Sam Pynn to the rescue! The design expert and host of the web series The Mix and The Switch is back to help another lucky reader with her design dilemma.
Get Sam's tips below on how to inject some stylish interest into a front hallway lacking pizazz.
Hi Samantha,
I'm looking for some help with our front hallway. We live in a 100-year old semi in Toronto and are trying to inject some pizazz into the front hallway, which is quite open to the rest of the house.
Attached are some photos of the hall and the site lines into the dining room, kitchen and living room. (Please excuse the mess!)
Can you make any suggestions on how to give this front entrance some interest? Would you paint the inside of the door (black or dark grey?) Would you put wallpaper on the one wall? If so, any suggestions? Or maybe some wood-paneling (in a grid pattern perhaps?)
The wall hooks are somewhat essential unfortunately (two adults and three little boys). As are the baskets for mitten and hat storage (the one closet we have is bursting at the seams). Any ideas you have would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks Sam!
Jenny
Dear Jenny,
When you enter a home there is nothing more fab than a fantastic entry way. I love your desk and I also like the colour of your mirror. Regarding the closet, I completely understand that you need hooks for hats and coats, but if you can keep seasonal items in clothing bags and giant plastic boxes in the basement, your entry way will feel much lighter. I know a family of five where each family member has his or her own bin to keep seasonal items straight and packed away when not needed.
You have a long and spacious hallway which means you’ve got lots of space for decorating. A great way to draw people into your home while adding colour and pattern is with a fabulous runner.
Dash and Albert has fantastic stripes and colour and I've fallen completely in love with West Elm’s Sakura in blue and grey, above.
I’ve chosen the blue and grey for you because I noticed that you have a dark grey wall and lots of neutrals in your home. If you wanted to be bold, a yellow or orange runner would look spectacular.
Painting the door will make a statement, but painting the hallway, including the wall around the closet door, will make a bigger statement -- and wallpaper would make the biggest statement of all!
Black, slate grey (like your feature wall) or navy would inject pizzazz on the door or walls, but if you wanted to be super-daring with your front door a high glass cobalt would be dynamite.
The graphic Lotus series from Farrow and Ball, left, in gray will perk up your hallway and link to the colours throughout your home. Herrick from Osborne and Little is a bold geometric that’s washable. Wallpaper is personal -- kinda like art -- so pick a pattern you love. Whatever pattern you choose be sure to paper both sides of the hallway as well as around the front door and closet, so your guests will feel enveloped. Primetime Paint and Wallpaper in Toronto has a wide variety of wallpaper collections, including Cole and Son, Osborne and Little, and Designer’s Guild.
Hang your mirror 6 inches above your desk. You’ve done a good job balancing the scale of the mirror to the desk with the vase, but a larger mirror would feel more in proportion with the desk. Shop for a mirror that’s almost as wide as the desk, leaving 4 inches on either side. Two larger chairs flanking the desk will again be more in scale with your desk; plus, give you a place to slip on your boots.
Though I do love your desk, a long bench with cubbies or drawers would solve your storage issue. Try the Liatorp from IKEA, left, or for a more modern look butt together two or three of the Grevback, right, and have the spray lacquered in white, grey, or your fave colour. Top the bench with a thick 2-3 inch seat cushion and you’ll also have a comfy place for the entire family to get dressed in the morning.
Here's a little inspiration form Serena and Lily. Check out more of their great entryways at Serenaandlily.com. Good luck!
What do you think of Sam's suggestions? What would you do with Jenny's hallway?
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