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5 Ways to Turn Your Ordinary Hallway Into a Room With Purpose
Realise the full potential of your hallway with these clever styling tricks
For most people, hallways are utilitarian places – a place to dump shoes, keys, bags and umbrellas. However, if done well an entry hall can be a stunning welcome into a home and can set the scene for the house beyond. Keeping in mind the functional necessities, there are some simple and practical ways to create a stunning space that will impress guests and ensure your home is fully utilised.
On a larger scale, but still following the same rules, this entry hall ticks all the boxes for making a smart and practical room – storage, functionality and style.
2. Bring in the books
While designing dual-function entry halls is not only a great way to create a room, in the case of smaller homes, it’s sometimes a necessity. Books in this day and age are no doubt a luxury and having enough of them to constitute a library is rare. However, whether your collection is large or small, cleverly displayed books is the perfect way to shape a room. The most obvious way to display your collection is with bookshelves, which can be modest or over the top.
For smaller or narrow spaces, you should look at some alternatives to the traditional bookcase. Display shelves are perfect for showing off a few books or treasured volumes and engage guests when they first enter your home. A small box or tray can also sit nicely on top of low shelves, to become a home for keys and other knickknacks.
While designing dual-function entry halls is not only a great way to create a room, in the case of smaller homes, it’s sometimes a necessity. Books in this day and age are no doubt a luxury and having enough of them to constitute a library is rare. However, whether your collection is large or small, cleverly displayed books is the perfect way to shape a room. The most obvious way to display your collection is with bookshelves, which can be modest or over the top.
For smaller or narrow spaces, you should look at some alternatives to the traditional bookcase. Display shelves are perfect for showing off a few books or treasured volumes and engage guests when they first enter your home. A small box or tray can also sit nicely on top of low shelves, to become a home for keys and other knickknacks.
These simple floating shelves give lightness and air to the narrow hallway and provide a great storage alternative.
With the help of the double-height ceiling, this bookcase becomes not only the focal point of the entry hall, but also the staircase and house as a whole.
3. Curate your own gallery
As good art has become more and more accessible, people are building personal collections to display within their homes. An entry hall provides the perfect space to hang precious pieces and curate your own gallery. Whether large or small (or a combination of both), well displayed art instantly turns a space from cold and empty into something more personal and welcoming.
In terms of using art to create a room, be sure that each piece compliments the other – this could be through size, subject or matching frames. It’s also important to hang the art in the right place. Before you put any nails in the wall, move the art around until it feels right and keep in mind that centred is not always best.
As good art has become more and more accessible, people are building personal collections to display within their homes. An entry hall provides the perfect space to hang precious pieces and curate your own gallery. Whether large or small (or a combination of both), well displayed art instantly turns a space from cold and empty into something more personal and welcoming.
In terms of using art to create a room, be sure that each piece compliments the other – this could be through size, subject or matching frames. It’s also important to hang the art in the right place. Before you put any nails in the wall, move the art around until it feels right and keep in mind that centred is not always best.
These picture shelves allow the art to be rotated around easily. Family photos or even kid's artworks can be put on display.
Mismatched art is also a clever way to play with scale and composition, especially if a space doesn’t have uniform walls.
4. Create a place where you can relax
An entry hall or hallway doesn’t need to be just a beautiful room – it can also be a destination, especially when the space has a nice outlook. As these images show, a well-appointed hall can be a relaxing spot to flick through a good book or magazine.
Where there is a window with a beautiful view, a built-in bay window seat woks best and can provide storage for umbrellas, gumboots or dog leads underneath.
An entry hall or hallway doesn’t need to be just a beautiful room – it can also be a destination, especially when the space has a nice outlook. As these images show, a well-appointed hall can be a relaxing spot to flick through a good book or magazine.
Where there is a window with a beautiful view, a built-in bay window seat woks best and can provide storage for umbrellas, gumboots or dog leads underneath.
5. Make it grab your attention
For homes on a grander scale, and where the need for immediate storage isn’t as great, the entry hall can become a true show-stopper.
As with this traditional example, the addition of a few key elements has transformed what could have been a cavernous thoroughfare into a warm and inviting room. A sisal rug grounds the space, while the large table centres the room and gives a point of reference for the rest of the furnishings. The table also provides the perfect spot to display flowers, photographs and books – a simple and effective way to announce a room.
For homes on a grander scale, and where the need for immediate storage isn’t as great, the entry hall can become a true show-stopper.
As with this traditional example, the addition of a few key elements has transformed what could have been a cavernous thoroughfare into a warm and inviting room. A sisal rug grounds the space, while the large table centres the room and gives a point of reference for the rest of the furnishings. The table also provides the perfect spot to display flowers, photographs and books – a simple and effective way to announce a room.
In this entry, the centre table has been used to break up the long space, while the sideboard provides practical storage and an extra surface for display.
As with all the ideas above, the number one rule when creating a room out of an ordinary entry hall is to ensure that it reflects you and the way you live your life. Whether you like to sit, relax and take things slow, or are constantly flying in and out the door.
TELL US
How have you transformed your boring old entryway?
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TELL US
How have you transformed your boring old entryway?
MORE
Keep Mess at Bay in Your Entryway With These Do-Better Tips
Designs for Living: Entrances Set Up to Serve You
Transform Your Home’s Entrance From Daggy to Dazzling in Just One Week
The entry to this Perth home, by Kim Pearson, is an excellent example of how a hallway can be functional and beautiful. Pearson has placed a chair by the door for putting on shoes, with hooks located nearby for school bags and jackets.
The sideboard provides plenty of drawers and cupboards for hiding unwanted clutter and to keep keys and wallets safe. With the addition of a decorative mirror and orchid, this otherwise purely practical space has become a welcoming and usable entry to the home.