Creating Hallway Harmony
If you don’t want to open the door to disorganisation any longer it’s time to have an entrance hall overhaul. It doesn’t have to cost the earth, just a few simple tweaks can make a remarkable difference. We’ve pulled together some of our top tips for creating a harmonious hallway in your home once again…
Shoe Storage
Shoe storage is as good a place as any to start if you’re trying to give order to your entrance hall. It’s an easy solution for disguising the chaos without tidying becoming laborious. Creating an easy place to sling your shoes away will encourage even the messiest members of your household to make a little bit of effort.
Stow away the shoes and boots as soon as you’re through the door and you’ll have clutter free tidiness in minutes.
We also recommend our Farmhouse Range with large wicker baskets; these are perfect for housing multiple pairs of kids shoes and easy for them to manoeuvre.
Another great little shoe hiding spot is cleverly concealed beneath the seat of our Newark Oak Bench, you could even store your picnic blanket in there too.
Hanging Space & High Storage
If you’re short on floor space in your hallway, a great way of adding storage is to go high. Our popular Montague Oak 3 Cubby Shelf with hooks is ideal for getting accessories off the floor, out of the way and creating the illusion of space. You can also use the shelving area above the hooks to personalise your hallway a little more, displaying some family photos or simply showing off your hat collection. If you’re dealing with a very slim space you can also find narrower versions of this like our ‘old school’ inspired Montague Oak 4 Hook Coat Rack.
Another inexpensive and classic solution is our Morris 6 Hook Oak Peg Rail. If you have a long hallway, grouping two or three of these together in a row to make one large rail running the length of the hall can look fantastic.
This simple galvanised hook rail is great value and will work with almost any wall colour.
If you have space, you can combine seating and hanging space together with this stunning Caldecote Hall Tidy, it even includes a neat little mirror, handy cubby holes for shoes and drawers for housing keys and post.
Rugs and runners add warmth in more ways than one. As well as keeping drafts and cold surfaces at bay, that splash of colour and texture as you walk through the door is instantly welcoming and will lift the appearance of the most tired hall spaces. They’re also a wonderful way of giving the carpet a little extra protection against footfall in and out of the door.
Our croft runner is great for narrow hallways and the neutral tones of this rug make it an easy accompaniment to almost any style of decor.
A Place to Perch
We all need a place to sit and tie the laces before we leave the house, so if you can combine your seating with storage, you’re onto a winner. We have a multitude of styles that combine these two functions, you’ll find a whole host of shapes and sizes in the shoe storage and bench section of the Cotswold Company website.
If you love Oak Furniture with a contemporary finish and clean lines like this Newark Oak Bench, take a look at our Appleby Oak Range for even more Hallway Storage options.
The Telephone Table
Having a designated spot for your telephone, note pad, wireless hub, post and keys is a great way to get organised.
There are a few different approaches you could go for – Our Natural Oak Console’s slender build makes it ideal for the entrance hall, taking up minimal floor space but with 2 handy drawers, a top surface and a shelf, which you could even use for housing shoes.
If you don’t have much space, this classic little telephone table is small but perfectly formed, a great size for narrow hallways.
We’d also recommend a wall rack as a great place to keep post and loose paperwork tidy and accessible.
Not only will you be able to give yourself a quick check before you exit the house and face the world, but you can also make the hallway feel that little bit lighter, brighter and larger with the clever use of a hall mirror or two.
Use it as an opportunity to create some real drama with a statement mirror like our Borden Circular Mirror with a gold frame or our Olivia Mirror. Round mirrors can be an especially good way of breaking up the straight, boxy lines you often find in your hallway.
The Finishing Touches
Adding a plant or even a low cost bunch of flowers can take your hallway from zero to hero.
If you do have a seating spot, add a cushion and the area will start to feel a whole lot more comfortable and inviting.
Don’t be too anxious to dedicate some of your favourite artwork and photographs to your hall space. You may feel like those pieces should be reserved for the main living areas but remember, you will always pass through your hall to go anywhere and it will always be the first thing you see when you return, so its really worth lavishing a little extra fuss over it!
For even more hallway inspiration, take a look at our Hallway page for a huge range of affordable Hall Furniture.
