Thursday 15 November 2012

my hallway headache


I am the type of person who can easily picture the ideal look of a room in her mind. Just give me a few minutes and I will know exactly how to arrange my things in it, though I may change my mind about some items when the actual decoration starts. Alas, this is the person I was until I met my new hallway. I am suffering from what I can only call a hallway headache.

Those of you who have been following my blog for some time know that we moved last spring. It's now November and we have done nothing for the hallway. It's a nice neutral space, spacious with white French doors leading into the living room and kitchen, and white doors to other rooms on the floor. There is a staircase that leads to the top floor so it has a high ceiling. When we moved in I knew exactly how I wanted it to look. First, I put a neutral sisal rug on the floor and a rack on wheels for our coats, which of course was only a temporary solution. (I may need to redefine temporary!)

I have tried putting a chest of drawers up against two walls and it looked too heavy. It was just wrong. When we bought wardrobes for our bedroom we used them to see how a wardrobe would look in the hallway. It was just wrong. I put a chair in one corner to see how that looked and, yes, you guessed right, it was just wrong. What on earth am I supposed to do with this space?

Maybe, just maybe, there is a light at the end of the tunnel because my latest crush is these storage baskets to the right. I like their natural look. I also like these storage trunks that are available in a few sizes and come with a removable lid. I could keep either in a storage unit or I could get a bench, preferably with a shelf under it and keep them there. This beautiful hallway designed by Steven Gambrel gave me that idea.

I have been viewing endless photos of hallways to get other ideas. Should I rather put a console table up against one wall and put a mirror above it or should I buy a large mirror, as in one of the photos above? My mind keeps going back to the basket idea. I haven't decided anything but maybe talking about this has reduced my headache just a little. Just a little.

photo credit:
1: Spike Powell for Ideal Home / 2: House to Home / 3: Maisons du Monde / 4: Niall McDiarmid for 25 Beautiful Homes /
5: via Wovenhill


5 comments:

  1. I can understand you - ours is pretty empty right now too and we moved houses quite a while ago. :) I actually know what I want mine to look like but cannot find the right pieces without paying a fortune (not happening)

    I'll send you a couple of pics later today - for extra inspiration. :)

    xxx

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  2. I like the idea with the big mirror. I gave this idea to my parents as well as they renovated their home in the summer and are still working on redecorating. But I am quite taken by a bench (the one in the middle in the set above) and framed photos on the wall too.

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  3. Sounds interesting... I like an oversized mirror, a low bench and the baskets underneath. A pot of greenery to the side, and some interesting plates or dishes on the wall opposite the mirror. How easy it is to suggest things for someone else's home! My mirror is still sitting against the wall with little else around it - although it is a tight hallway..:)

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  4. The first photo is lovely.. All the light coming in is so fresh and bright!

    Http://currentlylovingblog.blogspot.com

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  5. I like the idea of incorporating a big mirror and some storage trunks - it's easy to change around and replace if you don't like it, you can also add more stuff or change it around depending on your mood? This is what I would want in my hallway (if I had a hallway)! Have a lovely weekend Lisa!

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