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Hallways in period homes are often long, narrow and a little dark, and they're also the first thing you see when you walk through the door. Whether it’s a Dutch canal house or a Victorian terrace, the hallway is sometimes only just wider than the front door, so every centimetre counts and the wrong piece of furniture can mean turning sideways every time you come home.
There are ways to make these entrances cosy but practical, however. Wall sconces that sit close to the wall can warm up the space immeasurably, plus a ceiling light with some character, a good mirror to open up the space, storage that works hard without sticking out too much and a runner that can cope with muddy boots, will all make it feel like a proper entrance to your house, rather than a corridor you just rush through.
These are the pieces I’d have on my shortlist if a client asked me to help them furnish their hallway, with a mix of price points and a note on depth wherever it matters. Before you buy anything, measure the clear width of your hallway and keep enough room to walk past comfortably with a bag in each hand.
In a narrow hallway, wall lights do a lot of the work. They wash light along the walls, which makes the space feel wider, and they stop it feeling like a tunnel lit by one bulb in the middle. The flatter they sit against the wall the better, so you're not catching a shoulder or a bag strap every time you walk past.
The Mallory from Soho Home projects just 13cm from the wall, and the natural veining in the stone glows beautifully when it's switched on. The flower sconce from Lightcove is a more affordable option if you want something a little romantic. I work directly with LightCove to create bespoke lights in a range of other materials if that would work better.
A signature Vaughan design based on an original 1940s antique, with lovely cast detailing and a soft linen shade. It does stand further off the wall than the others, so I'd save it for a slightly wider hallway or the landing at the top of the stairs.
View productThe Eichholtz Maranello feels classic without being fussy, and gives the kind of soft, even glow you want in a hallway where the lights are on most of the evening.
The Elber from Soho Home sits around 22cm off the wall, so like the French Horn it's better suited to a hallway with a little more width.
The ceiling light is often the one thing you see from the front door, the stairs and the landing, so it's worth choosing something with a bit of presence. Before you fall for anything, check your ceiling height and how far the light will hang, because a hallway is the last place you want to be ducking, but if it's not low enough for its size, it will look off.
A hallway lantern is a classic for a reason. This one is solid brass with an opaline glass body that diffuses the light softly, and at 46cm high and 27cm wide it's a good size for a standard period hallway without overwhelming it.
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Designed by GamFratesi for LYFA, Repose has a layered opal glass shade that gives a gentle, even light. The black finish adds a bit of definition, and it works well against lighter walls or alongside darker painted woodwork.
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This one is for a grand entrance hall or a tall stairwell. At 80cm across it really needs the height to show off, but the drop adjusts from 79cm up to 229cm, so you can hang it at exactly the right level for your space.
View productLight the walls, not just the floor, and even the narrowest hallway starts to feel like a room.
Both Vaughan pieces above are trade only, so you won’t find a price or a basket on their website. I specify Vaughan as part of my interior design packages, if you are interested then please reach out directly.
If I could only add one thing to a narrow hallway, it would be a mirror. It bounces light from the front door or fanlight back into the space and gives your eye somewhere to go, which makes the whole hallway feel wider than it is.
I love this one. The mint frame is such a fresh change from the usual brass or black, and it would look beautiful against a warm white or a deeper colour. At just 4cm deep it sits nicely flat against the wall too.
View productThe OKA Montsoreau is a generous size that works really well above a console but equally on its own. For something more affordable, the Aconchi from Beliani is a nice option.
Storage is where narrow hallways usually go wrong. Most consoles are designed for generous modern entrances, so measure the depth before anything else. I've included options for the very tightest spaces, as well as a couple of pieces for hallways with a bit more room to play with.
For the narrowest hallways, the HAY Korpus shelf is my go-to. It's only 25cm deep, holds keys and post on top and has hidden hooks underneath for bags and dog leads, so you get a landing spot without giving up any floor space. If you can fit something on the floor, the HK Living Space dresser is 37.5cm deep in a rich chocolate finish, and gives you closed storage for everything you don't want on show.
If your hallway is a little wider, the Lennox entryway unit from Soho Home is a real investment piece, with olive oak burl doors and dark Emperador marble handles. It's 43cm deep, so do check your measurements first. The Ethnicraft Eda console is darker and moodier in varnished mahogany, and at 40cm deep it suits an entrance hall where you want a proper surface for a lamp, a bowl for keys and a stack of books.
Now if you’re not sure what will fit, this is exactly what my Online Design Package is for. I work from your photos, a video walkthrough and measurements to draw up a scaled floor plan, so you know that every piece works before you order anything.
Shoes take over a hallway faster than anything else, especially with children in the house. A tip-out shoe cabinet keeps them out of sight without needing much depth.
The Caruso from Kare Design is just 15cm deep, so it will fit even the tightest hallway, and the soft nougat colour stops it feeling too utilitarian. The Momi is wider and deeper at 109 x 35cm, but it doubles as a console, with three push-to-open doors and room for a bowl for keys on top. The rust brown is a lovely warm colour and won't show every scuff.
A runner is the quickest way to bring warmth and colour into a hallway, and it protects the floor exactly where it gets the most wear. My advice is to go for pattern and darker tones, because a plain pale runner will show every muddy footprint within a week.
Röllakan is a traditional Swedish flatweave technique, and this one is handwoven in wool in a soft mix of blues. The pattern and darker tones are really forgiving of dirt, which is exactly what you need by the front door, and it also comes in 80 x 300cm for longer hallways.
View productThe Pointe from Nordic Knots is a hand-woven New Zealand wool flatweave with a small red dotted pattern and a blue border, which feels playful without being too much. The Cord rug from Layered has woven stripes in blue and brown that give it a subtle texture, and the darker colourway will hide a lot. I particularly love this one!
I've left colour out of this one on purpose, because I think it deserves an edit of its own. Paint is one of the easiest ways to change how a narrow hallway feels, whether that's going lighter to open it up or going dark and cosy to make the most of it.
Would a hallway colour edit be useful? Let me know on Instagram at @catrionahandsinteriors or drop me an email, I'd love to hear what you'd like to see next. And if your hallway can’t wait, my Colour & Wallpaper Consultancy is available in person in the Netherlands or remotely, and you’ll come away with exact paint colours and a brief for your decorator.
Hallways set the tone for the whole house, and they're one of the trickiest spaces to get right. If you'd like help pulling yours together, from the floor plan through to ordering and delivery, book a 30-minute introduction call and we can talk it through.
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