These are key in any home. We run up them and through them, down them and out of them but they tend to go under appreciated. I decided it was about time they got the attention they deserve in my home so I thought id share my top tips of what to consider when renovating these spaces. Hope its helpful!
1. Make a statement
When you open your front door and step into your home, the first place you’ll see is the hallway so why not make a statement. One of the easiest ways to do this is to brighten up a wall. This could be using a bold printed wallpaper like me, or by paint and prints. Either way, try and think about the key colours and schemes that already run through your home. This helps ensure there is a natural flow as soon as you step through the door and move into the adjoining rooms.
2. Make it practical
Your hall is a high traffic area that must be functional. It needs to work for your lifestyle and deliver on practicality. Deciding to add storage underneath our stairs has been a total game changer for us. I was fed up of the daily game of coat jenga as I walked into our home. Now I am able to hide all our coats, shoes and accessories neatly away in a under-stairs storage unit. We had ours made by a local joiner who made it to our specifications. So my advice is to really think about what you need before you go ahead with this. I recommend getting everything out on the floor that you want to fit in and base your design around that. For example, make sure the hanging space for the height of coats is enough. Consider how much shoe space you need. Do you want drawers for scarfs and gloves? What about snowsuits, umbrellas, wetsuits, wellies...I could go on!) I must admit getting a bespoke made under-stairs storage unit wasn't cheap but it has definitely been worth the investment (if not for anything but my sanity!)
3. Maximise your landing
You maybe lucky enough to have a large landing and therefore are able to add furniture, storage or even seating to make use of the space. Our landing is fairly small but we still have managed to sneak in a small desk for us to use as a second office now we are both working at home. Either way, don’t forget this space can be used as a room in itself!
4. Don’t forget about your stairs
Usually you are short on floor space when it comes to this area so make the most of the walls. Adding a whole gallery wall can add a much-needed touch of personality. You can experiment with bold colours and patterns for an extra wow factor, or keep it minimal and calm with monochrome prints. Either way this is probably the easiest and most budget friendly way to change up the space, and make an impact on someone entering your home. We decided to add a bookcase above our stairs as I felt it was dead space. Now the books have become a feature in themselves.
5. Think about flooring
One of the things I really like about hallways is you have such an array of fabulous pattern tiles out there that you can use here to add extra energy and style into a plain space. Tiles in a hallway are also so practical for those with children or animals running in and out of the door. Runners here also look great and are a chance to add a bit of colour into the room.
6. Light the space
The hallway is the central hub of the home and everything comes off from there, therefore, light is one of the greatest factors you should be considering in it’s design. Mirrors are a great way to make the space look and feel like it’s so much bigger, but also a good way to bounce off light into the room. Consider what your lighting you want in the area by thinking about what mood and feeling you want to create when you walk in your home. Is it a small table lamp to give the space a cosy feel? Or do you have the space to add something more grand hanging from the ceiling as a real statement piece? Either way light can have a huge impact of how you feel when you open your front door. This is something I feel I still don't have quite right in our home and probably the biggest learning in our renovation journey so far.
Hope that was helpful and gives you some ideas to think about when you are considering renovating your hallway, stairs and landing. If you take nothing else away, just remember that these spaces can be used as rooms in themselves.
I'd love to hear of any other ideas you have. Im learning as I go!
Happy decorating!
Elise xx
