July 17, 2020, 2:05 pm | Read time: 9 minutes
When decorating, the hallway is often overlooked. It’s a shame, really, because guests usually enter this space first. Instead, the hallway often becomes a dumping ground for all sorts of unnecessary items. myHOMEBOOK offers tips on how to make your hallway more inviting.
The hallway is often not considered part of the main living space but rather a passageway. As a result, many people put little effort into its decor, focusing on functionality instead. However, a drab, rather plain hallway doesn’t offer a warm welcome to you or your guests. With the following 13 tips, you can certainly make some design tweaks.
1. Clothes Rails Add Lightness to the Hallway
For a more “airy” look in the entrance area, clothes rails are a good alternative to bulky furniture. They come in various designs and shapes, allowing for highly flexible use in your home. Due to their delicate nature, clothes rails are especially suitable for small hallways.
In particularly narrow or very small hallways, models that hang from the ceiling and leave space below for a narrow console, sideboard, or shoe rack are recommended. Whether hanging or standing, neither model should be overloaded. A clothes rail overflowing like in a fashion store can be overwhelming and create a chaotic atmosphere when entering the home.
Also interesting: 7 Pieces of Furniture for the Hallway That Create Storage Space
2. Decorative Wall Mounts
In both small hallways and those with large open wall spaces, wall-mounted coat elements are ideal. They not only serve their function but also look original. In narrow, long corridors, continuous coat racks can be creatively staged with a rope along the wall. In small hallways, scattered hooks, knobs, or other creatively used elements can break up the space. Hats, scarves, bags, dog leashes, and more are neatly and quickly accessible.
3. Practical Seating with Storage
Start with comfort right at the entrance. If space allows, integrate small seating options like a bench, chair, or stool in your hallway. This is especially helpful for families with young children. Tying shoes becomes a breeze, and groceries can be quickly set down. Benches fit well in long hallways; for smaller ones, they work with integrated coat racks. Benches often have storage functions, making them even more practical. If you have plenty of space, consider a comfortable armchair. Regardless of the model you choose, opt for a more striking variant to make your entrance area appear more interesting and original.
4. Illuminate the Hallway Properly
Natural light is usually scarce in hallways. A nearby window is often missing, especially in apartments, though houses fare slightly better. In both cases, the light yield is often insufficient, requiring artificial support in the form of one or more ceiling lights. These need to perform well, especially when large furniture pieces or dark wall colors are present in the hallway.
In large foyers or long corridors, many smaller spotlights are often ideal. They cast light beams at various points in the room, ensuring even distribution. This is particularly necessary when you’re searching for the second shoe or car keys.
Also interesting: 6 Styles for Hanging Pictures
For medium-sized hallways, a multi-arm ceiling light that shines in all directions is sufficient. In a small foyer, a single ceiling light may suffice, but it should have a shade that allows for broad light distribution. Additionally, in all three cases, it’s advisable to use supplementary lighting such as wall lights or small mood lights on a console, sideboard, or shoe cabinet. They usually provide warm light and give the room a certain depth.
5. Small Shelves with Mirrors
The hallway is the first room we enter when coming home. Therefore, we are grateful for a nearby surface for keys, mail, and phones when returning from shopping. This can be a small board on the wall or a simple console. In both cases, a mirror can be placed above, making the look not only homely but also practical. A mirror should not be missing in a hallway, as it helps small hallways appear larger. In this case, a wall mirror or a mirror integrated into a cabinet door is recommended—both take up little space. If you have a large hallway, you can easily opt for a standing mirror.
6. Decorate the Hallway with Plants
How lovely is a welcome when it’s enhanced by plants. A bouquet of fresh flowers on the sideboard makes entering your home feel much friendlier and warmer—especially if there are no other colors in the hallway. Of course, such a hallway is usually not very well-lit, so the type of plant should be considered. In large foyers, floor plants like a palm make a statement. If your hallway has much less space, a small potted plant like a peace lily will do.
Also interesting: Planning a Walk-In Closet Properly
7. Equip the Hallway with Accessories
Of course, accessories should not be missing in a hallway, but don’t overdo it. Essentially, a hallway is a highly functional space, but it shouldn’t be viewed too strictly. When used sparingly, accessories can add coziness. So, hang a few pictures on the wall, place some plants, and turn on small decorative lights—that’s all it takes!
8. Avoid Furniture When Decorating the Hallway
As charming as an old farmhouse cabinet in the hallway may be, you should be sparing with bulky furniture in the hallway. One large piece of furniture is enough, as hallways are often not very large. Or do you want to feel overwhelmed by your own furniture when entering your home? It’s better to store only seasonal jackets, shoes, and the like here and keep everything else in the attic or basement, making large furniture unnecessary.
If you’re lucky enough to have an old apartment, you should know how to use the extra height. A cabinet with an upper section is ideal here. The piece of furniture can be a semi-open solution. A balanced mix of drawers, doors, and open compartments immediately softens the strict look of bulky furniture. Of course, the open areas should be well-maintained and not in a constant state of chaos.
Also interesting: Bet Your Carpet Is Laid Wrong?
Especially in small hallways, hanging sideboards and shelves are an optimal solution. Primarily, they make the space appear much tidier. Additionally, shoes can be stored underneath, making ideal use of the limited space. Cleaning is also much easier in this dirt-prone area.
Shelves are sometimes a better choice than an oversized shoe cabinet. A cabinet-shelf combination can be configured with an integrated bench, depending on the provider; this solves multiple functions in one: storage meets comfort and ideal space utilization.
9. Consider Stairs When Decorating the Hallway
Fully utilizing available storage space is absolutely essential in the entrance area. So don’t forget the space under the stairs, especially in houses or duplex apartments, as it’s often invaluable. With appropriate customizations and configurations like custom furniture, every millimeter and angle can be ideally utilized. These can be easily integrated as open or closed solutions.
10. Make the Most of Niches
Niches in the hallway are not a disadvantage but a real boon. Smaller pieces of furniture like shelving units or an umbrella stand can be ideally placed here. With a curtain, niches can also be used to store cleaning supplies like brooms, dustpans, and vacuums.
11. Dare to Use Color When Decorating the Hallway
This room especially needs color. The hallway is often neglected in terms of wall paint and usually remains plain white. This is not very inviting and adds to the drabness of a hallway that often lacks natural light. It’s understandable that not everyone wants to go bold with a strong color. How about soft shades like a gentle apricot, taupe, light gray, or mint? Light tones also have the advantage of making a room appear larger.
Not all walls in the hallway need to be painted: how about keeping only two adjacent or opposite surfaces colored? It looks especially elegant if the color—ideally a medium to darker tone—ends at half height like old paneling, with the upper half remaining white. This can be complemented with a design of pictures, mats, and frames in similar or contrasting colors.
Also interesting: These Colors Have No Place in Your Home
12. A Hallway Is Not a Storage Room
As a passageway, it’s easy to lose discipline in the hallway and be tempted to misuse it for storing various other things. The bike is quickly parked, packages from the post office are stacked, and children’s items and pet accessories rarely make it further into the home. Not to mention the trash bags waiting for a trip to the dumpster. What kind of sight does this present to visitors, and even to yourself, when you come through the door?
It’s not always easy in the hustle and bustle of everyday life to put everything in its proper place. It looks much tidier if you hang your bike stylishly on wall hooks. If you’re a creature of habit and can’t break the habit of storing things in the hallway repeatedly, use the niches that a hallway often provides. Smaller items like keys and the like can find their place on wall shelves, hooks, or surfaces. And you can already put the trash outside the front door; the embarrassment will “force” you to take it out quickly.
7 Creative Ideas for a Unique Hallway
5 Tips to Help Decorate Rooms With Curved Walls
10 Ideas for More Storage Space in the Hallway
13. Decorate the Hallway with Textiles
Textiles make a space feel homely and inviting and also protect floors, especially wooden ones, from heavy wear, as the hallway is a heavily trafficked area. Therefore, rugs or at least mats, especially near the front door, are absolutely essential. Initially, it’s advisable to place a scraper or doormat outside the entrance to catch the first coarse dirt. If that’s not enough, you can opt for an indoor runner that absorbs most of the moisture during rain.
However, these can’t necessarily compete with conventional floor textiles in terms of style. Here, small rugs, for example in round shapes or runners, are a good choice. No matter which model you choose—it’s important that it’s flat-woven and not high-pile. Otherwise, the front door might not close smoothly. It’s also recommended, for safety reasons, to place a non-slip mat under your textile surface, as things can get hectic here, and nothing should slip.