hallway Archives - Page 5 of 6

Amazing dark hallway solutions for a luxurious entrance

As is the room you walk into when you get home from work, and the room that greets your guests, the hallway should ideally be a welcoming, bright room. However, often, entrance halls can be very small narrow, lacking a window or very dark.

However, there are plenty of ways you can maximise the light in your hallway, and hopefully create the illusion of more space to boot too.

Reflect the light

One of the easiest ways to bring light into your room is to reflect the light. Large mirrors are the obvious option, bouncing the light around the room and creating the look of more open space. In a long hallway, you may even find a couple of mirrors the way to go. Perhaps one mirror above a gorgeous Luxe Kensington industrial console table and another floor-length mirror at the end of the hall.

Brighten your hallway features

The doorway may be the only source of light in some hallways. If you have a wooden door, why not paint the inside of your door white to maximise the light you are bringing in.

You can also opt for a lighter bannister. If you have an open balustrade, you may find that keeping the wood lighter, or even opting for a glass handrail a good option.

Be careful with colour

Dark rooms often leave us feeling a little cautious about using colour, instead opting for pale shades which bring light but don’t make much of an impact. However, it doesn’t have to be the way.

Of course, it may not be the best option to paint your entire hallway navy or dark purple. But careful injections of colour with your accents can make a fantastic statement. Radiator covers are popular in home decor at the moment, so how about choosing a radiator colour in a vibrant shade to make an impact. Artwork and even a large bookshelf with lots of gorgeous books organised in colour order will create a chic finish and add a talking point to your entrance hall too.

When it comes to floor coverings, lighter wood and tiling are a great idea. This will create the illusion of a bigger room, especially if you use the same flooring in any rooms off the hallway to create flow.

If you have a slightly larger space, don’t be afraid to add interest on the floor too with patterned rugs. The stripes of this green rug are absolutely wonderful for elongating the room and complimenting any industrial pieces too. Alternatively, the bold pattern of the Louis De Poortere Atlantic Ocean Blue Waves Rug will really make a design statement the moment your guests step into your home.

And what about furniture?

Many of us may be tempted to go for light furniture, to bring as much light into your space as possible. However, you may find that very light furniture like white looks grey in a darker hallway. Instead, it is a good idea to save white for anywhere with bright daylight. Instead, opt for a slim design with an open base.

You will often find that industrial furniture is a great option for a dark room as the more modern designs are often slimmer and metal accents are flattering in smaller spaces. Our Maddox Reclaimed Elm Console Table is perfect with the open base and stainless steel finish on the legs. If you are looking for something with storage, the ultra slim Industrial Lansdowne Reclaimed Wood Console Table may be the way to go.

Have you got any great tips for making a dark hallway look brighter? Let us know.

How to renovate a hallway to impress

Luxe Kensington Reclaimed Wood Console Table

Every month we bring you interesting ‘how to’ blogs to aid you in any stylish renovations you decide to make in your home. This month we take a look at an important but often under-styled part of our homes – the hallway.

Style to Impress

You have probably heard that it takes less than seven seconds for someone to form an impression, good or bad, of something or someone that they meet. For guests stepping foot in your home, this judgement is based on many things, including the appeal of the hallway.

But more importantly than that, it is the space that welcomes you home after a busy day. So, why shouldn’t it be a stylish place, and an impressive one at that? But how do you achieve the elevated heights of an impressive hallway?

We show you how…

Plan it – first on our list is to think carefully about how the use of this space will change over the coming years. inevitably, the main issue will be storage. Consider carefully what will work for storing coats, boots, shoes and bags now, and in the coming years.

Draw it – if you consider how much technology has changed our homes, you will understand just how much the hallway has changed. For older properties, the hallway can be sadly bereft of electrical sockets, with a phone socket placed in the middle of an expanse of wall. If you can, get these moved so you can draw a plan of the best place for your furniture to be placed.
Consider bespoke storage – storage is usually bereft in the hallway and so, if you use it as the space through which everyone passes as they enter and leave your home, the biggest investment should be in the storage facilities. From bespoke under-the-stairs solutions to detailing such as drawers in small console tables, maximising as much storage as you can from the space.

Maximise light – many hallways suffer the same fate in terms of lack of light, both natural and ambient. Maximise light as much as possible and, if knocking down a wall isn’t on the cards, make sure that any window dressings are minimal in fuss but allow light to shine in. Consider LED lighting for up and down lighting on the stairs. Modern lamps nestling on slimline hallway console tables are also perfect for adding a soft glow and more than a hint of ‘welcome’ to your home.
Mirrors – great for reflecting light, they are also a stylish means of adding much-needed detail. In effect, you are looking to create a space that is welcoming and warm, a task that decorative mirrors fill with aplomb. If you find you constrain yourself in terms of finish and style in other rooms, let your choice run free and choose a mirror that us superbly ornate and full of sparkle!

Artwork – there is no reason why the hallway needs to be bereft of artwork and yet, we so often leave the walls blank. Either choose one or two key pieces or why not use the expanse of walls to create a beautiful picture and artwork gallery?

The 2018 hallway renovation trends are…?

… monochrome colour schemes, with matching hallway rugs and runners. And if you have the budget, consider adding detail to a barren hallway with wood panelling.

How to create a welcoming entrance (even if you don’t have a hallway)

With the New Year on the doorstep, your mind will no doubt turn to what changes and improvements you will make in your home this year.

Often under-styled through no fault of its own, the entrance can be bereft of accessories and detail, probably because it is a part of the home through which we pass, rather than linger. And yet, when it comes to welcoming and impressing guests, it is often unable to make the first impression that you want it to.

And so, as the clocks chime in the coming year, why not make it your mission to create an entrance that is practical, functional but full of stylish details that create a wow factor?

Colour and Pattern

Creating a welcoming atmosphere comes down to many factors combining seamlessly together and a great place to start is by introducing colour and pattern into the hallway. We are yet to have the official Pantone colour 2018 but they have released details of some great colour schemes.

Choose strong colours and tones, such as a bright canary yellow for a sunny disposition in the hallway. For muted colours, choose tones with a maritime or coastal feel, such as sandy beige or misty grey.

As for patterned wallpaper, 2018 promises to be a great year for modern geometric prints. Or, if you want to welcome nature into your home, well-known brands are creating fabulous tree designs.

Artwork

Leaving your walls blank can sometimes make a hallway feel bland and empty but too much can clutter a space, especially a smaller hallway. Choose artwork and hang it carefully.

As well as a hallway mirror to maximise light, choose wall artwork that packs a punch. Bold artwork, especially those that encompass the beauty of nature, works well in a neutrally decorated hallway as they do with nature-inspired patterned wallpaper.

Hallway Furniture

Decluttering the hallway is a great start to creating a welcoming space but getting rid of all the furniture can lead to storage problems.

Hallway lights, such as standard lamps, are a great way of adding a soft glow to the space and work well with reclaimed wood furniture – suitably robust for such a busy space – such as slimline console tables.

A fantastic versatile addition to the hallway is a bench. Perfect for sitting to pull shoes and boots on and off, they make a great impromptu storage solution for backs and coats too. In winter, add texture and warmth by throwing a sheepskin rug on it.

Accessories

If you want a little more detailing to the hallway, then changing accessories to fit the seasons is an ideal way of creating the warm embrace that your guests have come to expect when they visit your home.

Winter hallway decorating ideas means bringing in the best that the season has to offer. Those gnarled bare branches make great ‘trees’ for hanging baubles and on, as well as draping over twinkling lights. Spray with glitter paint to add even more sparkle.

Pine cones add detail too, as well as a display of evergreen leaves, including dark green holly with its bright red berries. As spring arrives, change the nature accessories for scented spring flowers and so on.

With only a few adjustments and additions, the entrance to your home will be welcoming and sensational.

Order today to get it in time for Christmas

The build-up to Christmas has begun and if you plan on creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere with sheepskins rug this festive season, you must order this week to guarantee its arrival in time.

But why opt for sheepskin rugs? What do they bring to different rooms in the home?

Ways to Use a Sheepskin Rug

Sheepskin rugs are perfect for introducing colour and texture into a space, and work well with many interior styles but especially the clean lines of the Scandinavian style and the warmth of the rustic style. So how can you use them for maximum effect?

Added Warmth

The beauty of a white fur rug is that as a natural product, it has amazing insulation properties. Perfect for winter, they can add warmth not just for your feet on the floor but for armchairs, sofas and dining benches.

In the Bedroom

As well as using a sheepskin rug on the floor, these rugs can be used as an extra layer of welcome warmth on the bed too. When the temperature plummets and the combination of bed socks and duvet are not keeping your digits toasty warm, layer a sheepskin rug on top. This king size sheepskin rug will add not only an ideal bedroom decoration and accessory but adds unbelievable luxury too.

The Hallway

Both the rustic and Scandinavian interior design styles are about practicality and function but also about creating an impact where you need it most. In the hallway, a space often devoid of storage, a bench is a perfect addition. Soften the sharp lines and make an impact with a deep pile rug on the bench. Don’t go overboard with colour otherwise, it may look out of place. A grey sheepskin rug, for example, would add warmth without a distracting colour.

Dining Room Essential

Again, for when winter comes, and you want to add warmth both in terms of texture to space and a practical element, there is nothing better than a smooth, deep pile sheepskin rug for dining room seating. Perfect for both upholstered, leather and wooden dining chairs. In fact, in the dining room, using a rug in this way is part and parcel of the Scandinavian style.

The Office

If you spend hours at your desk, you will know the discomfort that being seating for long periods brings. Why not soften the blow with a sheepskin rug? Use a rug that is large enough to cover the whole chair as it will bring warmth to your back too.

A Reading Corner

There is nothing better than getting lost in a good book but what improves the experience is having a space that is all your own. Opt for a comfortable armchair and a small table close by for the essential coffee (or maybe a glass of wine?) and to frame the space, use a black sheepskin rug for the floor. If you want to, add an extra layer to the chair, perfect for snuggling down on a winter’s afternoon.

If you don’t order today, you won’t have this stylish rug for your home in time for Christmas…so why not browse now to order yours? View the sheepskin collection.

Great ideas on how to use a sheepskin rug

With its slightly deeper pile and more relaxed appearance, the sheepskin rug is an all-natural product that adds texture and warmth to a room. A commonly-used accessory in the Scandinavian interior design style, the sheepskin rug is a versatile addition to your home decor.

The Bedroom

Everything about the bedroom should ooze restfulness and calmness. Furnishings should be soft, deep and sumptuous. It comes as no surprise that the sheepskin rug belongs in the bedroom. Use it to frame the room too; use the large Icelandic sheepskin rug under the oak dressing table stool or enjoy the sensuous experience of your bare feet nestling in its long, warm fibres as you leave your bed in the morning or sink into its welcoming softness of a night time.

The Hallway

The hallways should not be devoid of detail and although the more fragile nature of the sheepskin rug would not marry well with the high foot traffic through the hallway, you can still use it sumptuous delights for colour. The hallway bench, a staple for keeping bags and shoes safe until the next time they are needed, would look divine with a sheepskin elegantly draped over it and would certainly make a pleasant seating point for when you need to wearily pull off your boots at the end of the day. A black rug would look so dashing and elegant in the hallway, don’t you think?

The Living Room

The living room is surely one of the best places for the feathery sheepskin rug to work its magic…

Fireplace essential – a rug in front of the fire has long been an accepted use of a rug and the sheepskin is no different. The warmth of the rug and the heat of the fire complement each other perfectly.
The armchair companion – the armchair is a welcoming fold of leather or upholstery but again, a downy rug of this kind allows you to sink into its softness. Softly drape it over the brown leather armchair to act as a warm layer beneath you, or enjoy its long fibres underfoot.
The coffee table and the rug – not a title of a book but a sure-fire winner when it comes to bringing the clean lines of the Scandinavian look to your living room. Soften the angles and edges with soft fabrics, using the larger king-size sheepskin rug as a base under the wood coffee table with a generous border for your feet too.
Rug or blanket – with the winter rain lashing at the window and howling gales menacing, you can always use the rug as a warm blanket for when you watch your favourite soap opera or sink into the pages of a best seller.

The Dining Room

There is room for the sheepskin in the dining room too, and not just on the floor. Why not use it as a soft landing for your derriere on the oak bar stools, for example? Or use it to add a layer of warmth to the dining bench.

Where else and how else would you use sumptuous sheepskin rugs?

In the spotlight: essentials to add character to your hallway

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?

What are the benefits of choosing a rug

Living Room Styled With Louis de Poortere Vintage Patchwork Rug

Whilst hard wooden or tiled floors are beautiful to look at and have many benefits of their own, sometimes, a carpet or rug underfoot feels like a luxurious accessory. In the colder months, it feels so much nicer to step into a thick, warm material instead of a chilly floorboard. For those who are keen to keep some of their hard flooring visible and prefer not to choose a permanent solution to their chilly toes, a rug provides the perfect solution.

Rugs help to reduce dust

Rugs absorb and retain more dust than hard surfaces, meaning a reduction of visible dust in your home. Living room rugs, and indeed rugs for any room in the home, are easy to clean and a once a week vacuum should rid your rug of any dust accumulation. Most are tolerant of damp cloths and cleaning products should a spillage occur. The moveable nature of a rug means that it can be taken outside and shaken or beaten for a deeper clean.

Rugs are great for playing

If you have ever spent time on a hard floor playing with children you will know all too well the benefits of a rug. A cosy surface in a child’s bedroom is such a lovely addition both for them and for you. A wool rug like our Agnetha grey twist feels indulgent, is soft to touch and great for playing. Made from 100% New Zealand wool, these wool rugs have the additional benefit of being easy to maintain – a must where children are involved!

Rugs enhance acoustics

Soft furnishings absorb sounds and rugs are no exception. Resonance is reduced in an area with a rug and the bigger the rug, the greater the impact. This makes for a calmer, softer ambience and can be easily achieved by placing a rug underneath a dining room table or coffee table. A big Louis De Poortere rug is a perfect solution here. Available in a range of colours and patterns inspired by the Far East, this gorgeously eclectic collection is easy to blend into a range of interiors. Made from pure wool and cotton chenille, it feels beautiful as well as looking great.

Rugs are comfortable

The bottom line is that a great quality rug feels luxurious underfoot and is a pleasure to walk on. Rugs are naturally warm and a lovely treat for your bare feet on a winter’s morning. Next to the bed is particularly indulgent. How about a large sheepskin rug like our luxury double white sheepskin which is naturally warm with a deep and fluffy feel as well as offering a touch of style and glamour to your room. Our reindeer rugs from Finland are also truly luxurious offering thick, sumptuous warmth as well as being individual and unique.

With so much to choose from, we can help you find a beautiful rug that is perfect for your home. Whether traditional rugs, contemporary rugs, simple or patterned rugs, you can be sure it will be a treat for your feet.

5 ways to creatively decorate your hallway

Your hallway is the first room anyone sees when they enter your home, yet its a room often forgotten when it comes to decorating. However, as a room you don’t spend too much time in, your hallway is the perfect opportunity to experiment and get creative with colour and statement decor you might be worried about using elsewhere.

Here are a few of our favourite hallway decorating ideas.

Embrace the industrial

If you have an old building, there are always features you can make the most of when it comes to decor. Make the most of old wood or industrial features like old bricks in your home for a chic, urban finish that will create a beautiful contrast against sleek, contemporary furniture.

Create a gallery

Your hallway is a fantastic space to display your favourite piece of art. From large canvases to ultra contemporary wall art, a selection of your favourite pieces will add large amounts of personality for relatively little effort. You could even mix in family photos both old and new.

For a thought out, coordinated look, go for a colour scheme. Monochrome is great for a glamorous finish which looks truly magical paired with simple white furniture and greenery. Or alternatively, work with more vibrant colours like blues or greens to bring a simple room to life.

Add mirrors

Mirrors are a great way of creating the illusion of more space and bringing light. This is a great trick for small or narrow hallways. A floor length mirror is especially great for this trick and can almost make the space seem double the size.

Even a large hallway mirror hung above your hallway console table can work wonders. Go for mirrors with ultra slim frames or no frames or those with light or metallic frames to maximise the effect.

Add bold accents with furniture

Vibrant, colourful accents are fantastic if you have a small or dark hallway to bring interest without adding too much clutter and taking up floor space.

Colourful chairs will instantly bring life to your hallway. Go for an armchair with a slim design but high back to create drama without taking up unnecessary space. Jewel tones like amethyst, sapphire or jade are sure to attract endless compliments. Alternatively, a painted console table or display unit will add a vintage-inspired finish to any room which will be beautifully complemented by glamorous accessories and greenery.

Turn your hallway into a library

Books can also make for great decor pieces and don’t take up too much space. Adding slim bookcases on one or both sides of the hallway means you can fill the space up with your favourite books and create a room with plenty of personality too. For a sleeker, coordinated look, you could place your books in colour order.

Make the most of your space with this small hallway ideas. Let us know what you did.

5 ways hallway storage furniture can keep your home clean

The hallway is an important space in any home and that’s why good hallway storage furniture is a must. It is a space through which you pass several times a day, the immediate space you – and your guests – walk into as they enter your home, and the last space they see as they leave.

A clean and clutter-free hallway is all about practicality, as much as it is about creating the right impression. Here are five tips to make it the space that you want it to be…

1. Hallway storage furniture that fits…

… your hallway and your needs.

All too often, storage solutions are about making do but a storage bench or box such as the Beam Slim Reclaimed Wood Blanket Box is ideal for tidying away bags and shoes. It also provides a handy bench for seating when putting on and taking off shoes, as well as a convenient spot for a handbag or two.

It is also stylish and works well with all kinds of interior design styles from rustic to farmhouse.

2. Drawer space

Car keys, house keys and other small items all need a home. Although you can invest in a pretty bowl or a rack of hooks, the best place to hide away these small things that can become clutter is in a drawer.

The hallway is also traditionally the place where the telephone point is, and this means in the modern home not so much a telephone, but a broadband router, which is not always the most stylish things to look at.

There are variations of a hallway table from a glass console table to a modern console table with drawers, which are ideal for making the hallway not only stylish, but clutter-free. For small hallways, consider a narrow console table such as the Raffles Reclaimed Wood Industrial Console Table that offers the right amount of storage without swamping the space.

3. Make use of under the stairs

Again, this is traditionally used to house things that are not meant to be seen – from the mop and bucket to the vacuum. But find somewhere else to keep these, as the under-the-stairs space offers valuable storage in any home.

There are many ways to make this a usable space with accessible hallway storage furniture. The simplest solution is an array of wooden shelving. Similarly, bookcases and shelves are ideal. Don’t forget, if you don’t have the height, some bookcases will work just great laid horizontally too.

4. Shoe storage

One of the biggest issues in the hallway is keeping shoes together so that they can be found quickly. In winter, you need a shoe rack more than ever, and one that can be wiped clean.

There are various solutions but we like mixing style and function which is why a reclaimed wood bench or a dining bench works great in the hallway. Pop a few baskets underneath to hide away the shoes and make use of the bench to put them on and take a moment when you walk in the door.

5. Don’t forget stylish accessories

And finally, the hallway should not be devoid of stylish additions. We love adding mirrors to hallways – the more ornate, the better we think – and a stylish, practical rug to protect the floor and stop detritus and grime travelling through the rest of the house is also a great way of adding colour and pattern to an otherwise ‘bland’ space.

With only a few changes and additions, your hallway can be clean and appealing, as well as clutter-free and stylish.

Whatever size your hallway, you can’t go wrong with the right hallway storage furniture to keep it neat, tidy and stylish.