What does your hall space say about you?

The next time you are passing through your front door, pause for a moment, and carefully observe.  What is your first impression of this space?

Regardless of the size of your hallway this is the gateway to the rest of your home.  This is where the first internal impression is made giving visitors an insight into how you and your family live and gives them an idea of what the rest of the may be like. 

When creating a stylish entrance hallway be mindful of the fact that this is a heavy traffic area and prone to constant wear and tear!

Beyond the hall door

Hallways are renowned for being a dumping ground for everyone’s bits and pieces.  Revamping your hallway into an uplifting welcoming zone begins with removing the clutter. 

Be creative when it comes to storage by providing a place for the usual clutter culprits.  A customised boot room style unit may be ideal and will look great.  Consider an ottoman base with ample storage for shoes along with plenty of decorative vintage hooks for coats and some overhead shelving with on-trend wicker baskets. Placing a key box on to this unit would be highly practical.

If you have provision for under stairs storage, consider this area for bulky items like schoolbags and shopping bags etc.  Ensure you maximise this space with pull-out drawers and if you can incorporate a tall cupboard – go for it!

Tough and durable but looks stunning

When it comes to your hall flooring pay close attention to your practical needs.  Thick luxurious carpets may sound appealing but will it stand the test of time?  While hard durable surfaces are suitable for heavy traffic and are easier to clean they can be somewhat cold, stark, and noisy.  A simple solution to soften and warm up hard flooring is to add a runner or rug.  For a timeless style to your hall consider encaustic Moroccan cement tiles of if your budget wont stretch we love  https://www.britishceramictile.com/laura-ashley/mr-jones-dove-grey-floor-la52017 which are available from Woodies DIY.

As your hallway area can be particularly busy with people brushing past with bikes and bags, a strong finish on your walls is advisable.

Your hallway is a transitional space so you can choose to go darker or lighter with your wall colour in comparison to the rest of your home.  Alternatively, you could consider painting your doors and woodwork in a contrasting darker colour which will add drama but will be easier to maintain than white.   

Consider panelling in your hall to give it some character and charm or take the bare look off your radiator by fitting a decorative cover.  Pay attention to the interior of your front door and consider priming and painting.  Do the same with other timber areas like your banisters and hand rails – it will make all the difference!

If your services are on full view in your hallway, look at boxing these in to look more asthetically pleasing.  You could incorporate a unit to house your services but with a shelf and useful storage below.

Your hallway should be warm and inviting so carefully choose your lighting and if space allows, make a dramatic light fitting the centrepiece of your hallway.  If you are limited for space down-lighters are the best option.  Adding some diffused warm white with wall lights or table lamps can really transform this space. 

To inject some additional natural light from another room look at the possibility of replacing with a full or half-length glass door.  Ensure that your door hardware and light fitting materials work together.

As hallways tend to be narrow, space can be at a premium.  Less is definitely more when it comes to furnishing.  Always carefully measure pieces out before purchasing.

If space allows, a well-chosen console table with a statement table lamp will help define this space and allow for a few decorative pieces to finish the overall look.  We recently came upon a home with fully functioning old eircom phone – this looked cool in their otherwise contemporary hall!

A decorative mirror in your hallway will not only look the part but will reflect much needed extra light back into this area. 

Your hallway, your style

Your hallway can be the perfect place to express your personality by styling with some of your favourite artwork and keepsakes.  If you can conjure up some space, fresh flowers are a simple but a welcome addition.

Regardless of your hallway type or size, you have plenty of scope to transform this into a welcoming and inviting space – somewhere you will be proud to turn the key and step inside after a hard day’s work!

Need help creating your stylish hall? Get in touch with Placelift on 01 2548070.