Your hallway might not be a room, but leaving it unattended, neglected and under-furnished is a big mistake. A hallway can set the tone for the design motif of your whole house, and luxury designer brands have made ample room for modern hallway furniture in their collections.
With forum pages dedicated to bemoaning the ‘waste of space’ that a narrow hallway can become without informed design choices, it’s not hard to understand why so many people hate their hallways. It’s difficult to make use of a space that has no clear purpose, however, modern hallway furniture is designed and built to make convenient use of small spaces carrying your interior motif throughout your home while simultaneously extending your living space.
Thinking of your home’s entryway as more than just wasted floor space and considering the walls and even your ceiling as your home's first impression will make you and your guests fall in love with this small and sometimes awkward area. Adding functional furniture to your entryway defines the space and creates the feeling of it being a meaningful extension of the living space within your home.
Hotels, restaurants and even boutique stores rely heavily on ambience to welcome their guests and set the tone. Your home may not be open to strangers, but the ambience and tone you set are just as important if not more so, simply because you deserve to enjoy comfort and luxury every day.
Building a restful and welcoming place to come home to starts at the entrance, with lighting and furnishings that define your home and, by extension, you. From the floors to the ceiling, you no doubt want to make your home your personal sanctuary with your style expressed in every aspect and your life made easier and more beautiful every time you walk through your front door.
Hallways are sometimes neglected because they do not have a defined function. Adding functional furniture doesn’t just introduce your style, but can also create a space you can actually use, in a way expanding your home.
Lighting is one of the most important elements of your interior design. It sets the tone of your home whether it be homely and comforting or airy and open.
Light fixtures, their size and design can make a big difference to how you see your space and decor. This is very important in entryways which are commonly not well-lit because of their size and how they are often de-prioritised.
Extend your home design to your ceilings by including light fixtures that complement your style. Pendant lights can add elegance and sophistication to the narrowest of spaces.
In long and narrow hallways, having more than one lighting source is a great idea for creating openness without using up floor space. But try to opt for soft and diffused lighting, especially when layering.
Aside from creating a warm homely feeling and a comforting contrast to the outside world, runner rugs or hallway rugs provide insulation and keep drafts and dust from flowing into your home.
Rugs also aid in noise reduction whether they are on the floor or on the walls. They’re the perfect way to add some colours or patterns to an otherwise simple space.
Artfully made rugs have been used as wall art for centuries and even with a history of adorning the walls of palaces and grand mansions, a wall rug doesn’t necessarily give your home a dated or antique look.
Modern and exotic rugs are a great compliment to a modern home. Look for companies that offer bespoke rugs so you can have it customised to perfectly fit your entryway.
Shoes, hats, coats, jackets and umbrellas can make your small entryway look untidy and even smaller. Slim sideboards, shelves and other customised storage units can help keep this area organised and welcoming.
Hallway storage can complement your home's aesthetic while serving an essential function, offering you a display area as well. Show off family pictures or greet your guests with a bouquet of flowers or decorative candles.
Avoid heavy doors or closed storage that could make your home look like an office or storeroom on entry. Many of our clients opt for bespoke joinery in the hallways as this allows them to use the space exactly the way they want, adding the perfect balance of functionality and aesthetics. Since we specialise in working with awkward spaces, creating stunning hallway storage is one of our favourite jobs.
The varying size of entryways can sometimes mean all you have are your walls and just enough room to walk into your home. Although this limits your decor options, you can still use your walls. Create depth in your wall decor by adding floating shelves and shadow boxes.
Adding hooks under your shelving gives you an unassuming place to hang your jackets, bags and umbrellas without being faced with glaring hooks on stark walls.
Floating shelves are not space-consuming, but still allow you to add personality and style to this small space transforming it from just a space to work through to a statement of your style. When decorating these shelves, try to opt for different materials and items in varying sizes as this will make them visually eye-catching. So they won’t just enhance your hallway aesthetics but will also be great conversation starters.
Create a waiting area, seating or an additional temporary living space by putting a slim bench in your hallway. This is the perfect place for guests to comfortably take off their shoes before entering your home. Hooks above the bench complete your hallway cloakroom.
Upholstered benches add a sumptuous feeling of luxury elevating the basic functional furniture to a comfortable seating area tempting guests to linger. You can enhance this experience by choosing a bench with a small end table; artwork, a beautiful vase or even photographs. If your hallway is small, we highly recommend considering a floating or built-in bench to save floor space. The beauty of hallway bench styling lies in its versatility - whether you're creating a practical spot for everyday use, a comfortable waiting area for guests, or an additional living space that adapts to your home's needs.
A hallway table is not a novel idea, but it is still as functional as it has always been as a display area, temporary storage for mail and packages and also as a central component to your hallway decor anchoring the space and other elements of your decor.
A console table can have drawers and even a place for a chair making it a great makeshift workstation or work-from-home space in homes without a designated study. Choose a narrow entryway table or desk with storage like drawers or small cabinets to make the most of the table without losing too much space.
Look for designs incorporating smart storage solutions - perhaps discreet drawers or compact cabinets - that help maintain order without compromising your hallway's spatial flow. When paired with a carefully chosen chair that can be tucked away when not in use, your console creates a flexible workspace that appears and disappears as needed.
Wall mirrors are a well-known way to make spaces look deceptively bigger and can be a transformative addition to your hallway furniture. Not just as a decorative piece, but a well-appreciated ‘last check’ for anyone coming in or out of your home.
Hang a mirror above your hallway console or bench with many style options and sizes to suit your home theme or consider mirrored furniture. Where closed storage can darken a small space and make it cramped, mirrored doors can have the opposite effect while still giving you the privacy of a solid cabinet door.
When it comes to placement, the classic pairing of a mirror above a hallway console or bench continues to prove its worth in contemporary homes. The variety of styles available ensures you'll find the perfect match for your interior theme - from ornate gilt-framed statements to sleek, minimalist designs.
The beauty of the hostess trolley lies in its dual-purpose nature. During daily life, it stands gracefully in your entrance hall, perhaps adorned with a carefully curated display of decorative objects, family photographs, or seasonal blooms. Yet when guests arrive, it transforms effortlessly into a sophisticated serving station, ready to be wheeled into your living space bearing refreshments and canapés with an air of understated elegance.
The strategic placement of your trolley in the hallway, conveniently situated near your living area, proves particularly ingenious. This positioning eliminates the need for dedicated storage space elsewhere in your home whilst ensuring the trolley remains readily accessible when entertaining. The ease with which it transitions from hallway statement piece to mobile serving station adds an element of theatrical charm to your hosting repertoire.
The success of a coat rack lies not just in its ability to manage outer garments efficiently, but in how it contributes to the overall atmosphere of your entrance space. Whether freestanding or wall-mounted, these pieces should feel intentional rather than merely functional, their design complementing your existing décor whilst fulfilling their practical purpose with grace.
Consider how your chosen piece will interact with other elements in your hallway. A thoughtfully selected coat rack can create interesting shadows and silhouettes, particularly when illuminated by carefully positioned lighting. This interplay between light and form can transform a simple storage solution into an engaging architectural feature. Whether you opt for the natural warmth of wood or the contemporary sophistication of metal, these pieces prove that everyday objects can indeed transcend their functional origins to become genuine examples of functional art in the modern home.
An upholstered occasional chair or two with a small coffee table between them can turn your hallway into a casual rest stop for quick visits or a quiet reading nook away from the living room. Add a magazine bag or a stack of books for entertainment and your home will have a welcoming reception room where an undefined hallway once was.
A thoughtfully chosen chair, perhaps in a rich velvet or textured bouclé, can create an elegant vignette when paired with subtle lighting and possibly a small side table, offering not just a practical spot to perch whilst removing shoes but also a moment of quiet luxury in what might otherwise be merely a transitional space. The key lies in proportion - look for chairs that command presence without overwhelming the space, allowing comfortable passage whilst maintaining that essential touch of sophistication that elevates your hallway from simple thoroughfare to considered living space.
FCI London is one of the largest furniture showrooms in the heart of London with our finger on the pulse of luxury furniture design and modern interior design. Boasting award-winning service and curatorship and over 35 years of world-renowned furnishing experience.
We cater to all our clients’ furniture needs whether you’re looking to go big or creatively save space without compromising on the style or quality of your furnishings. Our range of hallway furniture features a variety of styles curated from design houses across Europe.
Visit our showroom for an unforgettable furniture experience complete with expert design advice and the option to customise our many offerings to suit your specific needs.
We offer bespoke designer rugs, artistic coat racks, unique cabinetry, stylish mirrors, luxury seating and many more options for your small hallway.
Our experienced and friendly in-house interior designers can offer advice and inspiration to transform your neglected hallway into an inviting and welcoming space that will have your guests talking and make you excited to come home each day.
Book an appointment with our team today!
Our professional team is available to help you with every step of your decor project. Book a personalised visit and let's get the ball rolling on your hallway design.
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