When thinking about the renovation of the hallway, it is necessary to take into account the possibilities of visually expanding the space. Knowing professional techniques, you can turn a small space into a spacious one. Three pillars will help: color, lighting and glossy mirrors.
It is extremely important to make the hallway in your home functional and cozy.
It is worth talking in detail about the possibilities of visually increasing space.
Options for visually increasing the space in the hallway through renovation
A narrow corridor, a hallway is zoned using light, mirrors, and colors. A few tricks will tell you how to transform the volume.
Using mirrors
Having everything you need at the front door can free up space near the mirror so it doesn't reflect chaos. Mirrors and glossy surfaces scatter light and reflect it. Add air.
The design of this room should be in harmony with the style in which the entire apartment is decorated.
Accessories
The accent can be decor, pouf, paintings, photos or posters. Decorative items level out the space.
It should be convenient from a practical point of view, the situation should be thought out to the smallest detail.
And others
Elongated structures in the form of panels, inserts, and moldings visually expand the space. Arches add air. It is better to remove the doors or replace them with an accordion.
In a spacious hallway, you can think not only about functionality, but also about interesting and stylish design elements.
Method number 1: do not type too much
A complete set of furniture for the hallway is increasingly turning out to be a useless acquisition: even if the cabinets fit into the volume of your corridor, they cannot always be placed comfortably. Most often, they clutter up space, become annoying with their gloomy appearance and do not solve problems with storing seasonal items and various small items.
An armchair or a large pouf is also completely optional: it may turn out that in your hallway it is still better to put on your shoes while standing. And you need to think not about a seat, but about a shelf on which you can lean.
Perhaps a shoe maker—or even two—can handle this role. Think about it - what if they are more useful to you than, for example, a huge wardrobe. Imagine in detail how you will use all the items planned in the project - and do not waste money on what is not useful.
Hallway finishing options
Finishing materials can work wonders. The main thing is to choose the right color, texture, design. It is worth considering a few recommendations from experienced designers who know the secrets of visualization.
Ceiling finishing
A modern stretch ceiling or a glossy paint finish is a good opportunity to raise the ceiling. To achieve an increase in volume, it is advisable to decorate the ceiling in the same color scheme as the floor.
A glossy ceiling and floor, matched in a single color scheme, will visually significantly increase the area of the corridor.
A suspended two-level ceiling, as a rule, visually aligns and expands the narrow space of a room. The light will be reflected in the glossy canvas, adding light. The design will create a feeling of flight and the breadth of the room.
A two-level stretch ceiling is ideal for decorating a small hallway.
Wall decoration
Photo wallpapers with images of panoramic landscapes, waterfalls, city streets will expand the walls.
You can add bright accents, located asymmetrically, to the space: this will allow you to harmoniously decorate the space.
Using geometric patterns, stripes along or across the walls is a good technique for adjusting the volume.
If you want to visually make the space wider, elongated walls can be decorated with wallpaper with vertical stripes.
Visual illusions create a feeling of space and air. Photo prints depicting a view from a window, a mountain landscape or seascapes are beautiful ideas. Different materials on opposite walls are also a good option.
The layout of the hallway should be thought out in accordance with your needs, the characteristics of the room and the latest interior design trends.
Floor finishing
You can shift the emphasis to the floor by using patterned floor coverings. All of them will force you to look down. Non-trivial colors also distract attention from the walls. The diagonal layout looks great.
A good option is the original layout of tiles, laminate, parquet boards.
Which wallpaper to choose
If the choice falls on wallpaper, it’s worth knowing which ones are best to choose. The hallway is a place where dust, dirt and moisture regularly enter. Therefore, wallpaper must be able to withstand all these factors.
Vinyl ones are perfect. In addition to being resistant to sudden temperature changes, they perfectly tolerate wet cleaning, which needs to be done regularly in the hallway.
Choosing furniture for the hallway
The main rule is not to clutter the space. It is necessary to remove unnecessary details and inappropriate decor. Having made repairs in a small hallway, it is better to immediately change the dark furniture to light ones. Manufacturers offer interesting solutions and modern shades.
Practical finishing materials are easy to clean and are not afraid of moisture.
Important! Light furniture does not look bulky. Smooth surfaces that reflect light will visually expand the walls of the corridor.
Closet
This is the most appropriate furniture for the hallway. Sliding doors, unlike swing doors, can be opened freely when approaching the cabinet closely. An additional mirror can be decorated in a modern style. The sliding wardrobe takes up all the free space and replaces cabinet models with mezzanines.
With the help of lighting, finishing colors and various textures, you can always zone a room in an interesting way without resorting to a radical change in the layout.
For renovations in a small hallway, there are ideas with photos on how to wisely use photo printing with a perspective panorama. Such doors create the illusion of space, enrich the interior, and add air.
The main point is considered to be high-quality surface finishing and rational use of space.
And others
Many people have a hard time imagining a hallway without a shoe rack and pouf. You can install a hanger rack in the entrance area so that you can hang your outerwear before changing your shoes. Open hangers with hooks are also a good option.
The hanger is made small, with 5-6 hooks. A shelf for hats is attached to the top.
For reference: in brick houses you can remove the plaster, restore the masonry, and build a hanger on it.
Color spectrum
Since there are no windows in a standard hallway, bright colors are preferred. This could be white, beige or bolder colors such as blue, burnt orange, grey, lime green, pink or purple. Shades of brown, from deep rich to light coffee, look good as accents.
Accent colors should not make up more than 15-20% of the interior color palette. However, designs on finishing materials and textiles are acceptable. Such details will help create a more interesting organization of space.
Options for decorating lighting in the hallway
When thinking about how to renovate a small hallway, you should pay special attention to lighting. Chandeliers are completely inappropriate; they take up too much space.
The ideal option is tablet lampshades: glass with a faceted finish or a matte pattern.
A complete replacement for suspended ceilings - spotlights around the perimeter or in rows, multi-directional spots.
New items - flexible lamps will also be appropriate.
In brick houses, the principle of ceilings of several floors is possible; multidimensionality visually pushes the walls apart. A combined principle is possible: a beautiful wall lamp opposite the mirror is a modern feature.
There is more light and the expanded space is oriented.
Note! When installing glossy stretch ceilings, you need to consider how the insides of the lamp will be reflected.
Budget renovation of the corridor for only 1 thousand rubles. with female hands
A typical Soviet interior can be transformed for a minimal amount, and the result will be amazing!
The girl spent only about 1,000 rubles to completely change the appearance of the corridor. The work, although not easy, is completely worth all the effort invested. See how you can transform a Soviet corridor for a modest amount with women's hands! The first thing the girl did was remove the old wallpaper in the hallway. She painted one wall plain white in several layers.
Youtube | Anna_Studio
I decided to paint the second one yellow, adding a universal colorant to the white paint.
Youtube | Anna_Studio
The girl repainted the chest of drawers in the hallway gray with a mixture of black and white enamel. At the same time, she made a color transition (ombre) on three cabinets, from dark to light.
Youtube | Anna_Studio
I glued a mirror with special glue, which I decorated the frame with rope.
This is what the Soviet hallway looked like before the renovation:
Youtube | Anna_Studio
Youtube | Anna_Studio
And this is the result after repair:
Youtube | Anna_Studio
Youtube | Anna_Studio
For more information about how a girl renovated a hallway for a modest amount, see the video below:
Source
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Choice of color and style direction
Light colors visually enlarge the space. White color for decorating a hallway is impractical. You can decorate the interior in beige, pink, green, blue pastel colors typical of Provence. Shades of light green and pale lilac are trending; the color “coffee with milk” is always popular.
It is easier to separate functional areas by using two-color wall and floor decoration.
Important! The ceiling is made 2 tones lighter than the walls, the floor, on the contrary, is richer in color.
Classical
For classics, a strict composition, woody shades of beige and brown are appropriate. In the narrow hallway, parquet boards are laid, a polished cabinet and a wooden hanger rack are installed. A pouf upholstered in genuine leather is placed in the undressing area.
The design of this space with elements of different styles looks unusual.
Modern
A laconic modern interior in light beige, sand or gray tones creates an atmosphere of lightness. Natural materials, minimal furniture, lots of light. Glossy and matte surfaces and varnish will complement the color. An example of renovation in the hallway of an apartment, photo.
Floor coverings with an interesting texture, tiles with a pattern or design are acceptable.
And others
Ideas for renovation in the hallway of an apartment; the photo shows several style solutions.
A good option for two-room Khrushchev apartments is marine style. Using blue and white stripes and decorating walls and ceilings in blue and turquoise tones will complement a cabinet with photo printing in the form of a seascape. Sand and yellow accessories will not be superfluous: ships, fish, cards, natural ropes. You can attach a barometer, compass. Small things can be put in a telescope tube.
Such options will help to use the wide space of the hall as functionally as possible.
The walls will be decorated with decorative plaster with pressed pieces of real shells. Several types of lamps are installed for lighting.
Disadvantages of the layout can be hidden with the correct arrangement of furniture.
High tech – conveys the avant-garde spirit of technical achievements. The wardrobe is only a compartment; plastic, glass and concrete are used for finishing. The walls are bare, there is a minimum of furniture, plus a shoe rack made of steel rods, a small transformable banquette with a built-in drawer.
The required set of furniture will depend on the size of your hallway.
Modern interior styles
Find out about the latest design trends with descriptions and photographs of fashionable hallways.
Classical
The laconic classic looks noble and emphasizes the taste of the apartment owners.
In this interior, raw elements are unacceptable, which are welcome in high-tech, modern or loft styles.
The classic style uses a light palette for walls, floors, ceilings and furniture, a choice of natural materials or their imitations, and an integration of ornaments including stucco, blacksmithing, etc.
High tech
High-tech, with its desire to remove everything unnecessary, is another suitable option for city life. However, many people find this style uncomfortable. One of the most unusual solutions that is suitable for hi-tech is to place flush-mounted neon lamps of different colors along the wall. This will definitely add variety to the interior.
Minimalism
Minimalism or eco-minimalism—with its penchant for uncluttered spaces—is ideal for any small space.
Original
Pastel colors may be the best option. However, to give the room a unique look, you can also create bright contrasts. Carefully arranging a variety of furniture that combines several colors can give the desired effect. For example, by decorating the walls with soft panels and installing bedside tables, you will turn your hallway into a cozy corner.
DIY wall decorations or custom wall murals can make your entryway feel more spacious and full of color. And fancy wall hooks, hangers, wall accessories with unusual decorations can fill the room with uniqueness, creating a special atmosphere.
You can lay a carpet with an original pattern. Paste the same motif on one wall and on the ceiling. High-quality wall panels and a mirror wall are ideal options for decorating the exterior of the hallway.
Unique shades of cabinet fronts, doors, floors or ceilings in a checkerboard style will make even your wildest fantasies come true. Plus, a deep, slightly solid color will leave an unusual mark on your guests' first impression.
Provence
If the room should be decorated in Provence style, then follow these rules:
- Use natural finishing materials or their analogues.
- Keep your color scheme light by using lavender, cream, pale blue and other pastel colors.
- Use vintage accents and handmade accessories for decor.
Loft
The interior, designed in a loft style, looks raw and brutal. But it does not have to consist only of brick walls. The space can be decorated with other interesting accents.
Organizing a hallway in an apartment does not require large expenses, since natural brick, concrete and wood with an antique effect are allowed in the decoration.
The color range is not limited to dark shades. You can also use a light palette with contrasting details.
Art Deco
Considered luxurious and somewhat artsy, this style allows for bolder ideas and custom details. It can have several levels of ceiling, stucco, textured walls and so on.
If you are planning to decorate a room in an art deco style, you will have to give up budget furniture and cheap decor.
It should contain only expensive materials, for example:
- Ceramic tile.
- Varnished wood.
Scandinavian
This style is built on an abundance of free space. Therefore, only compact furniture is used. The accent color is white combined with pastel colors.
In the Scandinavian direction, elements of high-tech, loft or modern minimalism are allowed.
Photos of the hallway design after renovation
When there is a desire to renovate a small corridor, the ideas in the photo will become the starting point for design development. The hallway in a small apartment in a panel house is zoned with lighting, the emphasis is on the corridor, and the space near the front door is complemented with gloss.
Any hallway needs a closet; you can’t do without a shelf for shoes, hooks for clothes, an ottoman or a bench.
You can combine several ideas and create a beautiful interior by making an unusual floor that imitates steps. A win-win option is mirrored walls that visually expand the space. You can compare how important the color and shade of the finish are. Multilayer ceiling design creates volume.
If you have a square or excessively narrow hallway, try using furniture to reduce it to a comfortable rectangular shape.
Method number 4: save on replacing doors
The front door and interior doors are the most expensive items in a hallway renovation. Leave them as is, but replace the trim. The most popular coating for renovation is laminate; it can be used to decorate a heavy metal door, as well as doors to rooms and bathrooms.
In addition, the doors can simply be repainted (use special paints and always a primer for non-porous surfaces), decorated with slate boards, glass or stained glass inserts, covered with self-adhesive film or even wallpaper - all this, of course, applies to a greater extent to interior doors. Replace handles and trims - and count the benefits!
Materials
Cabinets made of solid wood will be durable and reliable. They perfectly meet all quality standards, and look decent and high quality. Moreover, the solid wood product can be made with both swing doors and sliding doors. The most common material for manufacturing is oak, but such a cabinet may seem heavy for a small room, and even expensive. A “lighter” material is pine, it is cheaper and will look no worse.
Products made from veneer will help you save money. It can be made from artificial materials or from natural wood (oak, birch, pine, mahogany, walnut, beech). It is made like this: a layer is cut off from the surface of the solid wood, which is processed in a special way; a thin sheet is obtained, which is subsequently glued to the base of the furniture. Without going into detail, sometimes it is not easy to distinguish veneer from solid wood externally.
The cheapest cabinets are made from chipboard. This material, unfortunately, is short-lived and is suitable for people who are used to changing their interior quite often, because long-term use can lead to deformation and peeling, and with prolonged contact with water, the chipboard swells and warps. Now manufacturers have learned to laminate such material, which makes it more resistant to external factors. A special decorative film imitating wood or stone is applied to the surface, but this can also tear over time.
Also in the hallway, an ottoman or a small rattan couch would look appropriate for putting on shoes comfortably. Manufacturers of sliding wardrobes and cabinets with hinged doors use this material as decorative elements, gluing thin sheets in a special way onto a base of MDF or veneer. The result is a durable and beautiful design. A “relative” of rattan cabinets is a bamboo cabinet. It is a little cheaper, but is still considered an elite material.
A wardrobe with mirrored doors in the hallway will save space, since in this case you won’t have to look for a place to hang a separate mirror. Mirror and glass coverings expand the space of a small room, letting in and reflecting more light. You can apply different designs to the mirror using sandblasting technology. They are applied with a special device and look elegant and easy. Different types of glass are used: clouded, with a graphite or bronze effect, painted using lacobel technology or with engraving. Cabinet doors made of this material can be covered with a film, the pattern of which will match the wallpaper of the room or simply have a pattern to suit every taste.
For connoisseurs of the “soft luxury” style, cabinets made with leather elements are suitable. Basically, not natural material is used for this, but eco-leather. It is more wear-resistant, hardly scratches, and looks beautiful and neat. It is made on a fabric basis, applying special embossing of a special polymer film that replicates the natural texture.
Wide, small corridors: design features
A small, wide corridor in a private house has its own design features. For the floor, you should choose a reliable floor covering. The area is small, there is no point in saving on the purchase of materials. Ceramic tiles and marble can be laid on the floor. A budget option is linoleum. For walls, it is better to purchase light-colored decorative plaster. The unusual texture of the plaster will give the room a special charm. It is better to place bright accents with the help of details and an unusual design of the ceiling base. A multi-level ceiling will visually increase the space. You can organize lighting on it. It is not recommended to install one large chandelier in a small corridor. Too bright a light located right near the entrance will visually reduce the area. The best solution would be ceiling lighting using several small lamps.
The size of the hallway is important in design development
For small spaces you can use expensive materials
Use light colors to visually expand the room
The most difficult stage of arranging a small corridor is furnishing. The area is not enough to purchase standard items and arrange them in random order. When furnishing, consider the following recommendations.
- Don't buy a lot of furniture. Extra items will make the space cramped and uncomfortable. It is enough to buy a small storage system, a mirror, a chest of drawers, a coffee table. The system should have space for shoes, clothes, umbrellas, and other accessories.
- Arrange lighting around the perimeter of the mirror. This will decorate the modern design of the hallway in a private house. This solution will especially appeal to women. With such a mirror you can do makeup much faster and with better quality.
- Choose models with light surfaces and glass doors. These tricks will allow you to visually expand the corridor. Glass in furniture design always looks stylish and airy.
- Choose cabinet furniture. It is compact and roomy. In some stores you can make items to order, taking into account the individual characteristics of your home.
The most difficult task for a small hallway will be furnishing
Use only the most necessary furniture in the hallway
High tech
Technological, modern style, echoing minimalism. Greenish and white are used as the main shades. The walls are leveled and painted, matte tiles are laid on the floor. A tension structure with spotlights is installed on the ceiling.
A minimum of furniture and decor allows you to achieve the maximum amount of free space. This style is rapidly gaining momentum and is often combined with others, such as art deco.
Installing LED strips
The wardrobe area and mirrors should be brightly lit. And LED strips can be used as additional lighting.
For a wardrobe, you can attach a strip so that the lighting turns on when you open it. To change the angle of illumination and to make it look better visually without the light hitting your eyes, take a 10x10 mm PVC corner. The corner is glued and the LED strip is already fixed to it.
Before installing the wardrobe, you need to lay the wire from the switch in advance. The exit is usually made at the bottom. The cable needs to be pulled upward, since the cabinet has shelves, so even at the stage of its manufacture it is worthwhile to provide for the presence of a hole in one of the corners. So through this hole the cable can be pulled up. And so that the wires do not get in the way in the closet, they can be easily hidden in cable channels. To do this, the cable channel must be cut to the height of the shelves and attached in the corner.
The LED strip is supplied with 12 volts, so there is a plus and a minus. Before fastening, you need to mark the positive wire. The LED strip is self-adhesive; you need to remove the protective layer and stick it tightly to the corner.
Before finally connecting the LED strip to the transformer, you need to check whether it works by connecting directly, bypassing the ring switch. The ring switch is installed along with the installation of the wardrobe doors. When the cabinet doors are open, power is supplied; when they are closed, there is no lighting.
LED strips can be used as additional lighting.
Small hallway: layout features
If the hallway area is only 4 sq. m, you can’t put a lot of furniture in it, because most of the walls are occupied by doors leading into it, at least two or three of them. Decorating a hallway of a small area is already in the realm of art. You have to use any available wall area, because there is very little of it. And here the best solution is to order the manufacture of furniture. Since the equipment will be small in size, this will not cost a large sum, but it will be possible to use every centimeter.
An example of a hallway made of modular furniture
First you need to find a place to place the hanger. Take a good look at the room, find an opportunity to put a closet or just a hanger, and under it - a shoe rack with a seat.
A wardrobe in the corner is a great way to make full use of the available space.
Hallways with an area of 4 square meters. m is the “property” of small-sized apartments of the Khrushchev type. In them, free space is generally a rarity: even for one person there is not much of it, and there is nothing to say about a family. But in any case, the composition of the furniture greatly depends on your wishes, and also on the layout. There are several recommendations that you may or may not heed.
- Use all available height. If there is a closet, then under the ceiling, if there is a hanger, then you can make a shelf above it - open or closed - choose it yourself. On the upper “floors” you can put out-of-season clothes, or you can, for example, install a pantograph for clothes. This is a horizontal pipe, which, thanks to a mechanism, can be lowered from under the ceiling.
- Choose furniture with sliding doors, such as a wardrobe. They take up less space.
- The mirror can be placed on the wall, on the door (it’s more convenient - on the entrance) or one or more cabinet doors can be mirrored.
- If necessary, you can use the space at the top of the walls - above the doors. Shallow cabinets are placed there. And so that they don’t put too much pressure, the doors can be made of frosted glass. This is the best option - such furniture turns out to be “light”. Another option is to make them the same color as the walls. Then they will merge and practically not stand out. It is more convenient to make the doors opening upward or sliding - like a coupe.
- Much more functional is not a bench or ottoman for putting on shoes, but a shoe rack with a seat. It can be with closed shelves or with open ones. It's your choice.
