It’s easy to overlook the potential of an entrance hall. It’s such a functional space that it can often be an afterthought. I think that’s a mistake. After all, your hallway is much more than a corridor linking to other rooms. It is the first space your guests see when they arrive – and a chance for you to welcome people in your own way.
By showing this area love, you are setting the scene for the rest of your house. Having some family snaps, or something you feel is an expression of your personality, is a nice touch. I have two framed photographs by John Myers in black and white which contrast nicely with the colour we’ve chosen for the walls (‘Setting Plaster’ by Farrow & Ball).
If you don’t want the first impression your home makes to be a chaotic one, then you’ll need to think about storage. If you’re a collector of coats (like I am), having a couple of hooks on the wall will soon look cluttered and messy. It was important for me that we have a dedicated place to put everything away – although we somehow still always end up with a row of shoes lined up on the floor.
Those same shoes, kicked off in a hurry or scuffed against the wall, can cause a lot of wear and tear over the years. The entrance hall is one of the most hardworking areas in your home, so it’s best to think practically. We have lime plaster walls in the kitchen, but here I have used paint because it’s a little more forgiving of small marks, which can be wiped away with a wet cloth.
When it comes to furnishings, I currently have a vintage mirror and a marble-topped console table. The marble top was a £100 eBay purchase and is there as a placeholder until I can find something better. (I think console tables are, along with bedside tables, one of the hardest pieces to find for your house.)
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Another placeholder is our pendant light, which is a vintage rattan lampshade. When we first moved in, the idea was to buy something dramatic. I considered the ‘Dodo Egg’ by Beata Heuman, but that was just slightly out of our budget.
Five years later, we’re still looking for a permanent replacement. I think it only goes to show that a home takes time to be ‘finished’, and then even when you think it is, it will continue to evolve. I am still keeping my eyes peeled around vintage shops for my perfect light.
If you’ve just moved into a new home, learn from my previous mistake. A hallway can be your house’s impactful entrance – but it’s also the exit. Make sure it is the final place you decorate, otherwise you’ll only need to repaint again after the renovation dust and dirt has left its marks. It’s a lesson you only need to learn once!
Now, though, I am happy to say that while I may not have the lighting of my dreams or a completely trainer-free floor, when the doorbell rings, I am always proud to invite people inside my home.
