Hallways

LET’S TALK… Hallways

Create the ultimate in welcoming sanctuary vibes for your entranceway by utilising cool colourways, savvy storage and showstopping flooring

We all want to feel a sense of calm and happiness when opening our front door, so our hallway interiors have a lot to live up to. Setting the tone for the rest of the house, this essential and muchused thoroughfare needs to be a clutter-free space that can comfortably handle all the essentials we throw at it.

Since this is where those famous first impressions are made, having a handsome staircase and well decorated hallway are key when buying a property too. ‘Staircases can add an instant wow-factor to an entranceway within seconds of walking into a home,’ says Simon Tcherniak, of bespoke furniture makers Neville Johnson.

No matter what their scale, creating a showcase hallway that blends good looks and practicality is achievable with the right storage and carefully curated décor. Don’t be afraid to push boundaries either. Experiment with bolder colours or patterns – since this is a transitional space you can be more daring in your designs.

Top tip

If your hallway has limited natural light, choose clear glass or pale shades to maximise illumination together with warm white light bulbs

Create a seamless flow from room to room by using consistent flooring throughout the hallway and rooms leading from it. This herringbone design is not only beautiful, but vinyl is hard-wearing and durable. Luna 595 Marilyn vinyl, £37.99 per m2, Carpetright Exterior front door makeovers are a fast track way to increase kerb appeal. But upgrading the internal side can be a game changer for your hallway’s look and feel. Door in Creme de la Rose and lower wall in Rebel matt emulsion Walls & Ceiling collection, from £18 for 2.5ltrs, Crown

Freshen up

If you have a large entranceway, lighter wall colour choices will make for a bright, airy feel. Justyna Korczynska, Crown colour expert, says: ‘Tones of white will be a suitable colour for a bright hallway and can look super stylish, especially if you paint woodwork something like a pale grey to give definition. However, hallways are often small and narrow areas so picking the ideal tone for these needs extra consideration.’ Patrick O’Donnell of Farrow & Ball adds: ‘This space can feel like a stumbling block for many people, and is often poorly lit and narrow. Embrace the situation and go for a dark wall colour, which creates a sense of drama and opulence. One caveat: if the rest of your home is very neutral or tonal, avoid too dark or contrasting a hue. Instead, try a slightly darker shade of your chosen colour family.’

Displaying artwork up the staircase gives a focal point and a sense of identity to this large expanse of wall. Use matching frames for a uniform look or create a gallery wall with a mix and match approach. Prints, £60 each, Tom Pigeon

Hannah Clark

@little_ edwardian_semi

I absolutely love period properties and around five years ago we bought a half-renovated Edwardian house in south Manchester.

Our hallway and staircase had been painted white by the previous owners and it was lovely, but I had a real desire to make it more dramatic by repainting the staircase black.

My husband warned me it would be a big job as I also wanted to repaint all the walls, skirting boards and door frames. I thought it would just take a few weeks to do, but it took over eight months to complete. I had to sand all the woodwork to give the new paint a good key. This is probably my least favourite DIY job, and so messy with all the dust.

While I knew I wanted to paint our stairs, bannister and spindles black, I found choosing the colours for the panelling and walls much more of a challenge. After several tester pots, I eventually found the colours I wanted and I bought a cream/greige wool carpet runner which closely matches the grey colour on the panelling.

I’m so pleased with the final look of our hallway, and it’s a lovely entrance to come into. It took me a while to do but it’s one of my favourite areas in our house.

Coat and shoe storage is a necessity for a functional entrance space, so invest in solutions that organise these essentials. Visby shelf wall light, £52; Fulton open wardrobe, £189; Olle rug, from £39; Lokke framed prints, £35 for two; Cork boxes, from £10, and Olive matt emulsion, from £17 for 2.5ltrs, all Dunelm

Well grounded

Practicality is paramount in a hallway. With wet shoes and outwear bringing dirt into the house on a daily basis, choosing flooring that requires minimal effort to keep clean is a key consideration. And while carpet creates a cosy, cocooning feel, hard flooring has that mopability factor our hallways often require. ‘From engineered wood through to laminate and vinyl, hard flooring solutions are highly durable; they can help transform a space and make a design statement in the home without a large investment. These styles are particularly easy to maintain, offering a visible level of cleanliness and satisfaction with a light sweep and mop,’ says David Snazel, hard flooring buyer at Carpetright.

Narrow hallways need slimline furniture, and this console is perfect for storage as well as curated displays. Notgrove console table, £400; Cherington mirror, £280; Hambledon peg rail shelf, £45; Carver chair, £200; for a rattan basket, try Norton basket, £150, all Garden Trading

Top tip

Panelling in the hallway is a clever design trick that adds bundles of character to a scheme

Be charmed as you walk through the door with a statement of traditional bold patterned flooring in classic tones. Ensure this ‘pops’ by keeping the rest of the scheme pared back to really let the floor do the talking. Retromix Star large patterned tiles, £48.50 per m2, London Tile Co.