When choosing furniture for a small hallway, it is worth considering not only its dimensions, but also the color and decor of other elements. Consider the features of each space, the choice of colors, wall and ceiling design, as well as recommendations from experts on how to make the room wider.
Design features
When designing a small, narrow or non-standard hallway, you need to take into account many nuances.
So, a mandatory attribute are mirrors for a small hallway. It is important that they are large, full-length, so the space will visually increase. You should not attach great importance to the decor and small elements in a small corridor. They look unaesthetic, besides, they only clutter up the space.
The light in the corridor should be bright. It can be a large chandelier, sconces on the walls (if the room is narrow and long), as well as spotlights on the ceiling. Additionally, you can zone the room by painting or wallpapering different shades. You also need to use the length of the room to the maximum and whenever possiblechoose not open shelves for shoes, but closed ones.
Shoe rack for a small hallway should be compact. It can be a narrow chest of drawers with several shelves, a closet with a niche at the bottom for shoes. The door to the corridor, especially a 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 the decoration of the walls. As a rule, only one side of the corridor is made up of furniture, on the second there may be a mirror or sconce.
Which materials are better to use for the walls in the hallway:
- non-woven vinyl wallpaper (they are more practical and reliable than paper counterparts, as they are not afraid of wet cleaning in case of contamination);
- bamboo wallpaper (they are expensive, but practical, besides natural and durable, with this option you can create any, even a fantasy interior of a small hallway);
- paint (here it all depends on the quality of the paint itself, as well as on the preliminary work done on leveling and plastering the walls)
- liquid wallpaper (an unusual wall covering that can surprise with its variety, and is also easy to clean);
- glass wallpaper, linkrust, metallic wallpaper (durable and practical).
You can also finish the walls in the hallway with plaster, wood paneling, tiles or stone, but such materials take extra centimeters fromspaces that are already in short supply.
Flooring
When arranging the floor in the corridor, great importance is attached to its characteristics, color and shape. So, the floor must be durable, easy to clean and not be afraid of moisture. It can be laminate, high strength linoleum or PVC tiles.
When thinking through the interior of a small hallway, you can combine several types of flooring. It is better to lay ceramic tiles near the front door. It is more practical, not so prone to pollution and is not afraid of moisture. For the rest of the corridor, you can choose laminate or linoleum.
Because the room is small, you will need very little flooring, so you can choose more expensive and practical materials that do not need much. If the flooring in the corridor continues in the same color scheme in the kitchen or living room, then visually it is possible to expand the space.
Ceiling
When arranging, you should pay attention not only to the furniture for a small hallway, but also to the ceiling decoration, which can also visually increase the space. The most suitable option for a narrow and small space 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 imperfections and surface roughness on the ceiling, but at the same time the height of the room will decrease by 15 cm.
The most budget option for decorating the ceiling in the hallway is painting, but the surface shouldbe perfectly level. If a wide plinth is glued along 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 the same style and decorate, for example, with decorative plaster. This will visually expand the room both in height and in length.
Colours
Considerable importance in the design of 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 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 small ornaments. Transverse light and large stripes increase the narrow space well. It is better to make the ceiling light, as the color version will put pressure on top and noticeably weight the space.
Lighting
An important factor in arranging a small corridor is lighting. It can be installed both directly in the furniture for a small hallway, and along the 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 a 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 room heightsmall, then you should direct the lighting up and place a beautiful massive chandelier on the ceiling.
You should avoid setting the lighting at eye level, as in this case it will not be possible 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 also hang things on a hanger for a small hallway.
You can also visually enlarge the room. How to do it right?
- Striped walls (transverse stripes on light-colored walls noticeably enlarge the room, it seems wider).
- Mirrors on opposite walls, wardrobe with 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-murals (but you need to choose not three-dimensional images, but panoramic ones).
Should the decoration match the door
Doors throughout the room must be combined with each other, the same applies to the corridor. A beautiful little hallway is a minimum of decor and a maximum of a combination of all elements from the ceiling to the flooring.
The most common door leaf material iswood of various 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 high-tech or pop art, then the door leaf can be bright red, blue or green. This will make the room, even a small one, brighter and more unusual.
It is worth remembering that the doors are installed before wallpapering. Otherwise, they may ruin their appearance. The color scheme of the door should not be similar to the shade of the wallpaper, otherwise it will simply get lost.
It is also important that the colors of the walls and the door leaf itself are combined with each other. White is not combined with blue or dark tint. A great option is when the color of the door is present in one of the corridor decor elements (it can be furniture, an ottoman or photo frames).
The dark shade of the door is combined with a lighter range of walls without patterns or with geometric patterns.
Features of the size of the room
Before you finally decide on the design of the room, you should know the size features of each option for a small hallway.
1. 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, 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 chests of drawers or ottomans. Compulsoryelements are mirrors that expand the boundaries of space, or voluminous panoramic wallpapers.
2. Narrow corridor.
If the hallway is very narrow, then you should proceed from the style of minimalism and choose oversized pieces of furniture. In such a corridor, the height of the room is used to the maximum. There should be a mirror on one of the walls. All interior items should be compact next to each other and preferably be the same in depth.
3. Small corridor.
If the hallway is very small, then the closet arrangement will have to be abandoned. It is better to hang just a few hangers on the wall, put a small ottoman and a few 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 placed as close to the door as possible.
Regardless of the shape and size of the hallway, if you make the decoration and design thoughtfully, you can hide many of the shortcomings of a small corridor.
Functionality and beauty
Quite often, a minimalist style is chosen for a small or limited space. So, if it is not possible to install a set for a small hallway, then several hooks can be placed on the wall, and ottomans for sitting and a shelf for shoes can be placed below. Do not try to squeeze furniture in, it will only interfere with free movement, the entrance to the apartment should be free.
A seat can be made practical and functional if there is a niche for shoes inside it. Top partfolds back to make a pretty deep drawer for a lot of stuff.
When choosing minimalism for a small space, it is worth considering the finishing elements. It can even be bright colors on the walls. You can also install a closet for a small hallway, but you should choose from compact and lightweight options.
What to look for when planning
When planning a small hallway, there are many factors to consider. So, the doors between the rooms and the entrance should be made in the same style. It is better when the doors do not open into the hallway, as this clutters up the space, but out. Regarding the wardrobe for a small hallway, it is better to choose the option with sliding doors, they are more compact and more aesthetic.
Additionally, it is worth evaluating the benefits of underfloor heating in the hallway. It is much more pleasant to go into a warm room, besides, shoes dry faster on an electric heated floor.
Lighting, regardless of the size of the room, should be sufficient. Well, when a motion sensor is located in the hallway, then there is no need to install a switch and allocate space for it. If there are pets in the room, the sensor can be easily adjusted.
The socket should be located near the front door. Sometimes you may need to turn on the hair dryer to dry your hair, shoes, or simply charge your smartphone.
In advance, you need to think about the place where the intercom, electrical panel and alarm will be located.
Design features and new technologies in the arrangementhallway
In order to choose modern furniture for a small hallway, while the most necessary, you should be guided by the following rules:
- Do not put bulky cabinets in a small hallway, it is better to choose modern, compact and multifunctional counterparts.
- Maximize indoor height.
- Closet with hinged doors that close most of the hallway, no place in a small hallway.
- Maximum light and mirrors - visually increase the space.
- Every entryway should have a place to sit and a small table to put things down.
The furniture industry is constantly evolving, and new materials and design solutions are emerging for a small space. The sliding wardrobe saves a lot of 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 are the effect of aging wooden products. In addition, it looks very organic and aesthetic, as it is done by hand.
New trend - furniture with LED lighting. It visually enlarges the space and looks unusual. In addition, it saves space, since in this case it is not necessary to install lamps or a chandelier.
