AFFORDABLE HALLWAY AND STAIRCASE DECORATING IDEAS

Whether you’re working with a two-up, two-down terrace, or a palatial mansion, you want the entrance of your home to give a great first impression right? As soon as someone enters your home, they can get a sense of your style instantly, giving an indication of what you’re like as a person. Clutter everywhere? They might think you’re a little scatty. Shoes perfectly lined up in a row? Slightly anal perhaps.

Obviously the very first impression lies in your front door, so give it a lick of paint and invest in some stylish hardware such as a brass door knocker and matching letter box. You’ll be surprised how many people notice a great looking front door - or perhaps that's just me?

Once you’ve stepped into the house, the magic really happens. First of all, clear any clutter away, especially if you’ve got a small hallway. Hang coats up and put shoes away in storage racks or cupboards. Storage doesn’t have to be dull though, the purpose of a hallway is to be functional so embrace this and look for stylish options such as ornate hooks for the wall, or a console table with shoe storage underneath. Pop a wire basket to the side to store umbrellas in and make a spot for keys/dog lead etc.

The staircase is the focal point of any hallway (unless you live in a bungalow, and if so I’d skip to the next paragraph) so I’ve included a few staircase ideas into this post so you can see you don’t have to settle for a boring route up to the second floor. 

One idea I love is to liven up your space with a pop of colour on the stairs. This could mean, either painting the staircase risers in one shade, or even varying shades (imagine an ombre effect), or going the whole way and installing a colourful staircase – this works particularly well in a modern home, with contemporary décor. 

Italian staircase manufacturer, Fontanot Stairs, offers some amazing coloured staircases like this turquoise spiral design – image this in a New York loft against exposed brick work. Another great idea is to tile the staircase risers, which you can see below, with walnut woodwork to compliment the blue and white design. 

One sure fire way to add personality to a space is to add artwork to the walls. I’ve written a post previously about creating a staircase gallery, but also think about adding oversized prints to the hallways walls to see as soon as you enter the front door.

Finally, plants are a great way to add a decorative edge. If you have a small space to work with, look to smaller potted plants on windowsills, or on a corner table perhaps, creating an eye catching vignette. What’s more, you can swap and change as the seasons change to give a new feel to the room.

I hope this has given you some inspiration on decorating, what is probably, the most neglected room in the house. With a few simple changes you can create a great first impression as soon as guests come through the front door.