7 design mistakes to avoid in your hall

SHILPI CHAKRAVARTY SHILPI CHAKRAVARTY
Interior Rendering, SolidART Digital Architecture SolidART Digital Architecture الممر الحديث، المدخل و الدرج
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Everyone of us knows that the first impression means a lot and none of us wants to make a negative one, isn’t it? And when it comes to welcoming people into your home & showing off your personal taste, it becomes all the more important that the guests are impressed right from the word go. That’s why this homify article is dedicated to the first interior space people see upon entering a house – the good old hallway

Be it the classic narrow corridor, a small rectangle by the front entrance door, or an expansive space, hallways oftentimes pose a design challenge. Adding to the sometimes tricky shape & proportion is the need to simultaneously create storage, make a style statement, and endure a busy contemporary household’s wear & tear… ..PHEW! This is why it is considered a design challenge even by the biggest experts.

Also, the most of us tend to focus on styling, decorating & tidying up the other areas like the kitchen, living room, stairway, bedroom or bathroom, simply treating the entrance hall to merely a quick dusting. That’s a BIG no! Agreed, the hallway isn’t a space where you tend to linger long. Nevertheless, it needs to look visually decent and be practical. Nobody can deny that the right lighting, palette, furniture & decor can instantly pep up the mood. The design experts & room decorators also vouch for the might of a tastefully bedecked entrance hallway in jazzing up the home interiors. And besides, it can give your neighbors some serious home envy too!

Today we are talking about 7 common mistakes people make when designing the entrance hall, and how to avoid making them. Join in to take a closer look at how you can get yours functionally poised & visually appealing. Get, set, go!

1. Going for the wrong choice of flooring.

Convenience & ease of cleaning is the key here. Dark colored plain tiles, encaustic or patterned tiles & laminate flooring are the safest bets. It is advisable to steer clear of light hued tiles & light wooden flooring. (Psst… .a sizeable doormat will cut down the cleaning!)

Carpets could be really difficult to clean, trodden with all that mud/ grass/ dirt from the outside. So if you must have one, go for a dark shaded area rug to add some color & pattern.

2. Skimping on the personal touch.

Your entry hallway is an integral part of your snug pad, which means that it needs to reflect your personal style. Framed family photos, your choice of decals or wallpaper, that retro bench you simply adore and those paintings that give a glimpse of the budding artist in you – all these can add oodles of uniqueness to your hallway. 

The only thing you need to ensure is not to place something that could obstruct the opening or closing of the main door.

An unusual piece of furniture, like this playful one, also injects a lively character. No? 

3. Leaving out a decent space to store shoes.

Shoes strewn everywhere does not make for a pleasing sight as you enter a home. A spacious shoe rack is a good option. Alternately, you can have a simple shoe basket which will allow everyone (including the guests) to leave their dirty/ muddy or soiled shoes in one designated spot before entering the house. 

Care should, however, be taken to make sure that the shoe-storage is neither an eyesore nor a tripping hazard. Built-in wall cabinets are a great option.

4. Not incorporating a hanging space with hooks & stands.

With the dirty shoes at the door, you now need a spot to take off the jackets, coats, hats & scarves. A hat stand is classic gold; wall hooks are a great hack as they also clear up some extra space on the floor. Creatively, you can allocate each family member his/her own wall hook or simply color code them! You could add a couple more for guests & visitors as well.

5. Being shy of using color.

Going for the right shade is as important as making use of warm & inviting cheery tonality. A jovial tone (say warm orange, bright green as shown here or seafoam blue) could easily translate into a heartfelt chromatic greeting for your guests.

The colors chosen to deck up your hallway walls should complement the look of the rest of the interiors, rather than making the entrance hall stand out garishly.

Your hallway is a wonderful space to adorn with really bright colors. Colors greatly affect our mood & emotions, so warm hues reflecting positivity like this hot pink & yellow combo are a fantastic idea. Just imagine how coming home to such enlivening artwork would refresh your mood!

6. Opting for insufficient lighting.

Bad lighting can make the hallway look like a dimly lit shady motel. It is essential to ensure that your entrance hall’s illumination is bright enough to tastefully light-up the area. The format of lighting fixtures employed needs to be such that warm luminosity bathes the space & makes the visitor feel more relaxed. 

If you are a fan of mirrors, go for a wall mirror that will enhance the radiance by reflection.

Very often, entrances & hallways are deprived of daylight and can look gloomy & dark. Experimenting with innovative artificial lighting can go a long way in creating a stunning hall, garnering loads of appreciation for your choice in the process. 

In this image, the radiant wall niche lends a trendy touch of originality that also creates a remarkable first impression.

7. Ignoring proportions.

Last but not the least, being mindful of proportional furnishings/ furniture is extremely important in the hallway, particularly when it is a representation of your taste. It is very easy to misjudge the size & end up with ill-fitting furniture blocking the hallway. In an area with limited space, carefully selected furniture suited to the room proportions is crucial. 

In this vibrant example, the narrow dark wood table boasts of the perfect dimensions. It neither takes up a lot of room, nor does it lose its presence to the eye-catching tones. 

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