Hopeless Hallway?
Hi all,
I've lurked on this thread off and on and really appreciate the creativity and judgment of the posters here. I've put off posting any pictures or questions of my own because it's always kind of unnerving to invite criticism of your home, but I'm hoping I can get some ideas about what to do with my front hallway. We've lived in our house for almost three years now, and although we've slowly been fixing up the rooms one by one, this hallway still seems both too cluttered and weirdly empty/forlorn all at the same time. The beautiful newel post, bannister, and other woodwork in the hallway were a big part of why I fell in love with the house, but right now the space is just embarrassing, and feels like we just moved in two months ago. The hallway is particularly bad because there aren't really any sources of color, so the whole space just seems like a bunch of beige/tan/brown, with some black thrown in for good measure. And I'm usually not a fan of tan and black as a color scheme.
The things I'm looking to change in the near future are the paint (that's the biggest and most immediate component), the window treatment, a runner/rug for the hallway, and possibly the storage furniture/arrangement. The light fixture is fairly new and I still love it, so we don't plan to change it (and hopefully if you hate it, you'll be gentle). Although the runner on the stairs is starting to look very worn and I'm not especially fond of it, I don't think we're likely to be changing or removing it anytime soon. That also means that unfortunately, the brown painted stairs will likely be staying for the time being too, since they can't be stripped until the carpet is removed.
Here are the biggest problems that I don't quite know how to address.
First, the color. The entire house was painted this color when we moved in (SW Nomadic Desert). It's not a terrible color, and would probably be lovely in some homes, but I'm just not a fan of its use here. I feel like it doesn't complement the floor well, or the style of the house. The trim is SW Bright White or Extra White (apparently?), and I feel like the trim has too much contrast with the paint color for a Victorian era home. Also, with the trim being so white, it has a tendency to look cold and plastic, and highlights the dents and drip lines that have accumulated over the years, which makes the woodwork look sloppy instead of highlighting its character. Ideally I'd like to eventually repaint the walls AND the trim, along with strategically stripping some of the trim to reveal the original dark woodwork along the staircase. That said, I think at present I need to focus on a wall color because it may be quite a while before I have the time to repaint all the trim and/or strip paint. But for planning purposes, the trim eventually will be repainted something a bit warmer/creamier. I am having a really tough time figuring out what direction to go in for the wall paint color. I'm simultaneously worried that too little color will result in the space looking just as bare/undecorated/boring as it does now, and too much color will make the space seem completely overwhelming or garish. I guess I'm looking for a color that's not a color? You can probably tell why I'm feeling so lost.
Second, the window treatment. I have no idea what to do here. The window sill comes right down to the stairs, so lots of traditional drapes would create a real safety/tripping hazard, especially if I were to hang them in a standard way, outside the window frame. Even the curtain we have now, which only hangs past the window sill by a couple of inches, does worry me because it gets blown or pulled right onto the stairs from time to time. I wonder if some kind of shade wouldn't be better/safer, but it's hard for me to picture something that might look good, especially given the height of the window. It also doesn't help that I'm one of those people who likes to let in a bunch of light without much concern for privacy, but my husband would probably cover all our windows with solid blackout curtains if I let him. We always struggle to find the right balance that lets in light without feeling too exposed. I also need to be able to easily pull or move the window treatment aside so I can throw open the window when the weather is nice and let in the breeze.
Third, the clutter. I'm sure you can't even tell from the pictures, but this is "tidy" for this space. Despite the doors you probably notice at the end of the hall, we have no coat closet. We also have no mudroom or other entryway area anywhere else in the house (our kitchen door, in the back, has a small collection of hooks but much less space/storage than you see here). So, all the coats, shoes, the stroller, the car keys, umbrellas, and other odds and ends have to live in the hallway. We do try to store coats and shoes that we're not using upstairs, but we still seem to need a lot of hallway storage and that sure is a long staircase when you just need to grab a jacket. I've been contemplating looking for an antique wardrobe to go where the hooks/cubbies are, and store the various clutter in the wardrobe where it's more hidden away. But on the other hand, I worry that any wardrobe big enough to be practical would seem to overwhelm the hallway and visually block the space. Also, any storage solution does need to be very practical, and I'm not 100% sure whether a wardrobe would be practical.
Fourth, the dead end. When you come in our front door, you get a lovely view of the staircase and... a blank wall. It just looks and feels strange to me. In my fantasyland, I've already built an addition on the back of the house, knocked a doorway through at the end of the hall, and created a lovely view all the way through the house to lush gardens in the backyard (hey, it's my fantasy, right?). But until I win the lottery, a dead end wall is all I've got. The doors on either side swing in to the hallway and don't provide enough space between them for even the tiniest table, grandfather clock, etc. I've thought about putting some artwork there, but I worry that anything I put there will look small and inconsequential, given the height of the space and relative distance from the front door. I'm wondering if that might be a good space for an accent wall of some type? I could picture a nice large print wallpaper on that wall, but is that a fad that's going to fall back out of fashion again soon?
I could keep typing on and on with my various thoughts, opinions, and questions, but I think this post is probably long enough as it is. I'm very sorry for the poor quality pictures. I do have some with the light fixture turned out (I think taken at night?) but they look even worse.
ETA: due to technical difficulties, the photos are posted below.
Comments (43)
- 7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
Is there a doorway next to the window? Where does it lead? Is the window double hung? Do you open the bottom or the top or both?
ETA it's not hopeless at all! It's a beautiful entry to your home and some tweaking will make it even better.
Is storage under the stairs a possibility?
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Hm, you do have a conundrum. First, we have a similar color throughout the house we just purchased (also a Victorian), and while it's not offensive, I am getting EXTREMELY tired of it after just 6 months, so I fully understand your desire to change it! With the cooler/darker wood on your banister and the dark (black?) stair runner, I would choose a cooler paint color (a medium grey, maybe) and bring in color with rugs and artwork. The veining in the marble top on that side table could give you some inspiration.
As for the space itself, I think that getting a nice long runner rug that spans the length of the hallway would define the space much better. IMO, the front door mat should be eliminated or at least be replaced with something much smaller. I would also eliminate the curtains and install more tailored-looking blinds (cordless so they're easy to raise and lower).
From a structural standpoint, what is under the staircase? A staircase to the basement? If not, is there a way you could turn that area into a closet? What is behind the dead-end wall? What do the double doors on the right side of the first photo lead to?
0 - 7 years ago
I agree, it's not hopeless at all. Unfortunately, I'm not one with the skill and imagination to help you. However, I'm really looking forward to what these GW Gurus contribute! It might help if you can explain what's behind the doors we see so alternative storage suggestions might be uncovered. Maybe a dimensioned sketch of the area and contiguous rooms?
0 - 7 years ago
I live in an old house and am struggling with the foyer and some of the same problems you have. It's hard to not let the foyer become a junk drop off point. My foyer is beige and I contend that beige doesn't work in old houses - you need color.
Is there any opportunity for a closet under the stairs?
How about a very large, very bright canvas print on the back wall? You can get a gallery wrap large print (48 x48) for about $300 from greatbigcanvas.com. I don't know your interests so I won't even try to suggest something.
You have to be very purposeful about what pieces of furniture go in a foyer, and yours have to do double or triple duty. A wall-mounted coat hook like the one in the rear of the foyer might work better than the coat rack in the front, as it would sit closer to the wall and be off the floor. You could possibly put shoe cubbies in the corner at the bottom of the staircase.
- 7 years ago
I agree with graywings that you need furniture that will serve multiple purposes and take advantage of every inch of space. For instance, instead of that coat rack by the door, something like this would offer coat and shoe storage:
The plant stand could be replaced with a tall, narrow shelving/cupboard/drawer unit that would create places to hide gloves, hats, umbrellas, keys, sunglasses, etc.
0 - 7 years ago
Awww come on, make it a color that really is a color - you know you want to! Since it will be seen from several different rooms it just needs to be a color that would look good with / flow into your decor in all those rooms. I was just reading something which suggested a deep rich dark color for the hallway, lighter colors for the rooms which will make the rooms seem brighter.
- 7 years ago
Even though common preference is for a mirror to reflect something worth reflecting, if that were my hallway I would create that "doorway" you want with a large mirror at the end. It will bring some light into the space and some visual distance and not just a dead end. I find that the kind with panes seem to keep you from actually looking at/seeing yourself in them - much different than a plain mirror.
I have this one in my living room to reflect light from the opposite side of the house. Its glass is antiqued which also seems to lessen the sharpness of images and ability to look at oneself in it unless you are very deliberate about it (although my grandson does like to watch what he's doing in it).
kmarissa03
Original Author7 years agoThanks for all the engagement so far! I'll try to provide more info and respond, but my apologies if I miss a few of the question folks have asked. Unfortunately there's no chance of storage under the stairs, as that's the stairway leading to the basement. It's funny so many are suggesting storage under the stairs, because in that fantasy addition that my imagination has built, I've constructed new stairs to the basement, the basement stairs become a coat closet, and I add additional storage just like you've suggested. But no dice at the present. Across from the basement door is a door to what probably used to be a usable closet, but most of the space was taken up when central air was retrofitted into the house and ductwork was installed. I'll try to take a picture of that funny little space when I get home tonight. We do use wire baskets on the inside of the door to store some winter hats, gloves, etc., and there's enough space for a small stick vacuum, but it's of limited use for actual coat closet purposes.
Behind the dead-end wall is the kitchen, and most specifically the stove and microwave. Admittedly, it's really tempting to get rid of the stove and microwave and open up the wall, because then I'd never have to cook again. ("Sorry, I don't have a stove."). But I suspect my husband would balk at the idea. ;) The double doors lead to the living room, which is the main living space in the house.
I think you all should be able to access this; it's from the house listing when we bought it a few years ago. It will show you the layout as well as give some additional pictures that are clearer and better lit than what I've provided (you have to hover your mouse over the floorplan to see the pictures; I'm not sure how well it works on mobile devices).
http://tour.truplace.com/property/71/29815/?Branding=0
There's no doorway next to the window; what might be giving that impression is that the wall corner between the window and the front door has a little bump-out that housed plumbing for the upstairs kitchen back when the house was a duplex. I don't have a good picture of that corner myself, but one of the two hallway pictures in the above link shows this oddity. That also prevents us from putting any kind of shoe storage in that corner, because with the bump-out there's not enough space to store shoes without them being dangerously close to the bottom of the stairs.
The window itself is double-hung, although the upper half is currently painted or nailed shut (I use the bottom half). The whole window needs restoration work. Once that's done someday, I'd like to be able to open either sash, but that's not an absolute must. I agree that some kind of shade would be better than curtain panels, but I'm just not sure what direction to go in there.
A very large print at the end of the hallway is a possibility. I'm having trouble picturing what might work, but then again I'm having trouble picturing changes to this space in general.
We did initially have the coat tree as the only place to hang coats, and later added the wall cubby/hook unit (which we already owned as a remnant of our last house) because the coat tree alone wasn't enough hanging space and didn't provide any cubbies/space for small odds and ends. I'm not sure that we need both, but I could play around with removing the coat tree and see whether we lose too much hanging space. I have no idea how two adults and a toddler have so many coats and jackets and sweatshirts, but somehow we do. And somehow they're all super essential.
Biondanonima, when you say the plant stand, do you mean the marble-topped table? I just want to be sure I'm following along with all the suggestions. It might be able to be relocated in the house, although I do kind of like having it in the front hallway. It's also a handy spot to plop down mail, keys, etc. although you're absolutely right that it doesn't serve a double function.
Current Resident, I like where your mind is on this. The thing is that we already used that concept but flipped it a bit; the living room (through the double doors) now has deep navy/very dark teal walls, which I know is somewhat trendy but which I really love in that space. So going with something bold in the hallway would be putting one bold-colored room right next to another bold-colored room. I don't know that I could pull that off here.
0- 7 years ago
Toddler? 'Nuff said!
Maybe you could get some ideas from this blogger/Victorian home owner in Chicago. She's kinda edgy in her decor, but I love a lot of what she's done. Hopefully you can find your way to her entryway and see what it looks like on its best/photographable days with 3 children.
0 - 7 years ago
No, by plant stand I meant that smaller thing on the other side of the door from the coat rack that almost looks like a cat's scratching post - is it not a plant stand? Regardless, if it can be removed, I think you could make better use of that space even though it is very tight. Something like this wouldn't have a substantially larger footprint but would give you MUCH more useful storage (not this one specifically; IMO it looks a little bathroomy. But the dimensions are right - it's 15x13x63" high):
Since we now know there's no chance of storage under the stairs, I would suggest even more strongly that you use the area next to the door (where the coat rack and marble table are) to put in a joint coat and shoe storage unit, similar to the one I posted above. I would remove the marble table to make room for the widest coat/shoe rack you can fit - choose one that has a tabletop surface built in if you want a place to plop your keys, or train yourself to plop them on whatever you choose to replace the thing by the stairs.
Farther down the hallway, it's hard to see exactly what's there but it looks like a mat for boots and then a bench a little farther down? Again, I would declutter by combining these things. Instead of a bench, get a long narrow table with no braces underneath, under which you can place that mat for boots and keep them out of the way. If you need a place to sit, make sure your coat/shoe unit beside the door has a bench and use this table as your key and mail plopping place instead.
As for the dead end wall, I love Olychick's suggestion of a mirror there - a big one will make a great statement (and serve as a perfect place to check your outfit before you run out the door). I agree with you that a bold paint color might be hard to make work here since the next room over is dark. I had a bright red hallway in my last home, and while I loved it, it didn't play nicely with the terracotta color we had in the adjacent kitchen - I didn't consider the flow when I chose the color and I was too lazy to change it afterwards!
0 - 7 years ago
If you could find a small chest of table with a mirror above, it would pull the hall forward. Also, as other poster suggested, an oriental runner that goes all the way back.
It looks as if the LR might have room for a large armoire/wardrobe. You might be able to turn that into a place to hand guest's coats.
It's a neat old house with great potential.
0 kmarissa03
Original Author7 years agoHere are a few more pictures that show more of the hallway.
Current hallway: I had forgotten that I have a small stand of TV trays at the end of the hallway. It actually gets in the way of both the doors, but there's really no good place to put this thing and we use it all the time. So, it floats around between the living room, dining room, and hallway.
Below, I moved the bench under the cubbies and wheeled away the stroller. Probably an improvement? But then, where do I keep the stroller? I don't know why they didn't design this 1890's hallway with modern stroller storage in mind.
The rug shown is just there for a place to be, and because I had nothing there before. Not only does it not need to stay, but I don't intend for it to stay.Here, with both doors open, showing our little elfa baskets. Please pretend not to notice the junky mess on the left. On the right are hats, gloves, and toddler shoes that are still a size too big. It could all be arranged better but I don't think it'll ever be practical for all our small storage needs.
Inside the funny little almost closet:
And a few pictures of the adjoining living room. In theory, the living room could be a good place for coat storage, except that our décor philosophy there was "put a bookcase everywhere that doesn't have a piano." We're kind of dorky about our books and can't seem to "declutter" any meaningful portion of them away. Please excuse the random toys. And if you have sharp eyes, you might notice that... we haven't actually finished painting yet. I have no excuses except that I just lost steam. I'll be completed eventually.0kmarissa03
Original Author7 years agoOne more thought: due to the bump out for the pipes at the bottom of the stairs, where the scratching post used to be (removed from my most recent pics), it may be possible to figure out some storage there, but it would be very tight. Biondanonima, I know you weren't suggesting that specific unit, but just as a point of comparison, that would be too big for the space. If the unit faced the stairs, it would need to be no wider than 12", and if it faced the rest of the hall (sideways to the stairs), I might be able to get away with 14" wide, but no more than 12" deep unless it would look okay to stick out a bit from the bump-out it's up against. I do worry that would start to make the bottom of the stairs feel cramped. I think the bottom of the stairs is less spacious in person than it seems in the pictures. But, there are a lot of specialty, space-saving items out there, so there might be something that would work! Maybe even something light that's just wall-mounted?
0- 7 years ago
Can the stroller hang on a wall?
If you removed the lower Elfa shelves, could the tables fit in the space inside the dorky closet?
Could you add shelves into the small space in that closet?
Can an armoire fit on the wall in place of the coat rack and hall table?
As for the window, consider blinds or a bottom-up, top-down shade. The curtain does look like a hazard.
- 7 years ago
Hi Kmarissa --
Another old house, closet-challenged person checking in.
Quickly:
1) I freaking LOVE YOUR PLACE. All the details that suck one in to forgetting/overlooking closet space! So green re foyer and door let alone transom. I'm another who can't move walls or doorways without ma$$ive cascading issues so I feel ya on that.
2) Thank you thank you THANK YOU for caring about setting off your gorgeous floors with a better paint choice [yes, I care deeply about this].With the space and the light you could do anything but I've learned many people seem to have a funny response to deeper non-bright entry shades -- so I'm glad you have your deep shade where it is.
You can certainly go medium value or fairly deep-warm-bright if you want. Just about any green will look amazing with the floor, yellows/oranges will create instant warmth (trickier with floor, but do-able); smoky plums or warm greys could be interesting against the adjoining room color.
3) Start thinking of every cranny as you would your bookshelves -- go VERTICAL!Spot where marble stand was = deeper, so use that for coats. Ideally it's a cupboard to look less messy but hey, whatever works now.
Spot on other side of door where you show measuring tape = shoe storage on bottom (turn shoes sideways if that works better), then hats/gloves/random crap above. If you do that I think you can clear out back area so it's just for stroller storage and access to nooks/micro-closets.
ps love the new pendant light!0 - 7 years ago
Hi again -- pt 2 since I wanted to talk about your TBD art wall!
***
I'm with those who want you to go bold there. You don't really need a mirror to reflect light, so use that spot to inject some personality!
I am *not* blessed with your magnificent stairway -- mine is narrow and off hallway -- but after rebuilding our steps from MDF-covered-ratty blue carpet to old-growth fir and ditching 80s can lights I wanted to set it off. Photos you can see from below and above makes me happy every time I pass it.
If you don't have anything you currently love or have your eye on, considering blowing up some photos that mean something to you. Very cost-effective if you do inexpensive frames.
ps will it cheer or depress you if I say we're 15 years into our 5-year "fix everything!" plan?Bringing a stairway closer to heaven · More InfoBringing a stairway closer to heaven · More Info - 7 years ago
What a lovely entrance. I also love your light fixture. I immediately could visualize your foyer in a federal blue...then I saw the wall color of your living room. It is a perfect color for the entryway. How do you feel about wallpaper? It would look stunning. Painting a copper or salmon would also work. Going darker will showcase that lovely light fixture. I don't know your budget, but an installation of a plantation shutter would work beautifully on your window (in white). Regarding the closet doors opening into each other...I would consider enclosing the end of the hall incorporating each closet into one wide unit to look like a large armoire or wood panel cabinet floor to ceiling ( in white or black). It is difficult to tell if your stair runner is black or navy from my monitor. You might think it sounds unusual but I think a wrought iron like monogrammed doormat inside your front door would address your entryway needs. Good luck. Looking forward to updated pictures.
- 7 years ago
Like some other posters, I also have an old house, and my foyer is also more practical (read cluttered) than the beautifully decorated space I want it to be. So you're not alone.
For color, I think a subdued mid-tone green would look fabulous.
0 - 7 years ago
I agree with the "toddler;ENOUGH SAID". A home with enough storage to be lived in by small children and stylish-is an oxymoron in my world. The stroller is an issue--but will be gone sooner than you think. Me, I would put aside decorating woes and raise that baby...the walls will be there for painting later and then your storage issues will have worked themselves out!!
0 - 7 years ago
Sometimes the clutter can be maddening! I was going to recommend Ikea as well. In my last house I had this for coats. it was flat to the wall and held a lot.
they also have nice shoe cabinets:
I am not sure I understand the two closets. Is the one to the right a staircase? or it just has an uneven floor?
I would probably try to deck out the tiny closet to the right ( if it is a closet) with any kind of wall hanging shoe racks that would fit for the shoes that are not used as often. if there was a way. then if you still need shoe storage get something like above. Or put deep shelves where the floor is uneven and find bins that would fit on the shelves. it is a lot of unused space there.And I get having things downstairs. We had ALL the boys clothes downstairs for 5 yrs. it was just easier for us.
a nice apothecary type cabinet that is narrow maybe for all the gloves mittens and little things it looks like you have hanging on the closet doors. if you cant fit them in the closet
what is in the closet to the left? will a stroller fit in there?
I would try to get as much as you can tucked in to those closets in an organized way, then figure out what is left you want to have in the hall for very day and find something you like for that (like the remaining coats and shoes, and then paint the walls, and then find artwork you love for the back wall or the other walls.
I picture a mural or one of the picture type wallpaper murals on that back wall. Could be gorgeous. :)
- 7 years ago
If it were my house, I would not use a mirror on the back wall. First, I would constantly be scaring myself by seeing my reflection out of the corner of my eye at odd times. And secondly, it will visually double the amount of stuff you have in the hallway due to the reflection.
I have a very large Audubon print of a flamingo at the top of a staircase.
The 12 inch wide closet can hold a surprising amount of things if properly configured. I installed shelves in a small area of my bathroom. I used 4 bookcase shelf supports and flat boards to make a series of shelves. It's inexpensive - each shelf support costs less than $2. You could fill that thing with shoes.
- 7 years ago
How about building a wall across the end of the hallway. Both existing doors / openings for them would be inside this wall. This now becomes a closet. You can rearrange shelves etc to get the true storage that you need. Even remove and save/reuse the 2 existing doors. Frame it out to match the existing wood trim.
- 7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
The only tricky part to jmc's great suggestion is the open banister side wall may not be able to support a wall. But other wise a small walk in closet on the kitchen wall might work perfectly.
0 - 7 years ago
Another tricky part about building that wall is the air intake register above the closet.
- 7 years ago
Your house is so pretty and full of character.
Will the stroller fit in the hall closet if you put a big hook in there? We always kept DD's giant running/cycling stroller in the car or the garage.
0 - 7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
I am quite familiar with trying to shoehorn storage into a similar entryway with no mud room. This was the area of our remodel that we worked on last winter, and here's what we ended up doing. Now there are a lot of us (nine), so it's quite full this time of year. (Normally, the piano is not in the entry, but we're remodeling our living room and needed to do a lot of rearranging to make that happen.I moved the lamp down so you could see the hooks a little easier.)
You could put coat hooks along the stairwell side. I will caution you that dust can filter from the stairs onto items that hang from these hooks. We haven't finished the stairs yet, so I'm hoping that when they are carpeted, this will be less of a problem. The lower hooks give younger family members some independence, and even purses and bags can hang on the lowest spots.
This is the other side of our entryway. When there isn't a piano in this room, the boot trays go on the stair side of the walkway. It looks like you have room for a shelf and some hooks just inside the door where you've been sampling colors.This is a closet we added in our dining room. It's a real workhorse, housing the rest of our family's shoes, junk, vitamins, light bulbs, boxes of tissues, thrift store donations...stray socks, and more junk.) It's a hot mess, but since it's behind closed doors, I don't let it get to me (too much.) The fabric shoe organizer is hung from command hooks and holds all of the kids hats, mittens and scarves. (Please ignore the iron in the entry and dh's lovely mound in the corner, LOL. Perhaps he needs his own hook in that corner...)I too was going to suggest shelves in your narrow closet. You'd be amazed what you can fit in there. Our jogging stroller lived in the back of our van for a long time for lack of a better place to store it. We bungeed it in an upright position against the back seat.
In terms of paint colors, go bold! I love your navy living room. (We have the same book issues around here, too.) I suggest you find a largish piece of artwork that you love to hang on the end wall between the closet doors. Then you could pull a color from the art for your wall paint.
- 7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
Couldnt you just replace everything with 1 or 2 well made wardrobe units - one by the door, the other where the coat and shoe rack is - the wooden type that are kinda big and massive looking to be in scale with your tall ceilings and vintage feel. Im a big fan of things I can throw stuff in, and then CLOSE THE DOOR. The "close the door" function of a storage unit is very important to me!
- 7 years ago
Books, cats, piano, toys, more books .... what's not to love?! So much character.
kmarissa03
Original Author7 years agoHi everyone, thanks for all the responses and ideas. And thanks for the complements on our home! We really do love the place (and I especially love old houses, despite their quirks), but I'm sure you know how it feels when you have someplace in your house that's just not working for you. The other rooms in our house aren't "decorated" by any stretch, but they're mostly comfortable, happy places (to me) that feel very "us" for my husband and me. And this poor hallway--I just feel like the house deserves better! It doesn't need to be stylish, or like something from a magazine, but I'd like to feel happy in the space. Part of me is tempted to wait until my girl is a bit older to deal with the space, but it's possible there will be other kids on the way sooner or later, and I'd rather put in a bit of work now (despite the challenges with a toddler!) and feel happier about the space over the next few years, rather than having it keep bugging me. I have managed to paint 2.5 other rooms so far by painting one wall at a time, after the kiddo is asleep, so I know it's at least possible to slowly and steadily make progress.
To answer a few of the questions:
There's no easy way to hang the stroller somewhere, although there are other places we can store it. There's just no GOOD place to store it. We do sometimes store it in our detached garage, although that can cause its own problems. But in the long term, I'm willing to just sort of ignore the stroller in terms of planning out the hallway, and let the stroller end up wherever it ends up.
Several folks have asked questions about the weird small closet on the right (not the door under the stairs, which goes to the basement staircase). To the best we can tell, that used to be a very tiny corridor that led to the dining room. At some point, the corridor was cut in half and closed in, creating two closets (one in the dining room and one off the hallway). Then, when central air was added, the bulk of the ductwork was put into the closet off the hallway. It's very hard to photograph clearly, but now when you open that "closet" door, you see that more than half of the width is taken up with the framed ductwork. There is a very small gap between the ductwork and the elfa baskets when the door is closed--it's hard to get accurate measurements but I think it's somewhere around 4-5 inches. I've sometimes wondered if it would be better to move the elfa unit from the door to the ductwork framing (assuming I could do this if I anchored it properly), but either way not much chance of adding storage to that specific spot, although perhaps some very small things could be added. On the left side of the closet, there's a gap of about 1', creating a little tall and narrow cubby space of about 17" by 17". The floor there is painted black, which makes it hard to see--that's actually the original hardwood floor of the house; what you see in the actual rooms is another layer of hardwood that was put in later on top of the original floor. I have thought about trying to put shelves in there, but two things make that tricky: first, although the space is about 17" wide, you can only access through that 1' gap between the door frame and the ductwork. I'm not completely confident we'd be able to find studs and etc. needed to properly install shelves there. Second, the leftmost wall actually curves away toward the back (meaning the width at the back of the closet is wider than the width at the front), so any shelves would fit awkwardly and not fill the space. That said, there is some possible utility there if I can find just the right solution. Currently I use it to store a small vacuum but that wastes all the upper space. There isn't any space in the closet big enough for either the tray tables or the stroller. I might move the tray tables to the dining room, though--there's really no good place for them, but we find them extremely handy with a toddler and living room full of toys, because we can put them away during the day and create lots of play space, then bring them out at night for drinks and snacks while we watch TV, after our girl has gone to bed.
With regard to some specific suggestions, among the non-neutral colors I've been considering are green-blue shades (ranging from mostly green to mostly blue) and one light yellow paint sample that's caught my eye. Generally I prefer cooler tones, especially with so much yellow in the floor, but this one paint sample has piqued my interest.
House Vixen, I love what you did with your hallway! I'm a bit torn on artwork at the end of the dead-end hallway, partly because it's really kind of dark at that end (perhaps I need to consider more lighting down there?). I may have to play around and get a feel for what might work.
Christy Reves asked about wallpaper. I've thought about wallpaper, although it's hard for me to picture the entire hallway and staircase wallpapered (plus that would be a ton of effort to apply and, someday, inevitably remove). What about only doing one or two of the walls? The runner is black, as is the stair railing (although removing the black paint from the stair railing may be an upcoming project).
Roarah, that's a fabulous radiator cover! Our radiators were removed right before we bought the house, which is a bit of a shame because radiator heat is so much less drying in the winter than the forced air, but it does make furniture placement easier. And we have IKEA Pax in our bedroom and have found it to be wonderful.
It's certainly a creative idea to close off the whole end and make a walk-in closet! I do think it probably wouldn't be practical, though. Along the staircase, the stair railing side is open up to the second floor, so building a closet would require building kind of a strange ceiling in the space. It would also enclose the air intake register and might make it a bit harder to carry laundry baskets back and forth (our laundry is in the basement).
Laughablemoments, I love those hooks! I think we might well end up with hooks or pegs of our own, whatever our solution is. As mentioned above, we have a closet in our dining room too, but that's actually our kitchen pantry, since we have no pantry in the kitchen. We keep a LOT there!
A lot of folks have suggested one or two large wardrobes/armoires, and I'm glad to hear that because that's the direction I was leaning. What I've been thinking over the last day or two is, what if I put a large wardrobe/armoire in the space where I currently have the coat hooks/cubbies/bench (something with hanging space but also shelves/drawers down one side), and put some kind of buffet-type deal closer to the front door, where the marble-top table is now. Knowing me, I'd probably try to find some well operating/functional vintage or antique furniture, as it's more my style, but I'm also extremely well versed with IKEA's options and it pains me to say it, but IKEA might be more practical in the short term. I do have some reservations that a wardrobe/armoire might seem to block off the space oddly, since you'd see it's side rather than its front when you first came in. But, I might be worrying over nothing (or perhaps I could find a way to add a little interest there).
I did talk over my idea with my husband, and he's just a bit concerned that we'll end up with a space where you have to open doors/drawers/etc. in order to get the things that we need and put them away. I do understand his point that, right now, it's super simple to grab our coats, keys, and work bags and run out the door without opening and closing all these compartments. So, I might need to work on a way to have the most-used items very accessible, while the remainder of the clutter is put away. I'll also need to be sure our daughter has access to her shoes and coats, which shouldn't be too hard. Right now, her shoes are in one of the baskets on the floor, and we can always put up a few low hooks or pegs for her coats. I think I need to think this through a bit more.
For the window, I like the idea of either doing a shade (like a roman shade or something along those lines), blinds, or shutters. I've thought of plantation shutters before, but have worried that the lower righthand half of the blind wouldn't be very functional because it would sort of open into the staircase. On the other hand, if the shutters were stacked (two on top and two on the bottom), then they'd have the advantage of being able to adjust or open the top ones, letting in a lot of light while maintaining privacy by leaving the bottom ones closed. That's one advantage over roman shades--but then again roman shades give the opportunity to do a fun fabric and add color and texture to the space. I'm not usually a fan of blinds, but if I went with a nice, quality set with the real fabric tape, that would at least be appropriate to the era of the house.
Whew! Lots to think about still.- 7 years ago
Is there a color you can pull from the carpet in your living room to paint your hallway? If not you might want to buy your runner first that has some of the blue in the living room and pull a color from it. Much easier than trying to match carpet to paint.
Another option for storage would be to have something along this line for the area next to the front door. It would stick out less than the coat tree and table you have there now and would allow for quick hanging like your DH likes. There's lots of pictures online if you look for mudroom storage.
Just an example
Campbell Residence · More InfoFor the back area, you could get a closet unit or wardrobe to fill up the wall from the living room door all the way to the back wall. That would cover up that small closet on the right but you aren't getting much storage out of it as is and it will still be there if you change your mind. Looking at the side of a wardrobe won't look odd and you could add panels or pictures on the side if it looks bare. Or you could continue an open unit as shown above instead of the wardrobe.
Then you still have some wall space to add some artwork or a mirror on that back wall. It would just be narrower.
kmarissa03
Original Author7 years agoNeverbedobe, covering up the closet door with a wardrobe is a fascinating suggestion. I never would have thought of that!
- 7 years ago
Remove the door and molding from that little closet and ...
build a full-width set of cubbies that has a removable panel to access the closet space. (NARNIA!)
Bump out the door and molding to make the closet deeper, AND have the remaining width be the set of shelves and cubbies. You would be making a false niche with the door.
Hinge the end section of a set of cubbies so you can open it to get to the closet.
0 - 7 years ago
I grew up in an old house that had a 'secret' stairway that led from the main stairway landing to the kitchen with doors on either end. When the fridge came along the only place it would fit was where the door was so the fridge covered it up. You have to be creative when it comes to old houses. I still miss that house.
0 kmarissa03
Original Author7 years agoI have been thinking that I might be able to remove the closet door, add a wardrobe in front with no back, and install a hanging rod right in the closet doorway. That could add space deep enough for a traditional closet rod but that wouldn't stick out too far into the hallway (which was a concern with installing, for example, a full-depth Pax in front of the door). Then I could add open storage next to that, like the hall-tree style you see so often now. The mix of open and closed storage could tidy up the hallway without losing all the convenient hooks, and if I carefully stored the closet door elsewhere, it could always be reverted back in the future. I just have to figure out if I can manage to install it in a way that doesn't look ramshackle.
- 7 years ago
I hope that idea works for you. Tying in all your pieces by adding matching crown moulding would give a more cohesive look and would suit the style of your home.
Wallpaper was mentioned up thread and if you like the idea of wallpaper but not the work you could add it to your wardrobe doors. Lots of ideas if you google 'wallpaper closet doors' You could go vintage or even funky if you want to add some extra color at the back. Just 2 examples:
Not sure if I'd be brave enough to put it on this gorgeous antique but it gives you an idea. - 7 years ago
It should not be too difficult to take a picture of what you like and have a cabinet maker build and install it. This is exactly what I had in mind when posted earlier to enclose the adjacent closet doors. They can be built on sight or built in shop then installed. I have had vanities and cabinets built to fit odd spaces that were less expensive than prefab cabinets or furniture pieces. I really do think it is a good solution for your storage needs without competing with your beautiful entry. This has been a very active brainstorming. Good luck.
0 kmarissa03
Original Author7 years agoThank you everyone who contributed to this thread, it really has been so helpful. Christy, looking back at your previous comment I see that I had misread when you first suggested the wardrobe in front of the closet idea (for some reason I was picturing closing off the entire end of the hallway, which I didn't think would work). And I have to admit that for about two seconds after neverbedone suggested the same thing, I thought "nah, that would be crazy" before I realized that it would actually be a very clever and efficient use of otherwise wasted space.
When I first began this thread, I had assumed that I might get some good ideas for paint color, a window treatment, a hall runner, and a new piece of storage furniture. Now I have a much more exciting project to think through. But, it's going to take more planning, more money, and more time than I had originally thought. So I'm afraid I won't have any "after" pictures to share any time soon, but great things come to those who wait, right?
Thanks again, all. You've given me so many great ideas to think about, which I never would have come up with on my own.
0- 7 years ago
I like both spring meadow and Stratton blue with navy.
If you want me to do more rough photo shops of other colors you are considering just give me the names.....0 kmarissa03
Original Author7 years agoThanks Roarah, those are interesting! Sorry for my delay in getting back to you; we've had a little family chaos--but nothing to be concerned about.
I think I lean more toward the blue tone than the greenish yellow, but I agree they'd both look good next to the navy in the living room. I was kind of wondering about Farrow and Ball's Cromarty and their Cabbage White (the Cromarty is the blue/green/gray test swatch shown directly to the right of the door, above the cat scratch post, in the picture you've used for the photoshopping). I'd appreciate it if you had a few minutes to put mock-ups together for those. The Cabbage White might be too white to work on its own, but I'm just curious.
0- 7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
I can not get Cromarty to show true with their swatch, it is a bit watered down in the mock up, I will try again after the kids are in bed.
Cromarty
Cabbage white
They are both lovely colors!
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roarah