing this, adding higher wattage lightbulbs or clear lightbulbs to light fixtures can allow lots more light through to make the whole hallway brighter.
Take out any big pieces of furniture. It might be nice to have a sideboard in the hall with a phone (old school!) and a dish for your keys, but if you aren’t working with a lot of space you’re only shrinking it further. Instead of a unit, why not install a shelf on the wall, opening up the floor space.
Colour coordinate the artwork on the walls with modern rugs. It’s always good to be mindful of how the carpet is worn by the tread of those in and out of the house all day and rugs can cover any worn patches if you can’t replace the entire carpet.
Keep to one wall colour rather than mixing it up, and make sure the colour is a light one. Small spaces with dark colours on the walls only serve to shrink it further. A block, light colour can give you a space illusion that looks beautiful with any colour décor or rug.
Freestanding coat racks may be a beautiful piece to have in a hallway, but if they take up a bit of space it can be a hazard. Switch to wall mounted coat racks and even shoe racks, and keep the floor as clear as you can of debris. This way, your hallway is far more efficient.
The hallway in your home can be as bright and as modern as any other room in the house. Your hallway is the first thing people walk into when they visit your home and you want to make a great first impression. By ensuring you have carefully decorated your home, you can show of your warm and comfortable home to all your guests whenever they visit!