The hall is a problem area in most houses because it is the first place that people see but on the other hand is always the most neglected. When it comes to spending time and money on décor, who wants to waste either on somewhere that at best you walk through a couple of times a day – it surely makes more sense to spend all that effort on where you sit, work, eat or sleep? The thing is that the hall can really make a strong impression on guests and no matter how amazing the rest of the house is, that first sight of a slightly manky, dull hall will never quite go away.
Brightening up without breaking the budget
A quick lick of paint is always a good idea especially in high traffic areas like the hall. People will always tend to brush against the walls, especially if the hall is narrow and often when you come in through the front door, you are carrying things and it can’t be helped. Paint with minute glass beads is available now which ‘throws’ the light and this can help a lot if your hall isn’t very well off for windows. Using light colours is a good way of making the room look bigger, but make sure it is wipeable or you will be forever repainting. On the floor, try a natural rug to bring some light in but if you don’t have a porch or somewhere for people to wipe their feet, a deep coloured carpet runner might be a better choice. Striped runners are good fun and if you continue it up the stairs it gives a good all-over effect.
Use mirrors carefully
Many people use mirrors in halls to bring some light in but choose the position with care because it is easy to totally freak out the unwary if they get a ghostly glimpse of themselves at the end of a dark corridor! If possible, use a mirror opposite a window to bring in the most light and get the biggest one you can afford – it will be a spectacular feature for one thing and will also be very useful for checking you look great before venturing out. Lighting and mirrors in careful conjunction can really brighten up a dull hall but again, don’t make it too startling because although it is sometimes a good plan to have some witty accents in the rest of the house, you don’t necessarily want to startle the meter reader too much!
Mind your step
If you have chosen to have wool rugs, which can be a trip hazard because of their deep pile, or a carpet runner, make sure that the lighting is adequate and that they have been suitably treated so they don’t ruck up or slide – with strangers coming in to the hall fairly often, you don’t want to leave yourself open to any problems over safety.