Don’t leave that dark hallway the way it is, or that staircase with its tall, bare wall. Hallways can look beautiful if you decorate them correctly. Here are my absolute favorite stylish hallway decorating ideas. I hope they inspire you.
Two-Toned Striking Effect
Give your hallway a chic makeover by painting the bottom half of the wall in a darker color. Then add chair-rail molding in the middle of your wall, where the two colors meet. It’s a stylish hallway decorating idea that works marvels on narrow hallways. It will also make a long staircase seem shorter since the first seven or so stairs will have a different color wall beside them.
Photo Clusters
Clustering framed photographs on your wall is an art. Forget the conventional hallway decorating style of hanging a line of photos in a row. Instead, collect all your unused frames or buy a few more at garage sales or craft stores. Sand the frames to make them smooth, then spray paint them all in glossy white. The frames will come in every size and shape, but their color will be the same. In this lies the stylish element in this hallway decorating idea. Cluster the photos in whimsical arrangements on both sides of your hallway, but not across from each other.
Focal Point
For those long hallways with a blank wall at their end, a stylish display is all you need to bring the wall to life. A chic console table with a wrought iron mirror or a large colorful painting will serve to draw the eye and make your hallway seem like the passageway to something beautiful. Avoid using a large mirror that will reflect the hallway and make it seem twice as long.
Runner Illusion
To give the illusion that your hallway is wider, use a runner rug with horizontal stripes. The stripes will seem to push your walls apart and give the illusion of a wider space. Conversely, if you want to make your short, insignificant hallway seem more prominent, use a runner rug with vertical stripes. Both hallways decorating ideas will draw the eye to the floor and away from the confining walls.
Paneling Illusion
If you want to create the impression that your hallway is shorter than it is, use floor molding to form a visual illusion. Position floor molding vertically, from floor to ceiling, and attach it to the wall. Add more floor molding every two feet. This stylish hallway decorating idea segments the wall and creates a stunning effect. See the picture and instructions for this narrow hallway decorating idea.
Wallpaper Illusion
If your ceiling is low, use wallpaper to create the illusion that the walls are taller. Look for wallpaper with vertical stripes or patterns. You’ll need a sharp utility tool with which to cut the wallpaper down to size. Install the wallpaper on the bottom half of the wall only. Then overlay the top of the wallpaper with chair-rail molding. This stylish hallway decorating idea is ideal for contemporary decorating.
Beadboard Paneling
Unlike traditional wainscoting, beadboard is much easier to install. The lower half of your wall will suddenly look like white wood molding. If you add beautiful chair-rail molding at the top, you’ll perfect this stylish hallway decorating idea.
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