Your hall is perhaps the most important room in your home. As it is the first room that visitors step into, it is the room from which they will form their first impression of you and your home. It needs to be welcoming too, so how can you achieve a hallway that is welcoming as well as tidy rather than looking like it is just used as a thoroughfare from A to B.
Storage
Good storage is essential in your hall. A hall seems to be the place where people deposit shoes and coats, leave 'stuff' on the stairs to bring upstairs later, keys are left on tables, letters that remain unanswered and other motley items seem to be at a high risk of being left in the hall.
If you have space under the stairs, then use it as a mini cloakroom for coats and shoes. Have a little door opening onto the lower part of the storage under the stairs - this is perfect for the hoover or children's toys or shoes.Alternatively, have a low unit that has space for shoes and also a seat for young children to sit while removing/putting on their shoes.Ensure your side table has some small drawers - these are really handy for items such as the car keys, gloves, unanswered post and other small items that tend to accumulate in halls.Invest in a few pretty or interesting coat hook s - they will look nice on the wall even when bare and will provide storage for your coats, hats and umbrellas not to mention for your visitors' coats when they call.If you have young children, place some coat hooks at their level so they can hang up their own coats easily.Wallpaper
Why wallpaper your hallway? Won't it be vulnerable to damage?
Not necessarily. You don't have to wallpaper the whole hall, in any case, wallpapering a high stairwell wall could be very difficult as well as expensive but a little wallpaper can go a long way in making your hallway look much more stylish, interesting and cosy.
You could wallpaper the stair risers - this could look particularly dramatic on a painted stairs and the wallpaper is protected by a clear varnish.Wallpapering a feature wall that is opposite the front door can really make an impact. Not only does it look visually appealing, but it can really draw the person is and can look so welcoming.Create a panelled space with some wooden batons to the size that you want - be it a small space on the wall above a radiator or a side table or most of the wall and wallpaper within it for interest and drama. Often a single roll of wallpaper will suffice so an economical choice too.To create interest along a long, narrow hallway, place a wallpaper panel either at the end of the hallway or at intervals along the length.And last of all, don't forget to place a mirror in your hall - so handy for that last second check on your appearance as you dash out the door but mirrors will also bounce light around, making the space appear brighter.
Lorna is the owner of the Online Home, Gift and Interiors store Garrendenny Lane at http://www.garrendennylane.com/, home to many fabulous homewares, fabrics and wallpapers that can be shipped worldwide.
Visit Lorna's blog there too.
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