Come on in! You know, first impressions count. And your entryway is the prelude to your home. The entrance welcomes your guests and – don’t forget! – it also welcomes you. And it often does so several times a day. That’s why the hallway deserves some thought about its function and look. The first measure on the way to a successful reception: consider the entrance area not just as a mere transit zone, but as a fully-fledged space. It’s a place to work magic; with skillfully placed sightlines, inviting materials and a taste of select objects that express your style and introduce visitors to your world.
Tips for any hallway situation
- Small hallway: tidiness is a must!
- Long hallway: Use visual axes
- Large hallway: More is more
- Statement hallway: Practical aspects do not play a role
- No hallway: Form follows function
The Magic Five – the basic rules for every hallway
Small hallway
Tidiness is a must here. Shoes, piles of clothes and baskets of returnable bottles turn small hallways into an unsightly obstacle course.
Invest in niches: Every spatial niche is a potential storage space and can be used with the help of fixtures or matching furniture.
In a small hallway, we always recommend closed storage furniture, they look two-dimensional and therefore calmer.
A carpet only makes the room smaller – here it is better to choose the same flooring as in the rest of the living room.
To add a touch of wow to the entrance area, why not wallpaper the wall (or ceiling!) with an exclusive wallpaper, which might be a bit too expensive for a large room.
Long hallway
A long (and often narrow) hallway needs extra attention. To prevent the long hallway from becoming an unloved thoroughfare, create small showstoppers (a narrow console, sconces, art).
If possible, arrange the wardrobe, a seat and all other furniture on one side of the hallway, it will look less chaotic.
There should be at least two ceiling lights providing light.
Celebrate the length with a runner or spectacular tiles,
Large Hallway (Think Big!)
Large entryways need to go beyond just the function of storing clothes. When it comes to furniture then feel free to exaggerate: instead of a chair here can be a bench or a sofa.
Whether wall colors, wallpaper, Petersburg hanging: More is more. Instead of a wall mirror, a mirrored wall may also be used.
When designing the large hallway, be sure to use multiple light sources. A strong skylight is a must.
If the floor plan allows, place a table in the center, as in grand palaces or country estates. Stocked with flowers, photos and a key bowl, it adds a homey accent. A sculpture or sculptural piece of furniture in the center of the room gives support to the eye and makes the room seem even larger.
Use sightlines: If the entryway flows seamlessly into the living area, place a special piece of furniture in the sightline. Create an attractive focal point there.
Emphasize volume with expressive wallpaper or wall colors. The chandelier can’t be dramatic and big enough.
The statement hallway
Storage space for shoes? Practicality? Don’t play a role here. The statement hallway (also called the aesthete hallway) forgoes classic functions and is allowed to be impractical, but all the more chic for it.
So things like raincoats, sports shoes and dog leashes disappear completely from view and are stored in an adjacent chamber or, if necessary, a closet in the bedroom.
The walls of the statement hallway are not adorned with coat hooks, but art and objects. They have only the task of presenting the exquisite taste of the owner.
A bright carpet, luxurious marble – the floor also calls for a grand entrance (which is also not necessarily practical). The floor in the hallway also shows the aesthete’s motto: functional is banal. That doesn’t work here at all.
No hallway
Here, form and function must form a symbiosis, as the furniture, fixtures and accessories are always visible from the living room Order, order, order. A mountain of sneakers visible from the sofa is guaranteed to put you in a bad mood. A custom piece of furniture could replace missing closet space (and take down that sneaker mountain).
Alternatively, create enough space in your closet to store your or guests’ wardrobe.
Need to store the bike in the apartment? Then make Elevate the means of transport to the object and hang it next to the entrance!
Ideas and tips: The basic rules of a successful hallway
Whether generously cut or narrow and windowless, the hallway is always a zone of requirements. It needs an infrastructure. If this is installed, your wardrobe is taken care of, there is a place for umbrella and bunch of keys and it is guaranteed that you will find your seven things before you leave the house.
- light
We recommend a combination of overhead lights, whose power also lets you distinguish the midnight blue gloves from the black ones, and dimmable wall lights (they also save space). For as much as we rely on bright, functional light and a large-format mirror in the hallway, a second lighting mode that creates a cozy mood is also recommended – especially if the area is accessible and visible through several rooms. This way, instead of looking into a black hole, you’re looking into a softly illuminated backdrop. - seating
Firstly, a chair or a nice bench looks inviting per se, secondly, a seat to put on shoes is simply practical. From a cool design classic that makes an appearance in a small hallway as a solitaire to an opulent upholstered bench, as you would expect in a grand hotel, everything is permitted. - mirrors
With mirrors can be said in general: Size does matter! A large mirror is an eye-catcher and can become a spectacular centerpiece even in small hallways. An opulent piece of jewelry with a gold frame can go a long way as a contrast to a minimalist backdrop or even as part of an eclectic mix. For those who prefer an uncluttered, clean look, match the frame to the furniture in color so that the mirror blends in visually. - consoles, coat racks and hooks
The ideal is, of course, when jackets, coats and small items such as scarves, gloves and dog leashes disappear behind walls of cabinets. But so that the entrance does not take on the charm of a dressing room, in addition to the practical wall of cabinets should definitely use objects that have a homely character, such as a beautiful console, a decorative umbrella stand and said seating. Those who do not have space for the large wardrobe solution can help themselves with coat racks, hooks and clothes rods. - designed places
Be a stickler: give every regularly used item a designated place: keys, sunglasses, charging cables, mail. You’ll gain precious life time by searching less. Group baskets, trays, bowls and hat boxes. Allowed is what pleases. This way, even the most mundane things suddenly look beautifully staged.
