Want to Liven up Your Entry/Hallway? Here’s How

Is there a hallway in your apartment which you’ve entirely overlooked? Is your entryway just an area which you and your guests sort of “have to get past” in order to enter the apartment?

Time to rehabilitate your much-maligned entry, if so!

There’s no need to waste this valuable floor and wall space! Got a moment? Walk over there, right now…yes, right now!…and take a good look around. Check out the color, the dimensions, the lighting. “There’s not much to it,” you might say.

That’s the case with most hallways. But, guess what? Even if your hallway is extremely narrow, there are steps you can take to make it look larger! While you’re at it, make your hallway look both eclectic and welcoming, to boot!

Here are a few ideas which will open up your so-so entry:

• Lights, Lights, Lights — This one makeover for your hallway can not be over-emphasized. Be brazen and turn blasé into a BLAST of a space with the most dramatic light fixture you can come up with. Don’t worry that it’ll clash with the wall color or coat rack. If anything, the more unique the lighting fixture, the more it will become the focal point that totally pulls the space together.
• Color Can Cheer Up A Sad Hallway — Mauve, plum, cherry…the brighter or more deeply dynamic the hue, the better.
• Go Positively Print Happy! — Got fave prints and paintings that make a statement? Have you perhaps been fortunate enough to have a friend who’s an artist present you with fab original artwork? Your hallway is just the place to showcase pieces with pizazz! Or, if you’re an artisan, yourself, dig up some of your artwork and set up a mini gallery.
• Prop Up Photos – Got a catch-all or tiny table? Anything rattan has a nice, light feel to it—perfect for such a small space. If the piece is slim enough to place against the wall, you can display framed photos in varying shapes and sizes on the table. Or toss your unframed photos in an attractive basket. Great way for visitors to occupy themselves while they’re waiting for you to get ready to join them.
• Bold Wallpaper Speaks Volumes! — Opt for lively triangles, overlapping squares or striped wallpaper. Anything with gleam gives a little extra glam to the spot that greets guests…and welcomes you home after a hard day’s work!
• Clear The Floor – No shoes; no totes and CERTAINLY no bags of garbage to be taken to the incinerator, or outside to the communal dumping site. No cat litter boxes. No doggie bones or Kongs strewn about. No mops or brooms or dustpans. Your hallway is not your storage closet. Keep it clutter-free.
• Safety First –One final tip: Remember that there will be nights when you come home and forget to turn on the light switch before you step inside. Don’t place anything directly in your path. Don’t place a throw rug where you might trip over it. Other than that caveat, the sky’s the limit. Make your entry way much more than just a place to hang your hat!