The first impression – this is the main reason we should pay attention to the appearance and furnishings of the hall. This space must meet its practical function and must be representive, as well.
A hallway is a „window“ into an apartment wherein a visitor gets his or her first impression of our dwelling – and of us, too. Whether we like it or not, we often unawarely estimate the remaining part of the apartment according the small entrance area. And our visits judge our entrace in the same way.
Hallway Practical And Beautiful
A hallway should not be only superficially pretty and representative. In a way, it should also reflect the atmosphere of the whole apartment, so its arrangement and disposition should correspond with this function. It is not so simple, anyway, as a hall is still often seen as a marginal room, which is small, narrow and windowless.
However, merely a beautiful interior is a luxury in this pragmatic times, so we have to take into account the practicality and effectiveness, as well (although we must not ignore the aesthetic aspect, of course). First of all, me need to assess the ergonomics of the space, which is not easy, since we have to combine several other mismatching requirements for the entrance area.
The Multipurpose Space
A hallway is a partial barrier between exterior and interior and a kind of reception area at the same time. It is only up to us whether we will create a friendly inviting atmosphere here or whether it will contrariwise serve as a rampart protecting our privacy against the sights of outsiders.
A hall is also an internal communication space of the apartment enabling us to go from a room to a room. It can also separate the kitchen, the living room, the cloakroom or the utility room from bedrooms and private spaces. This is where you put off your clothing and footwear, which should be stored, hung or put away somewhere. Therefore it is necessary to ensure its passability.
The Equipment Needed
We often enter the hall in dirty shoes or dusty clothes, that is why there must be space for putting them of, brushing or cleaning them. It is necessary to divide the so-called clean and dirty zone. To leave the dirt from outside really in the hall, a small area should be separated for storing shoes and wet things so that they can dry out well and have enough air.
It is good to separate this part of the floor by using floring in a different colour, whicht should naturely be resistant to abrasion and moisture and have an easy maintainance. A mirror should not be missing here, either small one or (if you have more space) a large one for the whole figure.
In the so-called clean zone, there is a storage space for the coats, hats, bags, purses and if possible, even the travel bags and suitcases, seasonal footwear, sports equipment, cleaning agents etc.. The items used only occasionally can be stored in less accessible areas, such as a shelf right below the ceiling.
The Colour Solution Of The Hall
A common problem of hallways is the lack of space. If they cannon be extended by a building adjustment, you can achieve extension at least visually by use of colours. Generally said, the dark colours diminish the space, the dark ceiling seems to be lower – and light colours have the opposite effect.
If the hall is narrow, we can optically widen it by transverse stripes on the floor or on the walls, but these stripes lower the room at the same time. The lengthwise stripes on the floor make the room look longer and the lengthwise stripes on the walls make it higher and narrower, at the same time.
Large designs on the walls make the space smaller while small patterns are more generous to the space. The effect of the patterns increases with their size and color saturation.
Red hues highlight the areas in the horizontal direction, a red floor seems to go to meet the newcommer. A blue floor enlarges the space optically but does not encourage to stay longer. The yellow walls make the room lighter but yellow is not very good for the floor as it gives the feel of instability. The optimal colour is green, which generally calms down and if used on the floor, it raises associations with a green meadow. If the room is too narrow, you can enlarge by means of mirrors on the walls and sliding door cabinets.
