Organise Your Hallway With These 11 Smart Storage Solutions
Create a warm – and neat – welcome with plenty of easy-access storage for your entrance hall
Jo Simmons
5 May 2016
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several books on design and numerous features for glossy homes mags over the years. For Houzz, I cover decorating ideas and trends and interview designers and professionals for their insights. My favourite pieces to write, though, are Houzz Tours, as I love exploring and learning about real homes. Call me curious — or nosy!
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several... More
There’s something so enticing about good storage – the way it transforms a corner of a room or blank wall into a refuge for coats and shoes; the way it helps a home run smoothly by keeping everything in its place. This was never truer than in the hall – it’s the first space you step into after opening the front door, after all. Check out these ideas for keeping clutter contained to make your entrance feel calm and welcoming.
1. Pick a vintage piece
The knotty issue of where to hang up raincoats and park shoes has been important to homeowners for decades. This is why it’s possible to rustle up a vintage piece of hallway furniture. A stylish old design will brilliantly solve hallway storage problems, while also bringing heaps of personality and character to your home.
Shopping for vintage finds
The knotty issue of where to hang up raincoats and park shoes has been important to homeowners for decades. This is why it’s possible to rustle up a vintage piece of hallway furniture. A stylish old design will brilliantly solve hallway storage problems, while also bringing heaps of personality and character to your home.
Shopping for vintage finds
2. Stay streamlined
How beautifully compact and clever is this space? It features a nifty piece of wall-hung storage that’s essentially just a simple, open-fronted box designed to perfectly fit a fold-up bike. Hanging it on the wall, rather than sitting it on the floor, increases the sense of roominess too, which is beneficial in a small hallway.
There’s also a chair to perch on when taking off or putting on shoes, and simple pegs for coats and scarves – everything a hallway needs.
How beautifully compact and clever is this space? It features a nifty piece of wall-hung storage that’s essentially just a simple, open-fronted box designed to perfectly fit a fold-up bike. Hanging it on the wall, rather than sitting it on the floor, increases the sense of roominess too, which is beneficial in a small hallway.
There’s also a chair to perch on when taking off or putting on shoes, and simple pegs for coats and scarves – everything a hallway needs.
3. Exploit dead space
Installing a unit in a slice of unused space by the front door is a smart way to boost storage. Pegs on the back of the door provide somewhere to hang raincoats, so the storage can hold other outdoor gear and even the odd accessory.
Installing a unit in a slice of unused space by the front door is a smart way to boost storage. Pegs on the back of the door provide somewhere to hang raincoats, so the storage can hold other outdoor gear and even the odd accessory.
4. Reflect on this
Mirrors brilliantly boost light levels and increase the feeling of space, so they are a match made in heaven with a hallway, which often lacks both those features. And just look how much storage is hiding behind these vast mirrored doors.
Why we love using mirrors
Mirrors brilliantly boost light levels and increase the feeling of space, so they are a match made in heaven with a hallway, which often lacks both those features. And just look how much storage is hiding behind these vast mirrored doors.
Why we love using mirrors
5. Keep it simple
No matter how petite your hallway is, it’s possible to work in efficient storage. This small space rolls out a can’t-fail recipe of shoe compartments that double as bench seating below, pegs above, and a final shelf at the top, so everything from boots to coats to hats and umbrellas can find a home here.
No matter how petite your hallway is, it’s possible to work in efficient storage. This small space rolls out a can’t-fail recipe of shoe compartments that double as bench seating below, pegs above, and a final shelf at the top, so everything from boots to coats to hats and umbrellas can find a home here.
6. Conceal all
How many of us have dreamed of this kind of simple, sleek storage for an entrance hall? What’s not to like, after all? Layers of brilliantly designed shelves are beautifully concealed behind elegant sliding doors, untroubled by fussy handles or detailing. Contemporary perfection.
How many of us have dreamed of this kind of simple, sleek storage for an entrance hall? What’s not to like, after all? Layers of brilliantly designed shelves are beautifully concealed behind elegant sliding doors, untroubled by fussy handles or detailing. Contemporary perfection.
7. Build space for bikes
All too often, bikes get left leaning against the wall in a hallway, cluttering the space and making it hard to navigate. This hallway has the solution, with smart bike storage fixed to the wall. The shelf-like design provides space for a helmet too. Built-in shelves alongside add a shot of colour and give this hallway heaps of functionality.
7 tricks to stash your bicycle
All too often, bikes get left leaning against the wall in a hallway, cluttering the space and making it hard to navigate. This hallway has the solution, with smart bike storage fixed to the wall. The shelf-like design provides space for a helmet too. Built-in shelves alongside add a shot of colour and give this hallway heaps of functionality.
7 tricks to stash your bicycle
8. Cater for a crowd
The need for a hard-working, well-planned hallway is even greater in a family home populated by adults and children, but this entrance shows how it can be done. Admittedly, it involves going bespoke, but once you’re free to design the unit to suit the available space, it’s possible to build in masses of storage, from compartments to pegs and cupboards.
The need for a hard-working, well-planned hallway is even greater in a family home populated by adults and children, but this entrance shows how it can be done. Admittedly, it involves going bespoke, but once you’re free to design the unit to suit the available space, it’s possible to build in masses of storage, from compartments to pegs and cupboards.
9. Add alternative solutions
Hall storage can be expanded to include so much more than pegs for coats. Plus, build in the right alternative storage and you can take the pressure off other rooms in the house.
Check out this nifty and beautiful little unit. It contains concealed storage, open sections for post or notebooks, and a tray in the top for storing anything from keys to phones and sunglasses. Genius!
Hall storage can be expanded to include so much more than pegs for coats. Plus, build in the right alternative storage and you can take the pressure off other rooms in the house.
Check out this nifty and beautiful little unit. It contains concealed storage, open sections for post or notebooks, and a tray in the top for storing anything from keys to phones and sunglasses. Genius!
10. Work with the stairs
Look how beautifully this storage works with the stairs, proving that an awkwardly shaped hallway or one dominated by a staircase need not pose any great design challenges.
Hardworking staircases
Look how beautifully this storage works with the stairs, proving that an awkwardly shaped hallway or one dominated by a staircase need not pose any great design challenges.
Hardworking staircases
11. See through it all
These built-in cupboards contain everything from golf clubs to coats and the vacuum cleaner. Ingeniously, they are also only 37cm deep, demonstrating that the standard 60m-deep cabinet isn’t always key for efficient storage – you just have to be clever with the hanging systems inside.
Vintage lead windows with thick, cloudy glass have been used as the insets in the doors, so the homeowner can make out what’s stored inside.
TELL US
What kind of hallway storage sets your pulse racing? Let us know in the Comments below.
MORE
8 Ways to Take Your Hallway From Drab to Fab
Minimalist Storage Solutions to Hide Your Naughty Clutter Secrets
Design Considerations for a Welcoming Entry
These built-in cupboards contain everything from golf clubs to coats and the vacuum cleaner. Ingeniously, they are also only 37cm deep, demonstrating that the standard 60m-deep cabinet isn’t always key for efficient storage – you just have to be clever with the hanging systems inside.
Vintage lead windows with thick, cloudy glass have been used as the insets in the doors, so the homeowner can make out what’s stored inside.
TELL US
What kind of hallway storage sets your pulse racing? Let us know in the Comments below.
MORE
8 Ways to Take Your Hallway From Drab to Fab
Minimalist Storage Solutions to Hide Your Naughty Clutter Secrets
Design Considerations for a Welcoming Entry
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Anyone who has conquered this got images to share?
'Drop Zone' is the main storage required in the Entry/Hallway. The amount of junk we carry around, phone keys, glasses, sunglasses, wallet, dog leads, poo bags, hats, umbrellas, outside thongs, walking shoes, etc, all need some where to live between outings