Hallway ideas

Hallway décor ideas to welcome you home

As we rush out in the morning, and then back in to kick off our shoes and put the kettle on, we might not notice how our hallway looks. It’s easy to turn a blind eye to paint scuffs and the ever-growing mountain of shoes and takeaway flyers…

But when it’s the first thing that welcomes your guests or greets you at the end of a long day, it feels a whole lot nicer when your entrance is bright and airy. With just a few simple changes, you can transform your dull hallway into a dazzling entryway. From durable paint to botanical wallpaper – we’ve got the products, tools, and tips to help brighten your hallway and make it more attractive.

Get creative with paint

Do you want a hallway that stands out from the rest? Then get ready to experiment with different colours and patterns. The wonderful thing about paint is that it doesn’t have to be a permanent decision. Have some fun with it! Try out different colours and see what works for you and your space. We’ve got a wealth of paint colours to choose from. Whether you prefer a toned-down grey hallway or want to impress guests with a green hallway – we’ll help you find the perfect shade.

Go above and beyond

Create a stunning impact in your hallway by putting the focus on the ceiling, aka the fifth wall. You could try wallpapering it in an eye-catching design or painting it in a bold shade. If you have particularly high ceilings, this will help to make it appear lower, giving your home a cosy feel. Go for an on-trend geometric or busy all-over print to add instant wow factor in this small area.

Half and half

By bringing colour halfway up the wall and keeping it to one section, it helps create an illusion of space and light. Play around with different combinations and see which you prefer best. Remember, you’re not limited to paint. You could try wallpapering the top half of the wall and painting the bottom half to create a stylish statement. If you’ve got little ones – you can use our GoodHome durable paint on the bottom half of the wall, so mucky fingerprints can be easily wiped away.

Draw the eye inwards

Here’s another cool trick that will make your hallway appear bigger and more spacious. Paint the side walls in one colour, and then wallpaper the end of your hallway. This will draw the eye inwards, in turn making your hallway a more inviting and appealing part of the home. Not only will it make your hallway look gorgeous, but it will also make it appear longer than it is. Take your pick from over 500 wallpaper styles, from elegant floral prints to striking vertical stripes.

Refresh your stairs

Watch our video guide for a step-by-step guide on installing a carpet stair runner.

Bring the outdoors in

We’re all looking for more ways to let nature into our homes, from houseplants and organic materials to beautiful wallpaper. Why not transform your entryway into an enchanted forest with our selection of nature-inspired wallpaper? Our grey and ochre dappled trees wallpaper has a contemporary woodland design and mica highlights to bounce light around the room. Featuring luscious green leaves and Amazonian animals, our jungle inspired wallpaper will bring your walls to life. From magnificent florals to safari vibes, we’ve got plenty of wallpaper designs to delight.

Don’t forget your woodwork

Painting stairs, door frames, and skirting boards can help refresh any space. We see our homes day in and day out. So, it’s no surprise that peeling paint and scruffy woodwork becomes virtually invisible to us. To new houseguests, however, it will stick out like a sore thumb. You can revive your woodwork in moments with some sandpaper and interior wood paint. If you’ve become tired of the classic choice of white or cream, why not switch things up? Go for grey woodwork or choose a shade which matches your wallpaper. And if you don’t like it, you can always try something different. Go on, give it a go!

Go bold with colours

There’s no need to be cautious with colour here. If you’ve been craving a brave, bold and daring injection of colour in your home, your hallway is the place to do it. It’s usually a small space which is less daunting to decorate than a large living area – which should give you a little confidence. And paint is temporary, so if you decide to retreat to a more neutral colour, you can.

If you have a narrow space, add colour to the bottom ½ or 1/3 of the wall. Or if yours is wide, tall and airy, flip it and put the colour at the top of your walls. Have you thought about painting the ceilings?

Bring the light

Hallways are normally lacking natural light so play with layers of artificial light such as LED step lights, opulent ceiling lights, uplights to showcase a feature and down lights to flood the walls with illumination.

The addition of some candles can be atmospheric as well as creating a gorgeous sent to welcome guests.

Large tiles for a spacious feel

For small spaces, avoid small tiles and instead go for large polished tiling in a neutral shade. You’ll create the illusion of more space by allowing any natural light to reflect upon it.

As it’s a high traffic space, the flooring you choose will need to be hard wearing, and easy to clean too. How about a bold porcelain tile or a beautiful natural, warm wood?

Keep it organised

Why not get organised and store away any coats and shoes you’re not using this season. Then you can add decorative hooks for essential items and baskets for your shoes, to keep clutter to a minimum.

Overhead storing works well in hallways and makes use of all of your homes space. Is your hallway big enough for a workspace - a foldaway desk on brackets? What about a chill out area for the children, or a reading nook under the stairs?

When space is at a premium, use every inch as cleverly as you can.

Get creative

This is your space so get creative – hanging plants, a photo gallery, a storage cube with seating area, stair baskets, a striking silk flower arrangement, some floating shelves. If you’re a cyclist, hanging your bike on the wall can be a great space-saving idea and look pretty cool too!

Go on, treat your hallway to a refresh and feel the difference it makes.

Looking for more paint and wallpaper ideas for your home? We’ve only just scratched the surface. Check out our Painting & Decorating section for loads of inspiring home décor ideas and tips for revamping your interiors.

*Colour matching service provided by Valspar®. We are unable to scan anything that’s too shiny, doesn’t provide a solid enough colour to match or is smaller than 1 inch sq.