8 Ways to Take Your Hallway From Drab to Fab
Hallways can be so much more than a thoroughfare. Deck the halls with these smart and stylish ideas
The hallways that connect living spaces to sleeping spaces to the exterior of a home are just as important as bedrooms, living rooms and kitchens. Whether you’re working with a short hallway, a hallway with a sharp turn, a spacious hallway or one that’s a tight squeeze, you can make it feel just as special as the rest of your home. Make your hallways come alive with built-ins, lighting, colourful rugs and more.
Find an interior designer in your area
Find an interior designer in your area
2. A picture gallery
This designer took advantage of an extra-long hallway by hanging a row of family photos and art. While identical frames and matting can look graphic and bold, this eclectic mix of colours and sizes adds warmth to the space.
Find out how to curate your own art gallery
This designer took advantage of an extra-long hallway by hanging a row of family photos and art. While identical frames and matting can look graphic and bold, this eclectic mix of colours and sizes adds warmth to the space.
Find out how to curate your own art gallery
4. Pendant lighting
Most interior hallways don’t have windows, which means adequate artificial lighting is a necessity. Try adding hanging pendants instead of the standard surface-mounted lighting. The right pendant will light up your hallway while adding design flair, too.
Most interior hallways don’t have windows, which means adequate artificial lighting is a necessity. Try adding hanging pendants instead of the standard surface-mounted lighting. The right pendant will light up your hallway while adding design flair, too.
5. Wainscoting
Hallway wainscoting is a great decorative design element, but it also helps protect drywall from scrapes, bumps and marks. Traditionally, wainscoting was installed in transitional spaces like this, to protect active rooms from heavy traffic.
Hallway wainscoting is a great decorative design element, but it also helps protect drywall from scrapes, bumps and marks. Traditionally, wainscoting was installed in transitional spaces like this, to protect active rooms from heavy traffic.
6. Bookcases
Some avid readers can never have enough room for books. Extend a library out to the hallway to create extra display space for beloved books. Whether built-in or purchased, bookcases can add a functional and aesthetic element to wider hallways.
Some avid readers can never have enough room for books. Extend a library out to the hallway to create extra display space for beloved books. Whether built-in or purchased, bookcases can add a functional and aesthetic element to wider hallways.
7. Murals
A floor-to-ceiling map installation can transform an awkward hallway into an educational opportunity. Don’t like the look? Wall decals and murals come in all sorts of customisable options, and they’re often more affordable than wallpaper.
A floor-to-ceiling map installation can transform an awkward hallway into an educational opportunity. Don’t like the look? Wall decals and murals come in all sorts of customisable options, and they’re often more affordable than wallpaper.
8. Framed mirrors
For those who love the gallery look but don’t know what to put in their frames, a hall of mirrors can be the perfect solution. An installation like this can highlight a great collection of frames, or simply bring additional light and visual space into a small and dark hallway.
View more hallway designs in our photo gallery
For those who love the gallery look but don’t know what to put in their frames, a hall of mirrors can be the perfect solution. An installation like this can highlight a great collection of frames, or simply bring additional light and visual space into a small and dark hallway.
View more hallway designs in our photo gallery
If your hallway could use a pick-me-up, add a colourful rug for instant style. The horizontal stripes on this rug help a narrow hallway feel wider. The long rug, which extends from one end of the hallway to the other, has a dramatic impact.
BONUS TIP: Can’t find a rug that’s long enough? Try sewing several of the same rugs together to create a faux runner.