How to Maximize a Hallway

Hallways are a transitional space, a passageway if you will. From the outside to inside a home or from one room to another. 

There are a few ways to maximize the use of hallway spaces, mainly by adding storage, seating and injecting some style into the home. 

Consider the following tips to help you maximize the use of your hallway.

Adding storage and seating.

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Many seating options are available for the hallway such as benches that have drawers and baskets built into them. A lot of these benches are stunning to look at, thus adding some beauty to the functionality they serve. 

You can use this bench to sit while you put on your shoes while storing some polish, a rag, and other utilities in their storage compartments.

If you’re lucky enough to have a hallway that has a beautiful view of the exterior surroundings, take full advantage by adding an upholstered bench or an antique chair to sit in and enjoy the view.

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If your hallway has enough space, go a step further and add a storage chest, making it much easier to declutter the space. 

If you have a love for books, your hallways can have a floating bookshelf. Add a decorative element by choosing a minimalist design and organizing books according to color or size.

When you have limited space to work with, consider adding sisal or bamboo storage baskets for umbrellas or shoes. The storage baskets not only add some functionality, but will also have some unique texture.

Ensuring you have sufficient storage in your hallways will prevent it from being overloaded with randomly strewn stuff that will make the place rapidly descend into chaos. 

Add shallow shelves that can host some keys, indoor plants, and other things that you may want to keep handy. Consider rectangular floating shelves that fit the brief perfectly, since they are both beautiful and functional while retaining minimalist aesthetics.

Injecting some style

A hallway is an often overlooked part of the home when it comes to style. Whether it is big or small, there are numerous ways to make your hallways more visually appealing. 

Mirrors are a great way to add light to a space, making it feel more open thus making it seem bigger. This is because they reflect light, thus making a dark or cramped space feel more open. 

You don’t have to limit yourself to just one mirror. Consider hanging one at the end of a hallway and another one along the side of a narrow hallway to visually expand the space.

Enhance the lighting of your hallway by hanging some eye-catching chandelier or mounting a unique lamp to provide light and also serve as a decorative piece. 

Consider adding staggered wall lights to a narrow hallway that will draw the eye outwardly to the point of focus. Designers recommend directional overhead lights so that the space is well lit.

Another seamless way of improving the lighting in your hallway is to replace any adjacent heavy curtains with window film. This is an affordable means of enhancing lighting while maintaining privacy and generating some interest in your hallway without investing in high-ticket window treatment ideas.

A similarly creative idea is to mount a narrow sideboard on which you can display some collectibles like fine china and antique pieces.

Bring out your best vase, with flowers or potted plants or any decorative items, and show them off on your console.

You can also think about using the space to display antique furniture that fits the space. 

Another creative idea is to add texture with an upholstered bench that doubles as an art piece. 

One of the features of a hallway is that it has a long plain wall that does not immediately serve a visual purpose. Consider adding some personality and taste by turning your hallway into a gallery wall. Adorn it with framed pictures, and ornate prints, and remember to place them randomly across the wall to achieve a merrier aesthetic.

If your hallway is not carpeted, inject some personality and style by adding a rug. This is not only a great way of absorbing noise and layering in some texture, but it can also create the illusion of a bigger space. 

The key to getting this illusion right is to make your carpet a runner that is printed, embroidered, or textured in a way that creates visual lines that run parallel to the hallway floor. This will draw the eye to follow the length of the wall, thus making it appear longer.

If you have limited space along your hallway, you probably do not want a large coat stand encroaching on your valuable floor space. It will likely become bulkier as you add coats and umbrellas, thus becoming a mound you have to navigate every time you come and go.

Rethink your coat stand and choose a few well-placed coat hooks. Remember to space them out evenly so that you don’t trip up other coats every time you reach for one. 

Design experts advise keeping the coat hooks ten inches apart, and hanging them at varying heights just to be safe.

Conclusion

Despite serving a relatively small function in your home, the hallway is an important part of the home and should be treated as such. 

Maximize your hallway by layering in some light, some beautiful wall fixtures, and storage options that declutter the space while allowing you to store lots of useful items.

If you are building your home from the ground up, remember to dedicate enough space to the hallway so that it does not feel cramped whenever you start placing a few useful items along the wall.