(THAT WELCOME YOU HOME)
Make an entrance you’ll be happy to open your front door to – and that doesn’t require hiking gear to navigate through – with our guide to the highs and lows of hallway decorating
We all know first impressions count. We also know that a pile of stinking shoes, a broken bookcase waiting for the tip run and three years’ worth of junk mail doesn’t make a great first impression unless you’re auditioning for Hoarders from Hell. However, as your home’s thoroughfare – the ‘room’ you walk through, not to – the hallway is so often overlooked. On both the renovation and cleaning schedule, let’s be honest.
The good news is the hallway can be one of the least expensive rooms to tackle. For starters there’s usually no plumbing or electrics involved. And, if you’re lucky, you’ll discover an incredible original floor under that manky carpet. If not, the area is so small that new flooring needn’t prove too spendy. The bad news is it’s also one of the most labour intensive if you’re a DIYER, as anyone who has ever attempted to paint stair spindles or double-height stairwell walls will testify (from their therapist’s couch). Try to remember you’ll only need to do it once in your lifetime, probably, then make sure your gin supplies are stocked up and crack on. Or sell a limb and invest in a spray-painting specialist who will do it faster than you can say ‘is that somebody at the door?’.
Storage is an obvious hallway necessity, but don’t go nuts. Be strong and only store outerwear you and your family actually wear; do a seasonal switch-out if necessary. Sniff out any outgrown children’s shoes (it shouldn’t be too difficult) and take a hard line with reusable shopping bags. Those things breed without due control. Try to keep furniture below eye level if the space is narrow – tall units have an enclosing effect. Coat pegs need to be higher, but opt for more pegs and fewer items per peg if you can. Somewhere to drop keys and bags when you come in is helpful but, again, be military-grade strict about long-term dumping. A bowl full of old sunglasses, broken Lego and that strange hingetype thing that you found on the floor and are afraid to chuck, has neither use nor ornament.
Speaking of ornaments, the hallway is ripe for honing your shelfie and picture gallery skills. The large expanse of wall can handle a bold approach. And, since you’ll not be lingering for long, you can afford to experiment with artwork and paint effects you’d potentially tire of in main living rooms. If you hate it, bosh up a big mirror and move on. Without tripping over trainers, ideally.