How To Make Your Hallway Look Good (And Wow Your Guests)

Hallways don’t have to look gloomy or be the most boring areas of the house. There are many ways to spice up that small space in your home and give it some character.

Whenever you have a visitor, you want them to feel good, welcome, and at ease. And the hallway is there to set the tone.

It’s essential to establish whatever style or feeling you want to evoke so that your guests get a positive first impression of you and your home. Thus, if the space looks nice and relaxed, and YOU feel content and happy about it, your visitors will feel the same way as soon as they enter your house.

When decorating your hallway, remember that simple, thoughtful touches, whether they’re handmade or purchased, reveal who you are and what’s important to you.

In your hallway, your family and friends should be greeted by colorful details and items that add color and pattern. For instance, a cheerful pile of handmade cushions screams, “Come in, sit down, and make yourself at home!”

Or, choose a one-of-a-kind, unique, or quirky item to wow your guests with something that is fun and inspiring.

All in all, the hallway should be practical yet inviting as it is a point of entry and a hint of what’s to come.

Keep reading as I reveal some great tips on how to design and make the best of your hallway so that it looks good to you and your visitors.

 

Let’s go over some ideas for creating the best possible look and making your hallway feel bigger, brighter, and more welcoming!

 

Find pictures of hallways you like by looking at magazines and online. Print off or cut out images of rooms or elements that appeal to you, and include any ideas that you would like to incorporate.

Select just a few of your favorite pictures and attach them to a board or a large sheet of paper. This will help you narrow down the color scheme and other elements to choose from.

Consider which elements (e.g. furniture, storage, lighting, or wall and floor finishes) will work best in your own hallway.

 

Find one key item that will be a focal point in the hallway. It can be wallpaper to hang on one wall; fabric for a door curtain; a large, ornate mirror; an antique console table; or anything you can think of and what you already own.

Attach a picture of this item to your board and always refer to it as a starting point for your design scheme.

The focal item you pick might inspire you to follow a theme, select a specific color palette, or decide on a particular period look.

 

Now, choose a base color for your hallway. However, keep in mind that a dark shade can affect the quality and amount of daylight you’ll get, so it can impact the proportions of the room.

Add a wallpaper or paint sample to the board, in proportion to how much you’re going to use it, and check if you have the right color or pattern. So if you’re going to paint the whole room, cover the whole board with the paint or wallpaper.

Decide whether to use a light tone as the base color to visually stretch the space, or a dark shade or pattern to create an effect.

Your main and secondary accent colors can be a direct contrast to it, a subtle variation of the base color, or even both. Place the samples on the board to see if the colors work together.

Introduce two or three accent colors. Use the third color minimally, and it could be a new variation of an accent color, a metallic tonal detail within the wallpaper design, or a color on a striped floor rug.

 

 

There is a huge range of flooring types available with different patterns and textures that are both attractive and hardy.

The pattern and texture may match the floor tiles or echo the color and size of the wallpaper design. But if you want to avoid patterns, then add textured plains in the form of natural floor coverings to create visual interest.

But keep in mind that the floor at the entrance is subject to a lot of foot traffic, therefore, it needs to be extremely durable and easy to care for.

While practicality is most important, you will also need something that is stylish and consistent with the the rest of your home. Carpet is inviting, floor tiles look sleek or rustic, and wooden flooring can be both very practical and good-looking.

 

Also, the walls in your hallway need to stand up more wear and tear than those in other rooms, but they need to look good as well.

Matte wallpaper can hide minor imperfections on walls, and is a great way to introduce pattern in a room that may otherwise look plain. Find a finish that is easy to clean and remember that designs with a sheen will help reflect light around the room.

If you have children or pets, wall paint is the best choice. It can be easily retouched when it gets dirty or chipped. Look for paint finishes that can be easily wiped down with a cloth and choose colors that won’t show dirt or scuffs as quickly.

To create a more spacious, brighter feel in the hallway, choose paints that are light-reflective.

 

Select pictures of fixtures and fittings such as carpeting, door, lighting, floor runners, and stair rods, all in a style and finish that suit your scheme. These pictures will be essential in helping you choose the right pieces of furniture later on.

 

If your carpet is already lining the floors, you could choose to enhance the patterns and color schemes by adding in contrasting area rugs. If the eccentric look is something that you’d like to create, then this idea would be perfect. But it can be taken a step further by adding yet another pattern to the middle of the stairs as well.

Patterned design carpets are great at hiding dirty marks but they also add interest to a plain-looking room. Pale shades tend to show up dirt quickly, but don’t be put off by light tones as they can help a small space appear larger.

Make a short hallway optically look longer by adding a striped runner along its length. This can be either a carpet or stripes painted directly onto the floor.

 

The hallway is a tricky space to illuminate because it tends to be a long, narrow room that usually receives little natural daylight. The trick with lighting this room is to use it in a way that the interior feels not only brighter but also bigger.

With the right type of lighting, you can drastically transform the hallway from boring to glamorous. By investing in the proper light fixtures, you can improve the overall mood of the space and make a subtle yet lasting impression on anyone walking down that pathway.

For example, recessed floor lighting can illuminate and add interest to a hallway. It can be extremely effective in such a room when paired with the right kind of flooring.

Accent lighting is all about creating a desired atmosphere or effect. Step lights on the stairs or skirting board lights can provide low-level accent lighting in the hallway.

Highlighting pictures on the walls is yet another great option.

Clever use of accent lighting can make the hallway look more intriguing but also exaggerate its proportions.

Ambient lighting in the hallway should imitate the natural daylight as closely as possible. Thus, it’s better not to rely on a single pendant bulb that may be too weak to illuminate the room effectively, unless you have a particularly small hallway.

Instead, think of recessed downlights or an arrangement of spotlights placed along the length of the ceiling.

Also, find some space for a table lamp to soften the mood whenever needed.

 

Only when you’re done with your decorative ideas, you need to decide whether to choose an attractive piece to add interest to a plain scheme or find a streamlined item. Also, think about what material the furniture should be made from.

 

Instead of having things cluttered together in the bedroom, you could invest in some storage furniture for the hallway as well. Look for options for clever storage that will keep clutter and chaos to a minimum.

A wall-hung coat rack is the best choice for a small hallway as it doesn’t take up any floor space.

A smaller piece of furniture like a stylish dresser is a great place to keep small things such as shoes, scarves, and handbags.

Consider an entryway console table with one or more drawers. It serves as a place to drop your keys and mail, but it can be also a place for decorative accessories. If you have space underneath, tuck some extra stools for entertaining guests.

 

Start with a focal decorative feature like a mirror, picture, or a grouping of wall art that typically sits over a console table or is adjacent to the entrance door.

Then, selsct other accessories in toning colors and textures so that the space feels cohesive.

For example, you may pick out ideas for small accessories such as cushions that will turn a simple, functional chair into an inviting, comfy seat.

 

 

Think of a focal point in the hallway, this might be the bottom of the stairs or right in the middle of the room. Then, put an array of pictures or any other small wall art pieces together. You could even add a couple of small-sized mirrors if you wish to make the hallway appear brighter and larger.

Even if your hallway or stairway is low and narrow, it’s possible to make it a focal point by installing a gallery wall of your favorite photos or art prints. Hung randomly in mismatched frames, a large grouping can actually create an illusion of more space instead of less. This is because it subconsciously keeps the eye busy and distracted from the shortcomings of the space.

 

If you have a console table, hang a mirror centrally over it for a practical yet decorative and attractive look. A wide mirror that is as long as the console will give a balanced look and make the hallway appear longer.

If you don’t have enough space for a console table but your entrance door has a glazed panel, place a long or even a floor-to-ceiling mirror adjacent to the door. The natural light will reflect and make the room seem wider.

Alternatively, improve a small hallway by placing a large mirror opposite the entrance door.

In addition, by using several types of mirrors, you can achieve an elegant look in your hallway. These mirrors will make the space seem bigger and brighter as well.

 

Final Thoughts,

The hallway serves a far larger purpose than just a room to take off your shoes and hang your coat. Yes, it has to function efficiently, but it also has to look good and give the first impression of your decorating taste. This area introduces visitors to your home and tells a little bit of what they’re going to find inside.

Many people overlook this room when it’s really one of the most important spaces to design properly.

However, remember not to stress too much about decorating your hallway. You don’t have to do everything at once, nor does everything have to be perfect. You can always change something, add more, or take away, later. There’s a lot to accomplish in this relatively small space, but it can be done!