A grand entrance gives a warm welcome

Everyone knows how important it is to make a great entrance, therefore I can never get my head round houses with bland hallways. I realise it's not a room we spend an awful lot of time in but it is the room that welcomes you home at the end of the day and the one that guests see first.
By The Newsroom
Published 11th May 2010, 15:18 BST
Updated 11th May 2010, 15:19 BST

Even tiny hallways can make a statement. Hallways are also a great place to put storage. Often in a narrow hallway you forget that there is space available above eye level. Opt for shelves and use tall objects like vases and flowers to make the room appear bigger. Go for sweet- smelling flowers.

In any hallway mirrors can play an important role. A large floor to ceiling mirror will give an illusion of brightness – like the Tegan mirror from Barker and Stonehouse. If you are lucky enough to have good, natural daylight then the use of mirrors will double the effect.

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One obvious way of lightening up a gloomy area is to use pale colours or, for a more dramatic effect, try something a little darker. Rich reds, Mediterranean oranges and opulent purples are fantastic in small hallways. Aside from the natural light, electric lights play a big role in a hallway, too. If the lights are too bright, the room will appear stark while too little lighting is not that useful when trying to navigate your way when it's dark. Subtle lighting placed at different levels will give you the opportunity to create varying ambiences. Wall lights, uplighters, downlighters, candles and, for the ultimate in extravagance, chandeliers, all have their own distinctive style of light and they all benefit from the ability to create a feeling of warmth. Flooring in the hallway should always be practical but that definitely doesn't mean it should be boring! I love the look of black and white tiles. Laminate flooring is a good option, too, if you think tiles will be too cold.

There are also some great carpets for hallways. Opt for bold stripes to give the impression of more space. After all that hard work you should now be confident of opening your front door and showing off your grand entrance with pride.

Barker and Stonehouse is now up and running on Facebook and Twitter so follow the link below to share in all of our latest news, views, competitions and sneak previews. www.facebook.com /barkerandstonehouse.

YP MAG 15/5/10

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