Furnishing a narrow hallway: our tips

Despite being somewhere you just pass through, a hallway is still an area that can be tastefully furnished to blend in with the decor in your home. Add interest with a strong decorative theme to tie in with your tastes and personality. Follow our tips to transform your hallway into a decorative space that's a pleasure to pass through !

Maximising the space

A hallway can have several different functions and uses, especially if you add practical and stylish storage solutions. You often need to think very carefully about the type of furniture you choose for this space. A hallway is a high-traffic area that needs to stay as clear as possible: avoid furniture that takes up too much room and go for shallow depth console tables, thin shelves or benches with hooks on the wall.

It's best to go for several small units with different purposes rather than a single piece of furniture that could be too imposing and overpower the space. You can display books, ornaments and pictures on wall shelves, or add a floating shoe rack for example.

As a hallway is always a passageway between two spaces, it is important that this area is as inviting as possible to make moving through to the next room a pleasure. With this in mind, lighting and wall colours are essential points to consider. When carefully selected, they can either make your room appear shorter or wider.

Decoration ideas for making your hallway more welcoming

In a long, narrow hallway that may often be lacking in light, the main aim is to make this space seem bigger by following these pro tips! Your choice of wall colours, the positioning of the lighting, the colour of the floor covering and your wall decoration all contribute to creating the perfect hallway.

Adding mirrors to your walls or creating picture walls are great ways to make your hallway appear brighter and more inviting. In terms of decor, choose a dominant style or colour to use throughout your hallway. To bring it to life, it's important to create a style of decoration that is not only bold but also ties in with the rest of this small space.

If you want to add ochre or blue ornaments, for example, add splashes of this same colour throughout your hallway. Note that decorating a room with two highly contrasting colours makes it appear bigger.

Furniture for a hallway

Wall shelves are a great solution for a hallway. They are really practical as they do not take up any floor space, meaning you can decorate your hallway by displaying various different ornaments. Hooks also offer the same advantages, meaning you can use your hallway as a cloakroom. Add a smart bench and baroque mirrors for a stylish look.

You may also consider rugs to add warmth to the area. Installing a sliding pocket stable door is a great tip for creating a traditional, inviting feel and breaking the monotony of a long hallway. Why not furnish your space with a floating or shallow bookcase? As well as providing space for books, they also give the illusion of adding height to your hallway.

The importance of colour in a hallway

Your choice of colours is very important in a hallway. Painting your walls is an easy way to create the illusion of space. Forget white that can make a room feel cold – unless you complement it with brightly coloured decorations! You can use this space to express your personality and colour preferences, choosing a darker colour on the back wall to create the illusion of depth, for example.

Wallpaper is also an excellent way to create a really trendy and eye-catching look or create an unusual optical illusion effect by choosing floral or exotic patterns or maybe a textured feel. Your hallway doors can also be surfaces that would benefit from painting. In this case, try to use colours for your walls that contrast with those used on the window or door frames to create an interesting 3D effect and a stylish decorative look.

Adding pictures or decorations to your walls

A picture wall – with a stylish arrangement of photos or art – can be an excellent solution for adding style to your walls. Still in terms of stylish wall decoration, you could also create an art gallery effect. It's really easy: simply align pictures along the entire length with integrated lighting or a row of inset lights in the ceiling. Lighting is an essential aspect for making your hallway brighter and more vibrant. It draws your eye towards the ceiling and your hallway will appear longer rather than narrow.

So in summary, a hallway is just as important as any other room when it comes to decor. Even more so if it leads from your front door, as it will provide any visitors with their first impression as soon as you open your door as well as being the last thing they see before leaving.

Try to take advantage of the unusual dimensions of this space compared to the other rooms in your home and make the most of its long length. Despite its restricted size, you can use this space as an opportunity to express your personality with confident and creative decorative choices!