October 27, 2024, 4:33 am | Read time: 5 minutes
Often, the hallway at home becomes a dull and uninspiring space. What a shame! But there’s hope: Interior designer Odett Schumann shares some creative ideas to make your hallway both appealing and unique.
Most hallways typically have a rather challenging layout. To leave enough space for other rooms in the home, the hallway is often minimized. They are usually small and cramped or narrow and long. Not exactly the best conditions for making this space cozy while also maximizing storage. Adding to the difficulty, many hallways lack windows and natural light. The lack of brightness and the abundance of doors, which leave little continuous wall space, make decorating the hallway anything but easy. Even though the hallway essentially serves as a passageway, it is not a hopeless case. With a few creative ideas, you can create a unique hallway at home.
Tip 1: A Colorful Hello with Flowers
Every warm welcome starts with a bouquet of fresh flowers, right? The same goes for the hallway. Here, colorful blooms and lush green leaves offer a cheerful “hello” upon entering. You can also keep up with the seasons by filling the vase with flowers that match the time of year. And since you’ll pass by the vibrant bouquet multiple times a day, you won’t miss when it’s time to replace the wilted flowers with a fresh new bunch.
Tip 2: Large Pictures on the Wall
In very cramped hallways, people often hesitate to paint them in bright colors. Too much effort! However, to add visual interest to this area, it’s recommended to use framed pictures, paintings, or photographs—in large formats. This is currently a huge trend in interior design. Simply take the largest continuous wall space and place two or three paintings side by side. This draws attention and adds some color to the hallway, while still being a minimalistic design intervention. But please, don’t clutter the wall with a gallery-style arrangement of numerous pictures, photographs, and wall decor. In smaller spaces, this can quickly become too chaotic. Such an arrangement would be more suitable for a large hallway.
Tip 3: Wall Panels for an Original Look in the Hallway
Another creative idea for a unique hallway is this: wall panels in slat format are still in demand. They offer many advantages. Not only do they create an interesting look in the entryway, but they also improve the room’s acoustics. Additionally, you can attach other items to them—much like a real wall. Mirrors are recommended here—ideally in round or organically curved shapes to break the contrasting, rigid line structure of the panels and keep the look interesting. Pictures and wall lights also fit well in this spot. Ideally, you can have the special wall covering custom-made. You can decide which size fits best in the hallway, and the manufacturer delivers it to the desired dimensions.
Tip 4: The Floating Shoe Cabinet
Floating furniture on walls always looks original. Without feet and baseboards, such a setup makes the hallway look much tidier, where it tends to be chaotic and hectic. It benefits the room especially when the area below the floating shoe cabinet or sideboard is completely free, but if you need every square inch in your hallway, you can use it as additional storage space.
Tip 5: Bring Color into the Hallway
Often, especially here, hallways tend to lean towards a more neutral design. The color choice for the room is somewhere between white, sand, and gray. While this looks appealing and elegant, it can also be a bit dull and uninspiring. A cheerful welcome when entering the home looks somewhat different! Of course, you could add a colorful picture on the wall or a painted wall to help. But currently, other ideas are trending: table lamps in bold red, yellow, green, or blue, placed on a shelf, console, or sideboard, are very popular. Especially in the dark autumn and winter months, and particularly in windowless rooms like the hallway often is, this not only creates a small, cozy light island but also adds a lively splash of color to the hallway.
Also interesting: Interior tips for finding the right wall color for the hallway
Tip 6: Tastefully Stage the Area Under the Stairs
The area under the stairs doesn’t have to remain unused and can be tastefully staged. For space reasons, many opt for custom storage furniture from a carpenter. In larger spaces with enough room, other options are available. How about setting up your own wine cellar here? Or integrating an open shoe cabinet? It can also be cozy to install a small bench under the stairs to tie your shoes or take a short break. Perhaps this spot is also the perfect place for your pet’s sleeping area. There are quite a few creative ideas for a unique hallway: one way or another, the area under the stairs doesn’t have to remain unused.
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Tip 7: Individual Hooks and Knobs for the Wardrobe
Instead of a long hook rail or a bulky wardrobe cabinet, more casual storage solutions for jackets, coats, and hats have been in demand in hallways for some time. Individual coat hooks or knobs, placed seemingly at random on the wall, can effectively lighten up the often small, awkwardly shaped hallway. Colorful holders also provide tasteful color accents. Even without hats, umbrellas, and clothing on the hooks or knobs, they are already quite decorative on their own.