As I said a couple of weeks ago, it’s time for us to make some changes to our flat because I have such itchy feet. I desperately want to move to the period home of my dreams but, alas, London house prices have gone through the roof!
I posted last week about choosing a new floor for our sitting room, kitchen and hallway. Today, I want to chat through my plans to makeover our hallway – which I hate! It has got to be the most boring, dull, generic hallway I have ever seen and it makes me cry inside.
This is what the hallway looks like now…
Even Otto looks sad about it.
All of the rooms in the flat come off this hallway and there are three cupboards so, in total, there are SEVEN – yes seven – of these monstrous wooden doors. There are no windows, so no natural light and the same horrible, beige carpet that I want to get rid of from the sitting room runs through the hallway. I love the vintage poster that is hung on the wall, but it was only ever put up as a temporary gap-filler – it doesn’t fit there at all.
These are my plans to make this small space more of a design statement, rather than an unpleasant passage to the other rooms.
1) Replace carpet with wooden floor.
2) Try and find a beautiful runner (I have been looking for the last three years!)
3) Paint the walls in one of Little Greene’s French Greys – not sure which shade yet.
4) Add Jane Cumberbatch’s ‘Toast’ striped border halfway up the wall all the way round the hallway.
5) Paint all of the doors white and change the handles. This is going to be an arduous job but I hope it will be well worth it.
6) Add some interesting art work – I love Double Merrick’s new Swimmer print.
7) Buy a vintage hallway table and mirror.
8) Add an interesting wall light as we only have spot lights, which can feel very overbearing at times..
Little Greene paint.
Toast wallpaper border to go half way up the walls.
I’m really enjoying Double Merrick’s new print.
Now I just need to find a weekend to make it happen!
Katy x
Poor Otto. 🙁 What about replacing the doors with a white frame and glass panels in them? Might be costly though! x
I think I’m going to remove the end door that leads into the sitting room and paint the others so it doesn’t feel so closed in. Just don’t relish the prospect of all that painting!
Definitely paint those doors – that alone will transform the space. LOVE that Double Merrick print!
It’s good, isn’t it? X
As you already have working mechanisms in the door handles you can get some replacements quite inexpensively – the cost is usually in the catches. Ive recently done a very similar makeover to our hall; all of our hideous brow laminate doors are now a crisp white (barring one, which i painted with chalkboard paint, which i love!) soft grey walls, some narrow picture shelves, hardwood floors and its amazing! Makes such a difference if younlike the room you first come in to.
Oh wow, sounds really similar! Would love for you to email me a pic. Also LOVE the idea of a chalk board door. The doors are definitely the worst thing about it so hopefully painting then and changing the handles will work wonders! Thanks, emma
Plans sound great – will deffo transform the space. 7 years down the line I still need to paint all our internal doors – I keep putting it off, but I know it will make such a difference! Good luck with all that painting!
Thanks Zoe! I know exactly how you feel – it’s such a boring job. I’ve just been over to your blog – it’s gorgeous! 🙂
My sister-in-law recently renovated her hallway in a really lovely grey. So calming when you enter the house.
I’ve never used grey before so I hope you’re right. I always stick to the same colours so I’m trying to branch out and experiment x
Have you found any nice runners?? Will soon be looking for one and most out there aren’t filling me with joy!! Any suggestions would be great!!
No I haven’t found anything yet! You’ll be the first to know as soon as I do! x