When choosing furniture for a small hallway, it is worth considering not only its dimensions, but also the color and decor of the remaining elements. Consider the features of each space, the choice of colors, the design of walls and ceilings, as well as recommendations from experts on how to make the room wider.
Design Features
When designing a small, narrow or non-standard shape of the hallway, you need to take into account many nuances.
So, mirrors for a small hallway are a must. It is important that they are large, full-length, so the space will visually increase. Do not attach great importance to decor and small elements in a small corridor. They look unaesthetically, moreover, they only clutter up the space.
The light in the corridor should be bright. It can be a large chandelier, a sconce on the walls (if the room is narrow and long), as well as pinholes on the ceiling. Additionally, you can zoning the room by painting or gluing wallpapers of different colors. It is also necessary to use the length of the room to the maximum and, if possible, choose not open shelves for shoes, but closed ones.
The shoe rack for a small hall should be compact. It can be a narrow chest of drawers with several shelves, a wardrobe with a niche below for shoes. The door to the corridor, especially the small one, is better not to install. An arch of the most diverse form is best suited for a small room.
Wall decoration
The corridor in the apartment is a place through which every member of the family passes and more than once a day. Therefore, it is important to pay special attention to wall decoration. As a rule, only one side of the corridor is made up with furniture, on the second there may be a mirror or sconce.
What materials are best used for walls in the hallway:
- vinyl wallpaper on a non-woven basis (they are more practical and reliable than paper counterparts, as they are not afraid of wet cleaning in case of contamination);
- bamboo wallpapers (they are expensive, but practical, besides they are natural and durable, with this option you can create any, even a fancy interior of a small hallway);
- paint (everything here depends on the quality of the paint itself, as well as on previously done work on leveling and plastering the walls)
- liquid wallpaper (an unusual wall covering, which may surprise with its variety, is also easy to maintain);
- cullets, linkcrust, metallized wallpapers (durable and practical).
You can also finish the walls in the hallway with stucco, wooden panels, tile or stone, but such materials take extra centimeters from the space, which is already in short supply.
Flooring
When arranging the floor in the corridor, great attention is paid to its characteristics, color and shape. So, the floor must be durable, easy to care for and not afraid of moisture. This can be a laminate, linoleum with a high class of strength or PVC tile.
When thinking over the interior of a small hallway, several types of flooring can be combined. Near the front door it is better to lay ceramic tiles. It is more practical, less prone to pollution and not afraid of moisture. For the rest of the corridor, you can choose a laminate or linoleum.
Since the room is small, flooring will require very little, so you can choose more expensive and practical materials, which do not need a lot. If the flooring in the corridor continues in the same color scheme in the kitchen or in the living room, then visually you can achieve an expansion of the space.
Ceiling
When arranging, it is worth paying attention not only to the furniture for the small entrance hall, but also to the ceiling decoration, which can also visually increase the space. The most suitable option for narrow and small spaces is a glossy stretch ceiling, which has a mirror effect and adds depth to the room. You can also choose a multi-level option, which will noticeably hide all the flaws and surface roughness on the ceiling, but the height of the room will decrease by 15 cm.
The most budgetary option for decorating the ceiling in the hallway is painting, but the surface should be perfectly even. If a wide plinth is glued around the edges, then it will be possible to achieve the effect of increasing the height in the room.
You can also make both walls and ceiling in a single style and decorate, for example, with decorative plaster. This will visually expand the room both in height and in length.
Color spectrum
Considerable importance when designing in a small corridor is given to the color scheme. It should not be very dark, it is better to choose lighter or pastel colors, but the furniture for a small hallway can be chosen from more non-marking shades. Although modern designers recommend sticking to the same color scheme when decorating both walls and furniture.
Wallpaper in the corridor is better to choose plain or with a small ornament. Transverse light and large stripes increase well the narrow space. It is better to make the ceiling light, as the color version will press on top and significantly increase the space.
Lighting
An important factor in arranging a small corridor is lighting. It can be installed directly in furniture for a small hallway, or along walls. It all depends on the size of the room itself. You can hang a chandelier that will illuminate the entire space, or install several spotlights on the ceiling.
A good solution could be a mirror or cabinet with LED lighting. If the corridor is long and narrow, then it is better to place several sconces along the walls, which will only visually increase the space. If the height of the room is small, then it is worthwhile to direct the lighting up and place a beautiful massive chandelier on the ceiling.
You should avoid installing lighting at eye level, since in this case you will not be able to evenly illuminate the entire space, even a small one.
The main rule is that there should be as much light as possible.
How to visually increase the space in the hallway
In order to increase the space physically, in a small room, you can refuse to install a cabinet. You can hang things on a hanger for a small hallway.
You can also visually enlarge the room. How to do it right?
- Decoration of the walls with stripes (transverse stripes on the walls of light shades noticeably increase the room, it seems wider).
- Mirrors on opposite walls, wardrobe with a mirrored door, glossy ceiling.
- Niches in the walls instead of shelves with additional lighting will make the room much wider.
- Lamps along the wall (they are installed in a very narrow but long room).
- 3D photowall-paper (but it is necessary to choose not panoramic images, but panoramic ones).
Should the design match the door
Doors throughout the room should be combined, the same applies to the corridor. A beautiful little hallway is a minimum of decor and a maximum combination of all elements from the ceiling to the floor covering.
The most common material for making a door leaf is wood of all kinds of shades. If the interior of the room is in the style of Provence or minimalism, then the door can be white, if it is modern hi-tech or pop art, then the door leaf can be bright red, blue or green. This will make the room, even small, more vibrant and unusual.
It is worth remembering that the doors are installed before wallpapering. Otherwise, they may interfere with their appearance. The door in color should not be similar to the shade of wallpaper, otherwise it just gets lost.
It is also important that the colors of the walls and the door leaf are combined. White does not combine with a blue or dark shade. An excellent option is when the color of the door is present in one of the decor elements of the corridor (it can be furniture, ottoman or photo frames).
The dark shade of the door is combined with a lighter range of walls without patterns or with geometric ornaments.
Features of the size of the room
Before finally deciding on the design of the room, it is worth knowing the size features of each option of a small hallway.
1. A long corridor.
If the hallway is very long, then you can zone the room and, if necessary, equip a pantry or a separate dressing room. Also, in such a room, the furniture should not be located on one side, as this visually lengthens the space even more. On both sides of the walls you can place benches, small dressers or ottomans. Mandatory elements are mirrors that expand the boundaries of space, or three-dimensional panoramic wallpaper.
2. A narrow corridor.
If the hallway is very narrow, then it is worth starting from the style of minimalism and choosing oversized pieces of furniture. In such a corridor, the maximum height of the room is used. One of the walls should have a mirror. All home decoration should be compact next to each other and it is desirable to be the same in depth.
3. A small corridor.
If the hallway is quite small, then you will have to refuse to equip the cabinet. It’s better to just hang a few hangers on the wall, put a small ottoman and some oversized shelves for shoes. If possible, you can make a niche in the wall that will serve as a shelf for keys, perfumes or other small items. All items should be located as close to the door as possible.
Regardless of the shape and dimensions of the hallway, if you make the design and design thoughtfully, you can hide many of the shortcomings of the small corridor.
Functionality and Beauty
Quite often, for a small or limited room, a minimalist style is chosen. So, if it is not possible to install a headset for a small hallway, then you can place several hooks on the wall, and put padded stools for seats and a shelf for shoes below. Do not try to squeeze furniture, it will only interfere with free movement, the entrance to the apartment should be free.
The seat can be made practical and functional if there is a niche for shoes inside. The upper part leans back and you get a pretty deep drawer for many things.
Choosing minimalism for a small space, it is worth considering the elements of decoration. It can even be bright paints on the walls. You can also install a wardrobe for a small hallway, but you should choose from compact and cumbersome options.
What to look for when planning
When planning a small hallway, it is worth considering many factors. So, the doors between rooms and entrance should be made in the same style. It is better when the doors do not open in the hallway, as this clutters the space, but to the outside. Regarding the cabinet for a small hallway - it is better to choose the option with sliding doors, they are more compact and aesthetically pleasing.
Additionally, it is worth evaluating the benefits of a warm floor in the hallway. It is much more pleasant to go into a warm room, moreover, on an electric heated floor, shoes dry faster.
Lighting, regardless of the size of the room, should be sufficient. Well, when the motion sensor is located in the hallway, then there is no need to install a switch and allocate a place for it. If there are pets in the room, the sensor can be easily adjusted.
The outlet must be located close to the front door. Sometimes you may need to turn on the hair dryer to dry your hair, shoes or just charge your smartphone.
In advance, you need to think about the place where the intercom, electric panel and alarm will be located.
Design features and new technologies in the arrangement of the hallway
In order to choose modern furniture for a small hallway, while the most necessary, it is worth following the following rules:
- Do not put bulky cabinets in a small hallway, it is better to choose modern, compact and multifunctional analogues.
- Use maximum height indoors.
- Wardrobes with hinged doors that cover most of the corridor have no place in a small hallway.
- A maximum of light and mirrors will visually increase the space.
- Each entrance hall should have a place for sitting and a small table in order to put the necessary things.
The furniture industry is constantly evolving, and new materials and design solutions for a small space appear. Sliding wardrobe significantly saves space, one of the doors should be mirrored. In addition, they do not take up much space and open silently.
Modern trends in furniture design is the effect of aging wooden products. In addition, it looks very organic and aesthetically pleasing, as it is done manually.
A new trend is furniture with LED lighting. It visually increases the space and looks unusual. In addition, it saves space, since in this case you do not need to install lamps or a chandelier.