Inspiration for Decorating a Hallway: Guest Post from Jane Blanchard with Modernize.com

My husband and I have been working hard trying to transform our 60s house into a home that reflects our style.  One of the biggest eyesores is our hallway.  It is super narrow and filled with closets and doorways.  The switch for the attic fan, two light switches, and the thermostat take up what little wall space is actually available.  That's why I was so excited when Modernize.com contacted me. They have some fantastic ideas for sprucing up forgotten spaces.    

Inspiration for Decorating a Hallway

By Jane Blanchard

Hallways are difficult spaces to decorate. Most of them are narrow, and it's often a nightmare to coordinate them with the rest of the house. However, there are some lesser known ways hallways can become inspiration for design in the home. Changing the hallway from boring to fantastic simply relies on the limits of your personality. The small space can be changed with seemingly minor touch-up pieces.

Use symmetry to your advantage

Via Apartment Therapy

The symmetrical lines from door trim and baseboard molding can be an advantage when creating depth. Contrasting trim and wall colors brighten up a room. Use opposing colors for wall pictures as well to create visual interest. Consider using natural plants and natural elements throughout to help balance out the symmetry to give it a softer feel.

Change up the lighting

Via Houzz

Hallways typically rely on overhead lighting and a small amount of natural light for illumination. Changing out the overhead lighting can be a dramatic change to an otherwise boring and narrow room. Traditional hallway lights are usually plain and cast light in a small area. Installing a flush mount chandelier or a series of small semi-flush lights can add the illusion of grandeur in the space. Can lights work well in wider hallways to give the space the feel of a separate room.

Showcase your personality using simple wall elements

 

Via Wallpapered

Step outside the norm and replace those common walls of picture frames with more unique pieces of art. Narrow floating shelves can hold small trinkets in medium width hallways without becoming too obtrusive. Floating shelves can usually be made of many materials with a standard French cleat hanging system or track.

Wallpaper is another feature that has come a long way. Prepasted paper comes in a variety of colors and patterns that's fairly easy to remove down the road without damaging the wall. You can also consider sites that can copy your own design into a wall mural or decal design for an even quicker wall pattern.

Give it function

Via Decorpad

Although hallways have an inherent function of directing traffic from one end of the house to another, there are additional untapped functions available. Attaching built-ins to the wall or various hooks can make the hallway a gateway between the entrance and another part of the home. Wider hallways should include built-ins that are continuous with the baseboard molding. For example, a built in bookshelf can be a great way to store artwork as well as highlight the collection of books in the home as guests enter.

Check out Modernize for more home design inspiration and ideas.