If you ever fancy taking a look at your home’s blueprint, you’ll probably be surprised to find how much square footage is taken up by your entrance hallway. All this time you’ve been treating that space like it doesn’t even exist, and there it is taking up almost as much overall area as your bathrooms! Far from feeling like the neutral space it’s always been, this realisation can make your hallway seem as though it needs to do a lot more to justify its presence. But, how exactly do you start saving your hallway from feeling like a wasted space? Keep on reading to find out.
Add Iconic Features
Hallways might be difficult spaces to perfect, but adding key features can provide focal points and inject a real sense of purpose. Forget wasted space – this simple improvement can bring your hallway up a fair few gears on the design front. What’s more, you needn’t entirely redecorate to make this work. Simply opting for additions like an impressive chandelier, or a striking double-glazed front doors replacement, can help to frame the room and add untold interest. Including large wall-length mirrors is another great option here, as it both brightens what can be a dark space and gives everyone a reason to stop here for longer. Simply make sure that the style of these additions matches the rest of your decor to finally bring your hallway into the heart of your home.
Introduce Storage
Introducing storage is by far the best way to ensure your hallway to justify its floor space. From wall hooks to under stair shelving, and even bench chests filled with shoes – the possibilities here are endless. What’s more, with this being a largely unused space, there’s no reason not to bring storage solutions on board. They certainly won’t be in anyone’s way! Do be wary that there’s nothing worse than a cluttered hallway though. If you’re bringing floor level storage like bench chests or cabinets into this area, make sure that your hallway is wide enough to accommodate them. Open storage solutions like hooks or shelving are a far better option for narrow hallways, but you should always keep them neat, organised, and looking as lovely as possible to avoid unwanted fuss in a small area.
Open it Up
If you’ve done all of the above and your hallway still isn’t justifying its square footage, why not consider getting rid of it altogether? The simple act of knocking down the wall between your hallway and living room can increase your living area by more than a third in most instances. If you don’t fancy a living room-based front door, you could equally open the hallway right into the kitchen at the back of your house, which will again add a real sense of spaciousness that’s immediately apparent. Just make sure none of those walls are load-bearing, and get to work reclaiming every inch of your home! Hallways are difficult spaces to get right, but with costly square footage at risk, it’s past time you put these steps into action to save on wasted space.
