When it comes to decorating, the hallway can be the forgotten part of the home because it’s usually seen as a space to be passed through in order to get to connecting rooms. Being a ‘transient space’ has its downsides because homeowners prefer to spend time, money and effort on decorating ‘living spaces’. That’s a real shame because it’s the first part of your home that visitors are greeted by and who doesn’t want to create a good first impression? With some forward planning, the right wall coverings, lighting and storage, your hallway can have the wow! factor.

Colours and coverings

Choosing the right colours can help make the entrance to your home as light and appealing as possible. Dark hallways are a bad idea in smaller homes so heavy and bold colours on the wall should be avoided. However, if you live in a period home that has more space, then traditional colours that are in keeping with the overall décor (such as reds and greens) can enhance the look. For narrow spaces, opt for neutral colours on the wall.

Changing the colour on the walls will make a significant impact to the feeling of space. Some people like to continue the colour scheme used in connecting rooms while others go for a colour that complements and gives a different look. Wallpaper has gone through a huge design revolution recently and wall coverings with neutral colours and embossed patterns look great. If you prefer to paint but want a funky feel, wall stickers can add some interest to the walls.

Adding to the walls

With most hallways being long and narrow there’s usually a premium on floor space so utilise the walls to make your design statement. A perfectly placed mirror reflects light and helps to make your hallway look bigger – given the space is the entrance/exit point of the home, a mirror also allows everyone to check how they look when coming or going.

Photos are also a great idea to give your home a personal touch. Black and white prints provide a real chic look while a selection of different sized photo frames give your hallway a gallery feel. If you’re going to add a piece of art to the walls, make sure it will be lit properly to get the full effect – a long, narrow picture light will give you the right look.

Get the right light

As with other spaces in the home, natural light is always best so if possible utilise glazing in interior doors to allow light to enter the hallway from other rooms. For artificial light you need to consider the height of your ceilings. If you have low ceilings, wall uplighters will give the impression of height while for taller hallways you can suspend feature lighting such as pendant lights or a luxurious chandelier.

Storage

As you enter and exit the home you’ll need somewhere to hang your coat, pick up your keys and grab your shoes and bags so a few hallway storage pieces can make life easier, keep everything tidy and look good too.

For your coats and hats, wall hooks are perfect for narrow spaces while a coat stand looks great if you’ve a bit more floor space to play with. Keep all your keys, letters and small items to hand with a wall storage unit and prevent people tripping over discarded shoes with a shoe storage unit.

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