The hallway is a unique space in any property. It is the part of your home that forms the important first impressions when guests call round. It is the small, but functional space that houses everything from shoes to coats, shopping bags and more.
Thus, function and style need to be an effortless fusion. It needs to be a welcoming space with a charm and warmth all its own and yet, it needs to be neutral so that it introduces the rest of the home.
You need detail in the hallway but not clutter. Your need colour but not darkness. You want brightness but nothing too stark.
We have the solutions…
Add Character Without Clutter
Console Table
Traditionally, the hallway was the place where the telephone was located. Most homes had one telephone handset and one telephone point – and the hallway was it. As a result, the console table became the furniture item of choice. Today, the phone point can be located anywhere in the home and with different handset types too, there is no need for the telephone to be the sole occupant of the hallway.
But you still don’t have oodles of space to play with and thus, the slimline console table is still popular. A console table with drawers is perfect for storing car keys and house keys, for example. And we love the idea of reclaimed furniture, with its fine pedigree and history, now being the basis for the home’s broadband and Wi-Fi router.
If you want a more rustic appeal, choose a console table that is both longer and satisfyingly ‘chunkier’ in appearance, like a hallway table. To maximise space, keep a sense of openness about the design of the console table, especially if you don’t need shelving or drawers. The Maddox console table is fun and stylish, perfect for a table lamp to cast a pleasant glow in the hallway (and there are two finishes, both in the industrial furniture style, to choose from too!).
Mirror
It is almost compulsory to have a mirror in the hallway not only to reflect light but to also check you look the part before you walk into the important meeting you have scheduled. A mirror is ideal for adding character and detail too, like with the pretty shaped Lana mirror.
For simplicity, think round mirrors with narrower less imposing frames, especially important in a very small hallway. To make a statement, even the most decorative wall mirrors add character without clutter, like this Capella mirror with its wired, spider-web like frame.
Light
Of all the hallway decorating ideas, light is possibly the most important feature. As well as table lamps on console tables, the ambient light reflected by your choice of hallway mirror, don’t forget the hanging pendant light.
Practical, yet stylish, pendant lights allow for enough luminosity in the hallway without it being stark or overly bright. Gold coloured shades are beautiful, casting a delicious brassy glow about the space and glass pendant lights are beautiful too, casting more than a hint of luxury and decadence.
Tell us how you add character to your hallway?