by When you think about your home decoration, probably the first thing that comes to your mind is your living room arrangement. Then comes your bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom, but what most people don’t realize is that the first real sight of your home is your hallway. That is the first thing a person sees once they step over your doorstep. It can be so much more than just a simple, dark passage through your home with nothing but a shoe cabinet and a coat hanger. You can enrich it with many things which will give it a completely new and charming look.
A warm welcome for your guests
As soon as your guests step over the doorstep of your home, they are going to get an impression of your home. They will not wait for your lovely living room to form an opinion, and they should not be frightened by your dark, narrow hallway. You should put some effort into decorating this important part of your home as well. For example, when I was visiting my friend, it was the first time I entered her home. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw pictures of her family framed by carved wooden frames which were hand-made by her father. This was a clever way to express their creativity, love of art, family heritage, and at the same time it was an original and unique way to decorate her hallway.
Bring in more light
Maybe this cannot be completely changed because of the original design of your home. However, if there is any possibility to bring in more natural light in your hallway, it would be a smart thing to do. For instance, you can replace your current wooden main door with the ones which have coloured or sand glass. Sunshine will surely bring your hallway back to life. Small and dark hallways seem a bit claustrophobic, especially when the Sun goes down. Therefore, you can install a nice big lantern chandelier which will illuminate every little detail in your hallway. And what about the floor lamps? If you want more intimate atmosphere, this is the perfect choice.
Fifty shades of…
The most effective way to emphasize your refined taste is not to mix more than three colours in your hallway. Black and white combinations are always stylish and you can make it even better with a few red details. This hypnotic combination will leave breathless even those who over-criticize everything. Of course, use white for your walls to give the impression of open, bright environment which will be in beautiful contrast with piano black furniture and a big red clock with Roman numbers.
Choose furniture wisely
Your hallway shouldn’t be cluttered with furniture, on the contrary, you should pick only the most practical pieces which will provide the necessary functionality and look good too. If you are short on space, it would be best to place a coat hanger for jackets and coats on the wall, in the corner, just behind the door. You will also need one universal storage locker for shoes, hats, umbrellas and other smaller items.
The perfect rug for your hallway
We sincerely hope that `Welcome doormat` cliché on your door is long forgotten and that you will be more creative with the choice of your doormats (`Come in – Go away` doormats are so much funnier). Also, you can try to follow one or two runner rugs all the way to the stairs. Speaking of your stairs, you should also consider carpeting for two reasons – they will look so much warmer and the entire staircase will be much safer too.
Mirror, mirror on the wall…
Most of us like to take one final look in the mirror just before we leave the house, to make sure that we look good. Nevertheless, this is not the only benefit of having a big mirror in your hallway. Big mirror is both functional and a good looking object which will make your narrow hallway seem more spacious. During the day it will also reflect more light creating comfortable bright sight.
Remember, hallway is the entrance to your house. It’s the very last thing you will see when you leave your home and the very first when you come back. Make sure it looks good and makes you feel good while you’re there.
