Warm welcome

It’s a space I never get tired of looking at. Mainly, I think, because of the initial impression it gives you – it’s important to get it just right. What am I talking about? Hallways, of course!

Now, you may already have your hall nicely decorated, but don’t let that stop you – no one really needs a reason to redecorate, sometimes we do so simply because we can. After all, there’s nothing more fun for an interiors enthusiast than planning the next scheme.

Here’s a few beautiful ideas to whet your appetite.

Carpet in a hallway just looks so inviting and this Natural Look design by Carpetright is in a practical grey shade.

 

 

If you’re lucky enough to have a hallway of this size, why not go all out with the glamour? Statement furniture and an elegant glass pendant certainly create a room to be proud of.

This stair runner cosies up a plain painted staircase and is bang on trend for this year’s autumn/winter season.

Get creative and add a splash of colour by painting your banisters or banustrades. I love this quirky hall, and the green spindles look stunning when set against crisp white.

Laurie

When hall’s not what it seems…

A hall’s a hall’s a hall. Or is it? Just looking over the latest H2H halls gallery made me realise how differently we use this space. Mine currently serves as: a dumping ground for coats; a sleeping area for cats; a storage area for golf clubs (and other assorted items of sports equipment that hardly ever get used). In our defence, we do have a charming old bureau that at least looks as though it belongs there. Check out this link – it may well make you think again about that space you thought was just for meeting and greeting.

Seán O

Play and display – does a piano here hit the right note?

Small space solutions!

Did you know that storage space is one of the 8 key features people look for when choosing a new home? That’s one of the findings of a new survey by RIBA (the Royal Institute of British Architects), which says some homes lack storage space for basic household items such as the vacuum cleaner.  They’re not wrong – since when did anyone claim to have more than enough cupboards or ample shelve space? Fret no more, check out House to Home’s guide on how to find storage space you never knew you had and you’ll soon find yourself with space to spare.

Seán O

I’ll be hanged if this isn’t clever!

Table Envy

Now I know that I showed you some great hallway examples not so long ago, but I couldn’t resist blogging about this little beauty. Taken from one of our upcoming homes in the June issue of 25 Beautiful Homes (on sale 3rd May – don’t miss it!), I think it’s a great example of how you can make the most of a small space.

There’s a real combination of styles here, but the ornate wooden console table really comes into its own set against such a neutral background.

Love it. Want it.

Laurie

Making an entrance

I’m about to redecorate my hallway and its present state leaves a lot to be desired. It’s fairly large and wide, with a staircase directly in front, but the orange wallpaper is from the 1930s, with a faded red carpet to ‘complement’ it! Ugh. I’m hoping for a fairly modern scheme, but at the moment, I can’t make up my mind whether to choose neutrals or something that makes more of a statement.

We’d love to hear how you’ve decorated your hallway, but in the meantime, here’s a few schemes that sparked my interest…

Symmetrical and eye-catching, these faux stag’s heads add interest to a white scheme (bar the brightly coloured rug).

This monochrome scheme works beautifully and the high ceilings prevent the space from appearing too dark or dingy.

A sideboard makes a handy addition for the hallway, not only providing extra storage, but also a surface on which to display lamps and decorative objects. If your hall is large enough, a chair is ideal for when you’re putting shoes on or taking them off. See more of this house by clicking here.

Laurie

Passing through

 

Hallways can be boring. There’s no doubt about it, it’s a hard room to make attractive – more often than not it’s simply used as a dumping ground for coats and shoes. However, this picture, from a former Georgian vicarage in Hampshire, makes achieving an elegant hallway look easy. It’s elegant yet cosy, and I love the warm wood mixed with limestone floor tiles and a cool pale-blue backdrop (and of course a dog curled up on a rug – who can resist?).

The fact you can see right through to the back of the house adds an element of light to the room, and the chunky wood console table is the ideal place for storing keys and post, with a mirror for last-minute appearance checks before you head out the door. See more pictures of this home by clicking on this link.

What do you think of this room? We’d love to hear your thoughts on how you’ve decorated your own hallways.

Laurie

Clocked it!

I’ve only just awoken to the idea that clocks aren’t just for telling time. We’ve got a double-back staircase, which means we have a big wall to fill as you walk up the stairs. Ever since we moved in we’ve scratched our heads to know what to fill it with. Of course I’ve seen loads of pictures that would look great there but you’re talking an arm and a leg for even a decent print (treble it if the artist has signed and numbered it!). But after browsing House to Home, I’ve realised that a clock can be practical, stylish and a definite design statement. Check out this page  on weird and wonderful clocks. Go on, then – time waits for no man…

What big hands you've got!

Off-the-wall wall clock

 

How about this for laid-back?

Hang it!

Does anybody out there have problems choosing wallpaper? Once you’ve got over the ‘shall I paint or paper it?’ dilemma, you’ve then got a minefield of choices to find that perfect look. I like a good wallpaper – a trendy paint colour’s all very well but it doesn’t expressive your individuality to the same extent. It can also reinforce that modern or traditional look you’re after. Here’s a sneak preview of the Johnson house in December’s 25BH  issue to illustrate how tastefully (and cleverly) it can be used. Bit flowery for me though…

Seán

 

Hall of fame

I have a dining room with an under-stairs alcove, that I’ve been wondering what to do with for a while – we’ve eventually decided to put a sideboard there and use it as a bar-type area, complete with drinks tray and swish glasses. It can be an awkward space to decorate though, which is why I thought this hallway space, below, is my ‘room of envy’ this week.

Stencilled leaves trailing down the wall in that under-stairs alcove make a great alternative to plain paint or wallpaper, and the chair isn’t just decorative but practical too – there’s times we all need to sit down to tie laces/take shoes off, etc.

The pillar at the left corner of the picture adds a Grecian-style touch to the space, and it’s a great way of showing what can be done with a small, awkward area the size of a postage stamp!

Laurie

Grand entrance

Not a room, strictly speaking, but in the majority of homes, the hallway is the first impression you get of a house. Which is why I am here to implore you not to neglect it – treat it as you would any other room, lavish care and attention onto it and put your own stamp on it…

This space is a total mishmash of styles but do you know what, it just works somehow. The colourful Victorian-style floor tiles take centre stage, hence the neutral walls, yet the colour of the retro chair jumps out at you and is a great example of how combining shades from the same palette (blues and teals in this case), can be a simple but effective trick. Throw in a decorative, shabby chic wheelbarrow and a bit of greenery and you’ve got yourself a funky room.

Now, all-white is not normally my thing but in the case of this colourful stairway, even I realise that it’s necessary to allow the bright green balusters to pop. It’s such an easy update and the colour combinations are endless – think rainbow colours, alternating shades or random combinations with no pattern whatsoever. Fancy a change? No problem – let you imagination run wild.

There are three elements that make this last hallway for me: the beautiful mottled stone flooring, the canes and umbrellas in the stand and the dog in the doorway. It has a wonderfully worn, rustic feel and, thanks to the neutral decor, the furniture can easily be added to and mixed up – the owners could quite easily switch the chair for a wooden coat stand or hang a heavy drape over the door. But, I think the best thing about this room is the beautifully soft light: I get the feeling that stepping foot through the door would transport me back to happier, calmer, less complicated times of a bygone era. Emily