Wallpaper Ideas for Your Hallway

 

Hallways are one of the most varied rooms in any home, coming in many different shapes and sizes.

In some dwellings, the hallway is merely a tiny space between the front door and the rest of the house, whereas in others it is a conduit with the rooms leading off in other directions. Some homes do not have a hallway at all, which is not something you can say about almost every other room you find in a typical home.

As well as differing in size, they can also have different light sources, from naturally lit spaces that capture the sun’s rays through windows and glass doors, to a complete absence of any natural light at all. Each type of hall requires a different approach when it comes to decorating, both in terms of the overall look, and the prep work you undertake. So, we have pooled together some helpful hints and advice that should give you a clearer idea of the direction you want to take within your hallway.

 

Prepping

The first thing to consider is your current wall covering. If the hall is freshly plastered, you already have the perfect surface and are ready to go, as the basic checks such as looking for water damage will have been done by the plasterer. If the wall is free of existing paper but is old, there may be some prep for you to undertake. It is certainly worth filling any obvious holes or cracks with filler and smoothing them over so that you have a nice even surface to paper onto. Finally, if the wall is already papered, you have two choices. You can hang paper on existing paper, but it may leave you with an uneven finish. It is advisable to remove the paper and then prep the wall with filler if you need to, to make sure your papering is consistent and achieve the new, fresh look you want.

 

It is also vital that you check your walls for signs of water leaks, which can come from several sources. A post on ‘How to Detect Water Leaks in Walls’ explains that you can get ingress of rainwater in a wall, which may produce a damp, musty smell and will impact your project severely. A burst pipe can also slow you down, according to plumbing specialists HomeServe, and that is especially true if you discover a leak behind one of your walls. Your wallpapering will grind to a halt if you see signs of a burst pipe, so it is best to check thoroughly once you have stripped the existing paper. A small leak can become a serious problem, and even the slightest hint of moisture release behind a wall will affect the bonding properties of your adhesive.

Once your wall is prepped, you are ready to go with choosing and hanging your wallpaper.

 

Furniture

 

Whatever wallpaper you choose, remember to work around your existing furniture. If you are keeping your existing furniture, you must make your choices to compliment those. For instance, if you have a small hallway with a table or dresser drawers in it, then you will want to go for plainer wallpaper to avoid feeling cluttered. In bigger hallways with fewer fittings, be more ambitious with patterns to eliminate the feeling of emptiness. Also, consider the tones of your furniture too. If you have pine fittings, find palettes that work with your furniture and bring out the beautiful natural grain.

 

Flamboyant

 

One style you might be tempted to try, especially in a smaller hallway, is flamboyant. A homeowner does not tend to spend as much time in their hall, so experimenting with colours and textures is a great option. Make a statement perhaps with bold pinks, or other striking colours which stand out from the rest of your home. If the hallway is well lit, be wary of using too much additional colour and straying from ‘experimental’ to ‘garnish’. Some of the bolder designs on modern hallway wallpaper strike the perfect balance of flamboyant, but not excessive.

Also, consider the colours in the room or rooms leading off from your hallway. Can you make a statement choice that compliments or contrasts the colours in the room? You will not always have the doors closed, so considering the rooms leading off from your hall is wise.

 

Period Wallpaper

 

You should consider the age and style of your home when choosing your hallway wallpaper. For instance, if you have an encaustic tile floor in a Victorian property, going for a jazzy, contemporary look would be ill-fitting and poorly judged. In the event of already having a set floor, make sure you choose a period wallpaper, something that accentuates the features that are already existing within the hall. Other things to consider are the height of your ceilings, the style of any staircases in the hall and even the style of doors. If you live in a period property, be sympathetic to the existing installations.

 

Work the Space

 

You may not have natural light in your hallway, or it may be small and restricted, but you can use your wallpaper to work around these issues. If you have little natural light, choose brighter colours, to help make it feel lighter. If you go dark, it can also prompt feelings of dinginess and claustrophobia, whereas even a small, darkened area can be made to feel welcoming and bright with the right hallway wallpaper.

 

Similarly, if you have a small space, choose a wallpaper that makes your hallway feel bigger. In our article titled ‘Wallpaper: Optically Enlarge Your Interior’, we explained how you should avoid cluttered, patterned paper in smaller rooms. Instead, look for plain colours, or long, sweeping lines either horizontal or vertical to make the room feel taller or wider.

 

Go Natural

 

The hallway is where you take your first step from outside and into a home, so perhaps work with themes around the outdoors. Wood effect or brick effect wallpapers can create a great vintage look and come in a range of styles and palettes to accommodate different room sizes and lighting requirements. If using a wood pattern is too obvious, why not pick something that has an outdoor pattern but if distinctly indoors, maybe using greens or plant-based designs to blur the lines between indoors and out. These work especially well in lighter spaces, making the transition from outside to in, flow through your home. Also, maybe try an industrial colour, such as grey hallway wallpaper, to induce natural elements.

 

Stripes

 

Stripes are timeless, they will never go out of fashion, but the type of stripe you use can make a huge difference to the overall aesthetic of your hallway. Using a narrow pinstripe against solid colour can deliver a contemporary feel, which might work well in a newer home. Stripes come in many different shapes and sizes though, and horizontally they will help accentuate raised ceilings or make your room feel taller.

There is a stripe for every occasion, and the uneven, pale stripes of a Scandi design are extremely popular at the moment, reports an Elle Decor feature article. Pairing a simplistic Scandi stripe with a mid-century modern chair would create a stunningly stylish and effortlessly impressive hallway to be proud of.

 

Conclusion

The hallway maybe the room you spend the least amount of time in, but it is the room that welcomes you on a cold winter night or greets guests and acts as a thoroughfare to your garden on those warm summer afternoons. It sets the tone for your home, making a first impression to anyone who enters. You must take your time to get the right stunning hallway wallpaper to ensure you set the right mood whenever the front door is opened. Consider all the elements we have spoken about here, and you will not go far wrong.

Written by Annie Bruce for bricoflor.co.uk