Who says practical can't be beautiful

The hallway is the backbone of the house, the area with the highest foot traffic and the first space that welcomes you and your guests to into your home. Let’s be honest, though, this important area is often neglected when it comes to design.

One of the biggest issues with the British hallway is the lack of natural light. Very rarely do our hallways reap the benefits of this highly beneficial resource, making them dull, unsafe and uninspiring, but how can you increase natural light without any external walls? Well, you need to pull on the light sources you already have. Replace solid internal doors off the hallway with glass-paned doors so the natural light from the room adjacent floods into the hallway or, if possible, remove the doors altogether for a more modern, light, airy, open-plan feel.

How about adding a rooflight above the stairwell? Or even glass walk on floors in the landing above, all of which not only encourage natural light to filter all around the property but also create an impressive and eye-catching feature.

Now we have the natural light sewn up, it's time to consider the front door itself. You have probably given careful thought to the external colour of the front door, maybe even going for a bold, stand-out colour, but we leave the inside bland and nondescript, with the sole purpose of not making it stand out. But the door doesn’t just need to be something functional that we don’t want to draw attention to. Making a feature of the inside of your door with the use of colour, ornate finishes and bespoke painted or patterned glass panes will give this previously unloved item a character all of its own.

Wall finishes in the entrance hall are just as important as in any other room, if not more so. Too plain and it will make the space insignificant; too dark and it will make it seem small and unwelcoming; too bright and it could detract from other, perhaps more interesting, features but the right finish will not only enhance the hallway itself, it will also lift the chosen scheme throughout the property. You could opt simply for paint in that perfect colour, or wallpaper to create a theme, but for a smart and practical solution panelling may be the way forward. Panelling will not only add a little ‘grandiose’ to the space but will also protect the walls from scuffing and is far simpler and more cost-effective to touch up, ensuring your hallway stays fresh for years to come.

The flooring in a hallway is very important and will often have suffered the most wear and tear, as this area will experience the most foot traffic so floors need to be hardwearing and not show every speck of dirt, whilst also remaining inviting. Sanding back an existing wooden floor, reconditioning tiles and introducing the clever use of patterns and colour will give the hallway a new lease of life and entice you into the home.

The other large feature within a hallway is the staircase itself, so why not add retrofit stair lights like spotlights or LED strips within the stair or handrails, which will not only improve safety but also create a warm ambience? Freshening up the banister with a lick of paint or by stripping it back to natural wood will also make the staircase seem not only practical but a well-considered part of the design.

Leigh Hall, owner of interior design specialists Strive for Design, knows that our hallways can also fall foul to the ‘out of sight, out of mind’ approach. 'As we don’t tend to hang out in this area, it's all too easy to dump your coat and shoes and let the post pile up,' comments Leigh. 'The key to a smart and tidy entrance hall, therefore, is carefully thought-out storage solutions, made to suit these, sometimes tight spaces. Adding a nice set of hooks can introduce a bit of character while maintaining the convenience of being able to quickly grab your coat and dog lead as you head out of the door. Finally, no hallway would be complete with a large mirror hung on the wall! Not only can you give your outfit a last check over before you head out, but a large mirror hung opposite the front door will also give the illusion of more space and natural light, as it deflects light around the room.'

Leigh Hall of Strive for Design is an interior designer in Cambridge and Newmarket so for more advice on how to make your entrance hall more welcoming or to discuss any other design requirements you may have please don’t hesitate to call us on 01223 622 688, send us an email or complete our enquiry form.