The Space that everyone sees first is the entrance hallway therefore you must make a good first impression. These spaces are usually quite tight in terms of pace. Here we look at how you can make this space look big and stylish at the same time. From substantial architectural changes to simple DIY tweaks.
Put Up A Mirror
Ideally you’ll want a made-to-measure floor-to-ceiling design to really make a difference in a compact space. It will add depth, plus, if you have natural light it will add brightness, too, by bouncing the daylight around the space. If you’re on a budget, a full-height freestanding mirror will have a similar effect as seen here in our Kensington project.
Turn to the bright side
In most cases you will have doors at the end of your hallway. If you swap these standard doors for glazed ones, it will open up both your hallway and adjoining rooms to vast natural light from the windows in these rooms. As seen in our Brompton Square project below.
Remove a wall
You can always take out part of the wall that divides the living room and entrance. Not only does this mean that light can flow freely everywhere, but the new open-plan design also makes the entire ground floor of the house feel larger.
Always get professional advice about how Building Regulations may affect your design before committing to remove a wall.
Play with proportions
If you would rather not do any major structural work, you can use paint to alter how people perceive the size and shape of your hall. For example, you can paint one wall in a very sophisticated dark grey and the wall opposite in white. This immediately widens the room as the grey wall appears to recede as seen in our project in Fitzrovia below.
Think about finishes
A sophisticated Venetian plaster (or polished plaster) finish works wonders. It reflects light so the space feels bright and open and adds a sense of grandeur. If you can’t stretch to new plasterwork, paint with a reflective finish could also work. Many paint brands do metallic paints. These have a wonderful sheen that will bounce light around
Be consistent
As seen in some halls, a neutral scheme can look chic and, more importantly, it helps to create a sense of space thanks to its light-enhancing abilities. Maximise a neutral scheme’s potential by sticking to white on all surfaces – walls, ceiling and on the floor. If you don’t have a dark floor breaking up sight lines, your space will feel bigger. In this neutral space, a few slim line vintage pieces add character but not bulk.
Raise the roof
This may not be possible in many homes, but if possible, a sloped, glazed roof makes a compact entrance hall feel big. During the day it will flood the space with light and at night you can come home and see into the night sky If it’s not possible to achieve something like this in your home, I would recommend a single skylight.
Piperhill Construction pride ourselves in being qualified and experienced to undertake all aspects of work; from new build, basement construction, refurbishment and luxury interior fit out through to fully integrated services and first class designer finishes. Whether working within design and build or traditional contracts, our unfailing aim is to meet all of our clients and their consultants requirements and to produce the highest quality finished project.
Please contact us on 0208 166 5607 if you wish to discuss a project.