Ways to Spruce up Your Hallway and Give it Some Personality

People spend a lot of time thinking about the interior design of their homes. They consider every room, bedroom, bathroom, living room, and dining room, but often forget about their hallway. It's an important part of the house because it's the first room you see when you walk inside. This is the part when you get the first impression about someone's lifestyle so it's important to make it right. Even though hallways are usually small, it doesn't mean they should be simple and boring. There are ways you can make them look welcoming, practical and coherent to the rest of the house.

Place a Runner

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A lot of interior designers turn to runners when they need to fill long and narrow spaces. These things are perfect for creating illusions such as elongating an area. So, if you want to transform or spruce your hallway buy a hallway runner to warm up and fill the space. They can enhance the overall aesthetics of the place and create the mood you want.

Besides dealing with aesthetics, runners also protect the flooring. This is an important feature for high foot traffic areas such as the hallway. The flooring can get damaged, worn out, scratched and dented in these places and the runner provides good padding and protection. Plus, you get a nice guide for the guests to the designated area of the house.

There are so many things you can do and so many styles you can lean towards. Runners nowadays are so versatile in terms of material, colour, design and texture, that it may be overwhelming to choose. First, you should measure the length you need. How much of it do you want to be covered? Measure the floor’s length and width and start from there.

Next, look at the overall colour palette of the room and decide if you want the runner to blend in or stand out. Hallways are often dark and enclosed spaces and oftentimes they need something to brighten up the place. In this case, you should probably get a brightly coloured rug, possibly with a pattern. Maybe something that will complement the accessories inside or the colour of the walls.

If you have a cosy-cottage interior design, a country-styled runner will fit perfectly. If it gives a contemporary vibe, lean towards something chic and modern. And if you have nice hardwood flooring you should consider something more traditional in design. When it comes to materials, something made from synthetic materials will be best. They'll be easy to clean and maintain because the runner will often face mud, dirt and moisture.

Choose Good Flooring

It's very important to choose the right flooring for your hallway. This is a high-traffic area that connects the rooms with the exterior and it should be durable and withstand wear and tear. There are several hard-wearing materials that can withstand a lot of walking. The first one is wood. Wood can bring a natural feel to the house.

If you provide it with proper care, it’ll last for a very long time. It's also easy to clean and it can be recycled. You have a wide range of colours and patterns that add to the overall aesthetics of the space. But it’s a good idea to add a hallway runner on top of it because some timbers can show marks and scratches and these planks are difficult to replace.

Tiles are a smart choice as well. They're easy to clean, durable and come in a range of colours and patterns. Additionally, you have a choice of shapes and layout as well. Some of them can be on the more expensive side, but you can go for the more budget-friendly option, ceramics, which still has the best features.

Stone is also a great option. You can go with marble, limestone or slate. This flooring can blend into any interior design, modern, contemporary, vintage, traditional etc. These options are all very durable and come in many neutral shades. The downside is that they can be cold and prone to stains because they’re porous. You also have vinyl, laminate, linoleum, cork, cement and terrazzo.

Practical Storage Space

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The hallway is often overlooked when it comes to storage space. But when you see the piles of shoes over the floor, you’ll realise it’s a must. There are plenty of narrow storage space alternatives you can go for and declutter the space. Open shelves by the wall in one option. You can have a few shelves for shoes and a clothes rack for jackets and coats.

If you have stairs in the hallways, you can use the space underneath a create hidden storage. This solution is very space-saving and practical. Elevated cabinets can also be an option. They give the space a good look with their floating illusion, and you can use their countertop for leaving your keys, accessorise with a vase or a picture frame etc.

Add a Mirror

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The hallways are often enclosed, narrow spaces that sometimes look claustrophobic even though you have a hall runner on the floor. Adding a mirror to it can make the space look bigger and open. Adding a small mirror can be a practical element that can store your keys, letters and phone. The slim and circular design of a round mirror gives symmetry to the room and adds a modern touch.

But the real deal for opening up the space is an elongated mirror. If you can, get one that stands from ceiling to floor. This will give you a good place to see how you look before you leave the house and will give the illusion of a wider and taller space. You have a wide choice with the frames of the mirror as well. You can go with metal to embrace the modern look of the room or go with wood to add to the more traditional or vintage interior design.

Incorporate a Sitting Area

The most common piece of furniture in hallways is a slender bench. Besides being practical, it also makes the space cosier. It's a fantastic spot to sit when putting on your shoes or to rest your grocery bags after shopping. These benches can be padded to add comfort. Most of them also have storage space so it’s a win-win situation. If the space is big enough, you can also add chairs. They can be a little inconvenient because they only have one function but if you have the storage figured out, there shouldn’t be a problem.