The hallway or entranceway is the first area we step into in the home, yet it can often be overlooked when designing your dream interior. One of the most vital spaces to consider when redecorating, it is the first snap-shot guests get of your home so should impeccably reflect your own style and personality, however there are also many practical elements that need to be implemented too. As the entrance to the home, the hallway is somewhere to unload outdoor clothing, empty pockets and look after guest’s belongings whilst they are visiting, making the functionality of the space as equally important as the style. Take a look at The LuxPad’s top tips for creating a welcoming hall interior …
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1. Storage Solutions
One of the key elements of creating an inviting hall interior is adding enough storage options for both your family and guests. Coat hooks or if you have enough space, coat stands, are a must-have for any hallway for hanging your own most-used outdoor jackets and coats along with guests’. Whether opting for a simple line of hooks or getting creative with individual hooks arranged in your own design, these accessories can blend in or stand out as much as you wish. Many shelving options also include hooks which are perfect for hallways and the shelf itself is fabulous for placing boxes or baskets to store hats, gloves and scarves ready for the winter months.
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Another key storage element needed for hallways is of course shoe storage. From large specialist units with cubby holes for all types of shoes to chic multipurpose baskets, there are numerous options for shoe storage to suit any style. An excellent space to keep messier shoes such as wellies or trainers, along with your favourite everyday shoes to easily grab as you head out the door, having shoe storage readily available when guests arrive also serves as a subtle hint for if you prefer them to remove their shoes before going through to the rest of the house.
2. Must-Have Furniture
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Many hallways simply don’t have the space for large furniture items but thankfully there are many spacing saving options out there. A key furniture item to have in the hallway is a bench or a chair to sit on whilst putting shoes on. For larger spaces, this is the perfect place for a colourful arm chair or occasional chair which will offer a first glimpse of your interior style. If you are tight on space, a narrow bench styled with cushions is also an ultra-stylish option and many larger shoe storage units offer flat-top surfaces which can double as benches to combine two essential hallway furniture pieces.
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Another often used furniture piece for the hallways is a console or side table. The perfect place to place other useful hallway accessories (more on this below) a small table is fantastic to unload other smaller items you don’t want to take through with you to the rest of the house and many brands now make half table versions with just two legs to save space, making them ideal for narrower hallways.
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3. Mirror Mirror
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We’ve all been there when rushing out of the house in the mornings when you forget to check your teeth for any bits of food after breakfast and don’t notice until hours later, or you just throw on that hat only realising it doesn’t work when you catch a glimpse of yourself in the train window. Placing a mirror in the hallway is the perfect way to escape any outfit or beauty mishaps that can occur as you rush to get out the house in the mornings. From full-length varieties to check your look for the day is on point to smaller head-height mirrors for last minute make up or stray shaving cream checks, a hallway mirror means you will always leave the house looking your best.
4. Inviting Scents
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Inviting home fragrance is essential for any space, but when creating a welcoming hall interior it is even more important. With the power to evoke memories and create lasting impressions, scent is one of the very first things we notice about a space, so ensure your hall is always perfumed to perfection. Each area in the home can benefit from slightly different scents for example fresh, clean notes in the kitchen to cosy fragrances in the living room. Hallways are usually smaller spaces and can therefore be overwhelmed with scents that are too strong, so steer clear of rich, intense aromas which can be jarring as soon as you walk in. Hallway fragrance is fabulous for reflecting the seasons; opt for fresh citrus, or delicate floral numbers for spring and summer which will offer a cool sanctuary from the heat outside and uplift the senses. When winter and autumnal weather starts to creep in, look for fragrances with a hint of spice to give off a cosy and inviting atmosphere as soon as the door is opened.
5. Statement Flooring
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Statement flooring is here to stay in the home but taking the plunge and adding bold tiles to larger spaces can be daunting. Smaller areas such as bathrooms and hallways are excellent for experimenting with pattern and they can really bring a space to life. For a chic hall interior, patterned flooring can be all you need to create a style statement and the rest of the room can be left pared back to let the design shine through. From miss-matched tiles, to herringbone wood, the bold choices are endless and they will instantly get your interior noticed as soon as guests step through the door. If you’re unsure whether to go all out with a patterned floor, a well-placed rug can be another excellent choice with many vinyl varieties now available to mimic tiles, or you can’t go wrong with a more traditional runner along the length of the hallway.
6. Don’t Forget Door Mats
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Door mats are essential for any hall interior – especially to protect the new flooring you’ve just painstakingly laid. They can be placed either inside or out and the influx of novelty designs make them an excellent way to showcase your personality and humour without sacrificing on style. From cheeky puns to quotes from your favourite TV shows, novelty door mats will have your guests smiling before they even cross the threshold and if jokey door mats aren’t your thing, there are also endless patterned and plain designs too.
7. Helpful Finishing Touches
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Once the basics are in place for any room, it’s time to look to accessories to bring the space together. Hallway accessories help to serve additional practical purposes as the room is usually a place to store items you don’t want to take with you throughout the rest of the house or to get lost. Trinket trays are fabulous for dropping wallets, keys or change on, ready to be grabbed when you next leave the house and the hallway is also traditionally where the house phone (if you have one) is kept with a notepad ready to write down any messages. Letter holders are another helpful hallway accessory still as popular today as they always have been and are great places to store mail you haven’t got round to opening yet or letters that need your attention that you don’t want to forget about. No room is complete without a dash of greenery and a bouquet of flowers or a house plant whether real or faux will add that final inviting touch to your hall interior.
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