Peek into an Interior Designer’s Hallway (6 Tips Included)
Hallways are often overlooked when it comes to home decor, but they play a crucial role in setting the tone for the rest of your home. A well-styled hallway can make a powerful first impression and create a welcoming atmosphere. Here are six essential tips to help you transform your hallway into a stylish and functional space.
1. Clear Away Clutter and Give Everything a Home
The first step in creating a beautiful hallway is to clear away clutter. Hallways are often catch-all spaces for shoes, coats, bags, and other items that don’t have a designated spot. To combat this, ensure that everything in your hallway has a home. Install hooks for coats and bags, place a shoe rack or a bench with storage for footwear, and use decorative baskets for smaller items.
In my own hallway, I first thought about what needs to be by the front door, the list helped me to find storage solutions. For example, I bought this handy wooden unit to hold the keys, batteries, the odd hair bobble and the £2 coins for the tooth fairy!
I also added a wicker hamper, where I house the bags for life, and use a woven basket, to hold the children’s hats, gloves, the odd football and the shoe horn.
We put all shoes in a storage cupboard – who knew a family of four could have so many pairs!
2. Layer up Soft Furnishings to Give Your Home Warmth
Many people don’t consider soft furnishings for their hallways, but these items can add warmth and comfort to the space. Soft furnishings also help to absorb sound, making your hallway quieter and more inviting.
In my recent hallway update, I added this green upholstered chair to add texture and warmth (hallways aren’t always easy to add soft furnishings!). It doubles up as a useful seat to put your shoes on, and with the additional of a side table, another storage basket (for my daughter’s things) and a light behind the chair, it makes this little corner feel more loved.
We also added a curtain over the front door – not only does it reduce the drafts, but we had it black out lined so it doesn’t let the morning sun flood into the hall and wake us up!
Rugs are a brilliant way to add softness to a hard floor – and it’s also useful to collect the odd bit of mud and dust from spreading into the rest of the house. The one I’ve used is textured and a creamy colour with black stripe – perfect for hoovering and hiding the muck! My best tip yet is get a fluffy dog – they help as an acoustic sound buffer (and doorbell)!
3. Add Ornaments, Keepsakes and Photographs in Groups of Odd Numbers
Personal touches like ornaments, keepsakes, and photographs can make your hallway feel like a true extension of your home. When arranging these items, consider grouping them in odd numbers—such as three, five, or seven—for a more visually interesting and balanced look. This approach creates a natural focal point and adds personality to the space. Mix and match different sizes and shapes to keep the display dynamic and engaging.
In this case, I have a taller lamp on one side, and a tall vase of flowers on the other, so I’ve balanced the look with 3 shorter items, grouping one with the flowers, and 2 with the lamp. This is usually swapped out for my son’s lego model of a kingfisher!
4. Add Plants and Faux Plants – These Give a Space Balance
Greenery adds a fresh, natural element that softens hard lines and brightens up darker corners. If your hallway has limited natural light, opt for high-quality faux plants that require no maintenance but still provide the aesthetic benefits of real plants.
Plants and flowers add interest, colour and bring in a sense of calm to any interior space. I tend to mix and match real and faux, and I will swap them around over time to keep it interesting.
In my new hallway makeover, I used an old flour jar I got from an antique store and have added hydrangeas and leaves to give a statement. I tend to keep this bunch faux, as it’s in a high traffic area and I could do without water all over the floor!
5. Have Cluttered Spaces next to Minimal Ones
Creating a balanced look in your hallway can be achieved by juxtaposing cluttered spaces with minimal ones. It’s important that you keep your home reflective of your life and personality, and not always looking like a show home for guests!! Put up your favourite ornaments, family photos and artwork – it’s how you display them that makes it look cluttered or not!
My new hallway unit has more ‘stuff’ than I might usually have on a piece of furniture, but it’s balanced by a relatively simple chair and table arrangement next to it, as well as the boring shoe cupboard so the ‘stuff’ adds character rather than feeling cluttered.
6. Don’t Hang Artwork Too High and Check It for Sizing
When hanging artwork in your hallway, it’s important to consider both height and size. Art that is hung too high can make a space feel disjointed and difficult to appreciate. Aim to hang artwork at eye level, which is typically around 57 to 60 inches from the floor to the centre of the piece. Additionally, check the size of your artwork relative to the wall space. Pieces that are too large can overwhelm the hallway, while pieces that are too small can get lost. A good rule of thumb is to choose artwork that takes up about two-thirds to three-quarters of the wall space above a piece of furniture or in an open section of the wall.
By following these six tips, you can transform your hallway into a stylish, functional, and welcoming part of your home. Clear away clutter and give everything a home, incorporate soft furnishings, display ornaments and photographs in odd-numbered groups, add plants for balance, and create a dynamic look by pairing cluttered spaces with minimal ones. With a little effort and creativity, your hallway can become a beautiful reflection of your personal style and a delightful introduction to your home.
