The hallway is often the first room guests see when entering your home and yet most homeowners spend little time decorating it. Here are just several tricks for making your hallway stand out, helping you to create a good first impression.
Don’t make it an obstacle course
Hallways are often narrow spaces with little room to greet guests – try to avoid cluttering up this space with extra obstacles as it will only serve to make these interactions more awkward. Try to free up as much floor space as possible and avoid houseplants and furniture that protrudes so that there’s a clear walkway. Investing a shoe rack could help to keep shoes organised and to one side – without one you could find that shoes serve as a trip hazard.
Think practical with your floor
A lot of guests are likely to drag dirt from outside into your hallway. Even with a doormat placed on the ground, you may find that people still trail their muddy boots in. A light coloured carpet therefore may not be the best choice of floor for this area – instead consider a wooden floor or tiles. You can still add some stylish touches to your hallway floor whilst keeping it practical. Oriental rugs could help to make a dramatic impression. Alternatively, you could consider patterned tiles for spicing up a ceramic floor.
Create the illusion of extra space
Extending your hallway out may not be an option, but you can make a cramped hallway feel bigger by using a few tricks to create the illusion of extra space. Mirrors are great for making a room feel twice the size due to their reflective properties and they could help to open out the room. Patterned wallpaper can also add depth – especially a landscape-themed style of wallpaper.
Keep it bright
Many hallways are dimly lit due to there being few windows. This could give your home a gloomy feel when entering. Take steps to make your hallways brighter such as sticking to a bright colour scheme or adding extra artificial overhead lighting. You could even try encouraging more natural light – if you’ve currently got an opaque front door, consider a front door with glass panels instead. Opting for frosted glass will add some privacy/security whilst letting the light in.
Use the space under the stairs
If your home has a staircase, make sure to use the space underneath. This could be turned into a cloakroom for placing your guests coats, or it could be turned into a general storage space. You could even turn it into a downstairs toilet to prevent guests having to venture upstairs. It’s worth hiring contractors to carry out this conversion so that the structural integrity of your staircase isn’t compromised.
Disclosure: This is a featured post.