Don’t forget to
Don’t forget to deck out the hallway when you’re decorating home space
deck out the hallway when you’re decorating home space.
Hallways are the most underappreciated, overlooked design opportunity in your house. Think about how many times you pass through them each day. What if they were something special?
When designing halls for his clients, Washington, D.C., interior decorator Jonathan Senner prefers a classic look, with neutral walls and a salon-style gallery.
In hers, Seattle-based blogger and designer Cassandra LaValle likes the chance to be bold, with patterned wallpaper and funky lighting. “Rooms should flow,” LaValle says. “You don’t want your house to feel like a patchwork, but there are opportunities like hallways to create something fun.”
Whatever your preference, a hallway is a great way to put your personality on display. Family portraits are perfect here, as is a collection of postcards or Polaroids. Those with long, wide halls can think about built-in bookcases or a spot to put a writing desk. One of the best parts about outfitting a hall is that it doesn’t take much. Fresh paint, a runner, frames — that’s all you need for a full transformation. On her blog, Coco Kelley (cocokelley.com), LaValle documents one weekend hallway makeover that used just those three tools, and seeing the “after” with rich blue paint, a plush runner and crisp white frames is enough to make anyone reconsider this usually wasted space. Some suggestions: A bench in a hall, whether at the end or to the side, is a great place to drop shoes or a coat if your hallway comes off an entry. Over a bench, if you want to hang artwork, think big. “A lot of people say you should never hang a large piece of art in a hallway because you don’t have a visual distance to admire it,” Senner says, “but I think a large piece of art or tapestry almost becomes the wall. It’s luxurious.” The Sticotti V Bench, made of Petiribi wood, is a stately piece of furniture that would hold its own with any work of art and could even display elegantly arranged piles of books ($1,250, dwr.com).
Flor’s Suit Yourself rug is practical (it’s made of tough sisal) yet unexpected. Its zigzag shape mixes up the standard rectangle ($224, flor.com). “Hallways are a chance to do something quirky,” says LaValle, who also designs interiors for her firm, Emerald Studio, in Seattle. The sisal tiles can also be purchased separately to make your own configuration.
The Davis Zinc wall shelf can hold a rotating gallery of framed children’s art, family photos, art from travels — just about anything that strikes your fancy ($35$55, crateandbarrel.com). LaValle likes to use picture ledges to display objects, too, such as a shell collection or other mementos, “things that get put up on mantels,” she says.
LaValle likes a slight, minimal console in a hallway because it takes up little visual space and helps keep the hall from feeling cluttered. Her pick: CB2’s Mini Mill console table ($199, cb2.com).
“Mirrors are useful in hallways to reflect available light and to create the illusion of space, especially at the end of a hallway,” Senner says. If they’re substantial, big mirrors, such as the handcrafted Acacia wood 40-inch mirror, can serve as a spot to check yourself before heading out for the day ($299, cb2.com).
“A hallway is a great spot to add pattern,” says LaValle, who especially likes Kelly Ventura’s designs for Chasing Paper. A watercolor print of Ventura’s Wild Grass comes in navy, neutral and turquoise and is removable in case you’re renting or likely to change your mind ($40 per 2by-4-foot panel, chasingpaper.com).
“If you have a longer hallway with a space at the end, it’s great to have a vignette there,” Senner says. “Having a vignette down at the end invites you into the space.” West Elm’s bone inlaid 3-drawer dresser is a solid foundation for additional accessories ($1,299, westelm.com).
If hallways are a clutter drop zone, make sure there are baskets with lids on them, LaValle says. Lidded La Jolla baskets from Serena and Lily, made by hand with sea grass and recycled plastic, are just the ticket ($128-$188, serenaandlily.com).
Before choosing lighting for a hallway, think about what the purpose of the lighting will be, Senner suggests. To light your path in the dark? Or ground a wild pattern of wallpaper with the symmetry of sconces? Or maybe you want to light up artwork. In the last case, Senner likes practical-yet-elegant picture lights. For ease of installation, a cordless option, such as Concept Picture Lights’ cordless LED remote control picture light, is nice ($115, bellacor.com).
Hallways are high-traffic areas, so LaValle says to look for durable runners. Persian-style rugs and kilim rugs, such as the Geo kilim rug, are designed to be shaken out every now and then, so they’re a good choice ($238 for 2 1⁄2-by-9-foot rug,anthropolo
gie.com). Pair runners with rug pads; natural fiber and 100 percent rubber pads will protect wood floors. “Don’t get something too thick, because it becomes a tripping hazard, especially for kids,” Senner says. He suggests keeping the thickness under half an inch.
Sometimes a hallway has to be more of a catchall place than just a pretty spot in the house. If that is the case for you, a storage piece, such as the hardwood Windham entryway bench, with cupboards and a place to sit and put on shoes, makes best use of limited real estate ($170, target.com). Seven color options match all aesthetics.