Having a Design Moment: The Hallway
Those parts of a home that make you pause and admire, feel happy, surprised, intrigued or nostalgic — those are all design moments. Throughout a happy home, there are special details everywhere — some are clever, some are very personal, some are big and in your face, while others are quiet and thoughtful. In person they stop you in your tracks; online they make you linger on a photo and save it for inspiration.
In this series, we’ll be looking at some of these design moments room by room — and why we love them. I’m going to start with high-traffic areas: hallways and small entryways. Often we think of these odd-shaped spaces as purely utilitarian, simply a way to get from point A to point B. If you’re doing that, you’re missing out on a great chance to create another special moment inside your home.
Create a welcoming moment in the entry hall. Many of us lack a foyer that fits a baby grand or even a modest pedestal table, but we still may want to make an inviting design move.
This colorful table is just narrow enough to slip between the sidelight and the wall. A beautiful orchid and painting complete the small tableau.
Play with shapes. This charming trio works via shapes and heights. The table has three interesting legs, the chair has a lovely silhouette, and the coat rack is tall and full of character. The bowler hat is the perfect topper for this particular design moment.
Mark an intersection. The area where these two hallways meet is a lovely opportunity for design.
The wallpaper has a beautiful pattern, but left unadorned it could overwhelm. Instead, this bamboo table topped with an eared jug and greenery creates a focal point.
More textures and materials mix in with antique frames and mirrors that break up the wallpaper pattern and reflect the light.
Conversely, these plain white walls needed a punch. The large-scale landscape’s deep colors and stunning scene almost make it feel like there’s a window with a lovely view here.
The chair and table recall the old days when there was one phone in the whole house, usually in a hallway with a seat and table.
Show off a collection in a beautiful arrangement. In this Texas country house, the homeowner wanted to display antique planes he and his father had collected for years. The result is a unique and personal wall where anyone can inspect them up close.
Reinforce a sense of place. We tend to see this more often in vacation homes or in mountain, lake or beach homes, but you can take this idea anywhere.
In this case, a bright orange chairlift tells you that you’re at the ski house, in case you forgot.
Make the most of a staircase. Staircases are often missed opportunities for design moments.
If you’re a book lover, you can never find too much storage space for your favorite titles.
By using a thick wall strategy, these designers created an area partway up the staircase that makes people stop and peruse the books.
Force perspective. These designers literally pointed the way, with the arrows of Cavern Home’s Tapestry wallpaper.
Tuck in a reading spot. This window bench is nestled into a dormer. The playful patterns make it lively, while a serious chandelier shows us this is a design moment to celebrate.
Turn something utilitarian into a moment. This architect took a boring old laundry shoot and made it memorable.
Think about how hallway spaces are experienced from other rooms. Framed by the doorway, this large painting adds depth and art to the adjacent space.
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More: Design at the End of the Hall
