How to make the most of a small hallway

Is your hallway currently bare because it is too small to do anything with? If so, you aren’t alone, this space tends to be neglected – used solely for kicking off shoes, throwing down keys and hanging up coats.

But, your hall, no matter how small it is, is just as important as the rest of the rooms in your house, if not more so. It is, after all, the first thing you and your guests see on entering through the front door. It welcomes you back into the comfort of your home after a long day in the office, and to guests, it provides the first impression of your whole house.

So, it is time to paint over those magnolia walls, hang some artwork, and invest in storage to ensure that impression is a good one. Looking for inspiration? Here are a few hallway ideas to get you started:

Hallway decorating ideas

Firstly, for the colour scheme – it is best to stick to a neutral one here on both the walls and floors. Dark colours will only make the room feel smaller and darker, while neutral colours will give the feeling of light and space. You can then incorporate the colour via artwork, flowers and plants as well as ornaments and even the furniture. A mirror is perfect for the hallway and not just so you can check your appearance before leaving the house, but it will also make the space feel larger.

You may want to consider laminate flooring in your hallway due to the amount it will be walked over during the day and the shoes that may step onto it.

Tip: consider using command strips to hang your mirror and wall art – they are strong enough to hold up to 1kg and won’t mark your newly decorated walls. This also means you can easily move it around if you aren’t happy or fancy a change.

Small hallway storage hacks

It is important you consider storage here, because if you don’t, it will quickly become cluttered and a space that makes you feel disheartened as you walk through the front door.

Start with hooks for coats, racks for shoes, perhaps a seating area with built in storage or a table with drawers and don’t forget the little things, such as a key holder. If the items you require as you come in and out of the door have a ‘home’ then you will be more organised and avoid tripping over shoes or other belongings.

If you are currently using your hallway to store your bike or other sport equipment, why not use one of our storage units – you can access it whenever you need to while getting rid of the items that are filling up the space.

Do your research

With such limited space it is best to carefully research and plan before you start doing anything. The best way to do this is by sketching out the space and then drawing where you will place furniture – with the relevant measurements. It is much easier to rub it out than have to take it back to the shop because it doesn’t fit. As for the paint, why not use the Dulux Visualizer app? It will enable you to try out various colours and see what it will look like through the screen before you start painting.

Finally, look at hallway designs across interior design blogs, Pinterest and social media to give you an idea of what you would like, before you start. You never know, you might find something you love that you hadn’t even considered.