I hope your hallway is taking shape. Today we are looking at hallway furniture. Hallway furniture should ideally be in keeping with the décor of your house in general, and in particular it must co-ordinate with rooms that lead to it, such as the lounge and dining room.
Home and garden with Helen Devmac
At the same time, care must be taken to minimise clutter as hallway space is usually very limited, but we have seen how careful use of colour, flooring rugs and plants can transform this space.
Very often, hallway furniture is overlooked and we end up with pretty much a mixed bag of mismatched items gracing our entrance halls. But with careful planning, you can give real character to your entrance.
It is not really necessary to go out and buy expensive furniture, take a look around what you already have and see how it looks in this space. You might have some hand me downs from your mum or grandmother which, when sanded and polished, could be transformed into exquisite pieces.
Traditional clay pots can be revamped with polish and paint. Visiting house sales, antique shoDps and auctions gives you an opportunity to pick up lovely pieces of furniture and ornaments from a bygone era, and it really is an idea to mix contemporary furniture and old pieces, creating a stylish entrance.
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Hall tables
Like all hallway furniture and pieces, tables must be in proportion to the size of your hallway. Round tables and console tables are all equally effective. Tables are not only décor items but serve a functional purpose too, the hall table becomes the repository for keys books, etc. Tables may be made of many materials — wood, metal, etc. and for added functionality, invest in a table with drawers for your hallway. This will give added space for keys, books, etc. to be stored and to be out of sight. Whatever accessories you choose to dress your hall table, be careful not to create clutter — a few well- chosen items will do the trick.
Mirrors
Mirrors in your hallway give an illusion of space as they reflect light, and also serve a functional purpose, allowing you to check your appearance just as you rush off to work or the local shops. Mirrors can be large or small — larger mirrors can be paired for effect and this looks very good in large spaces.
For smaller spaces, you may choose a number of smaller framed mirrors grouped together. Often the mirror is framed in the same material as the table, and this can be achieved quite easily by painting these items the same colour. And while it does look quite beautiful to have these items matched, it is not essential.
A desk with a mirror framed in the same wood will look equally stunning. Hanging the mirror just above the hall table is also effective, and provides a stunning reflection of decorative items placed on the table such as flowers, carvings, lamps and sculpture.
Chairs in the hallway
Having a chair in the hallway will depend very much on the space available, but a well-chosen period furniture chair will give character to this space.
Again, with careful co-ordination of your colours, you could have this chair upholstered in any fabric of your choice, from a plain unbleached calico to an exquisite jacquard. Add a beautifully made cushion to this, and you have it!
Proper lighting and pictures are essential in your hallway
Having good lighting in your hallway makes good sense and again, the sort of lighting fixture here will be influenced to a great extent by the design and décor of your house. A chandelier in the hallway would suit a grand mansion and imposing décor. It would completely overpower a small entrance hall.
There are many lighting designs from which to choose. Pendant lights, recessed lighting give you a more subtle effect and of course there are table lamps which can look so elegant on any hall table.
Pictures
The hallway provides us with an excellent gallery for our pictures and these could be photographs from the family album, flowers, scenery, animals, etc.
These may be hung in groups, each group depicting a certain theme. And remember, the idea of hanging pictures is for them to be seen and admired by our guests, so they should be at eye level. The frame can be matched to other items in the hallway, such as the table.
