The Dreamiest Hallway Inspo
Hallways are an internet favourite - and is it any surprise? It’s the first thing that greets you as you walk in and gives the wow factor to the home. Beck likes to make hallways purposeful as well as provide a journey to the rest of your home.
The hallway is the latest space being tackled in our beautiful Courtyard House project, planned to start next year. Here we share a sneak peek of the current moodboard with links to the items and a look at other inspo that’s on our studio walls. As ever leave comments below and check out the 1O 1O 1O Pinterest board for more ideas!
How gorgeous is this board?! Packed with ideas, it’s time to unpack them, so we asked Beck to summarise this board in her own words.
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I’ve always wanted a sweeping staircase. They have a finesse about them that can’t be matched by their square cousins and for custom build properties we can make the space to achieve this (although I should say they don’t take up much more room than the square equivalent!) This provided the basis for the design and from there we worked on adding interest with a classic but unfussy style handrail design in black or bronze to match back to the window frames. I’ve then matched in some of the accessories, such as the lower level lighting and console to be black or bronze too, but with other materials and textures so it doesn’t feel too contrived. This is the case for the console which has a white marble top and a textured, fluted edge.
The paint for the hall is Shadow White by Farrow and Ball - my absolute go-to colour. It’s a perfectly balanced grey beige and you can find out more about it in our post Paint Colours of the Moment. This provides the ideal backdrop, as you can choose to go lighter or dark against it. The main light to hang over the stairs is beautiful and by Aerin - an American brand not that easy to get hold of in the UK. It’s a white plaster finish, meaning it’s textured and matt and will fit perfectly in the space without being too shouty. Of course, the room will be accessorised and styled including a vintage runner!
We’re going for hard floors throughout the home with underfloor heating, but we still want the durability and functionality of a long-lasting floor. The current leader is an LVT (laminate vinyl tile) by Amtico called ‘Barrelled Oak White’ which is a whitewashed oak that still has a soft honey warmth to it.
Last but by no means least are the window seats and nooks. We’re building in oriel style windows, with steps up to create window seats. This will be where the dog stays the most I imagine! But I also hope they are used for a quiet time of reflection and reading, so we’re installing some wall lights by Astro to make that possible. These window seats will be opposite some nooks and recesses where we’ll house a console, maybe some art or a sculpture and storage for coats and boots to keep the main walkway free of clutter at all times - what an exciting space!
Other Inspo We Love
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Even a hardened interior nerd like me can’t justify decorating every year, so choosing a sophisticated palette and focal furniture will stand you in good stead for years to come. Here are some of my favourite, neutral and timeless palettes that we are working into designs right now!
Light and Dark
These doors are just perfection - we love everything about them. The darker colour helps to ground the tall atrium space and works well with the darker furniture and window framing, whilst still feeling classic and fresh.
Here' you can see how using light and dark can create wonderful contrast and draw the eye in different directions. The use of lighter colours in the hallway ensures the darker office draws your attention and elongates the space.
Accent Colours
Contrast colours can go a long way to create different feelings of perspective in a hallway.
CLOCKWISE:
Just painting the framing and the doors can punctuate the space to add interest and focal points.
Check out the dark ceiling and door at the end of this corridor. It makes it feel longer and brighter despite no natural light.
Half-height painting with a matching ceiling not only add interest but ground the space and complements the moulding profiles perfectly. If it had been all white, or all beige it wouldn’t have worked!
wall textures
Adding cladding materials or wall finishes with textures adds so much to the room. Here the mixture of materials in a soothing palette makes the spaces feel homely and calming. Using exposed bricks or stone on the wall is so effective, especially with some added lighting that washes the surfaces to showcase the lumps and bumps!
Sneaky Storage
Building in storage not only keeps items out of the way but makes it feel part of the overall design of the space. Functional ideas such as the bench for people to sit and fasten their shoes also double up as additional storage space below with either a draw or an open cubby hole.
Console Styling
Get your creative juices flowing and try styling a console in the entrance. These are not only function pieces of furniture to leave your keys, or possibly put shoes in the baskets underneath, but they can provide a beautiful focal point. Try styling with some oversized items such as a large table lamp, artwork or mirror behind and vase with foliage. Smaller items to better arranged on trays so they look curated and not like clutter! Trays are also handy for the aforementioned keys.
Top tip- if you’re looking to store less pretty things, then opt for a console with drawers or opt for baskets on the bottom shelves or floor below.
What’s your favourite hallway idea? Share in the comments below!