Hallway - Your Practical Guide

The hallway and corridor are your home's calling card. This is where visitors get their first impression of you - so it's worth bearing a few important tips in mind when furnishing. In addition, hallways and corridors are usually awkwardly cut. You can use tricks to achieve smooth transitions, brightness and storage space at the same time.

The smaller the hallway, the lighter the furnishing colours should be. Dark colours would emphasise the narrowness and "stifle" the room. You can also liven things up with a mix of materials. Wood with chrome, for example - bright colours combined with wooden surfaces - just as you like. In any case, it looks lighter than a closed wooden front.

Also play a little with the lighting. Illuminate as many corners as possible so that it doesn't look gloomy or that one part remains completely in the dark. You can also work with mirrors - but only if the hallway is tidy and not cluttered. Otherwise visitors will only be confused.

You can create order very well with shoe cupboards with folding compartments or with a large shoe cupboard that is not very deep. If you have enough space, a cleaning supplies cupboard is often very useful.

Why not also buy a small key board? Then you will always know where your keys are. And how about a place where you can find everything? Umbrellas, gloves, jackets, shoe polish, mirror for the last check and shopping bag with a handle - that way you can save time and nerves.

You can find more tips in the following checklist:

What you should pay attention to before buying:

• Take precise measurements and make a floor plan sketch showing the position and height of door openings, sockets, telecommunications connections, radiators, fuse box, water, electricity and gas meters as well as light outlets.
• Also pay attention to niches, the space above door openings, etc.
• Are your walls strong enough to support shelves and coat hooks?
• Make a list of the things you want to store in winter to estimate your space requirements!
• Think about how many shoes you want to store and how long and high they are. Is there a suitable folding wardrobe?
• Is there enough space for a cleaning supplies cupboard?
• Weigh heavy items to estimate the weight load that furniture, shelves and hooks must withstand!
• Are certain colours already specified (tiles, carpeting, etc.)?

In the furniture shop:

• Are all functions (doors, drawers, folding devices etc.) faultless and smooth-running?
• All edges should be rounded, veneered or foiled surfaces should be cleanly closed!
• To prevent dust or moths from getting inside, couches, flaps, drawers and doors must fit snugly when closed.
• Will your longest coat still fit in the wardrobe and your tallest and biggest winter boots in the shoe cupboard?
• Find out how much weight furniture, shelves or hooks can be loaded with and whether larger pieces of furniture - even with open flaps or drawers - are secured against tipping over!
• Are the surfaces and drawers easy to clean?

Manufacturer of hallway furniture

List of members of plank furniture manufacturers