You can approach the design of any space creatively. When thinking through the design of an L-shaped hallway, you need to proceed from the principles of laconicism and practicality. In a small space at the entrance doors there should be space for shoes and outerwear.
Cozy L-shaped hallway design.
It is useful to take into account some of the design nuances of narrow interiors, then the corridor at the entrance doors will turn into a comfortable and beautiful area of your apartment. It’s quite possible to decorate the hallway in the same style as the rooms yourself.
Features of small hallways
Small corner hallways are created according to the individual parameters of the rooms in which they will be located. So you can order a corner cabinet in the letter “G” with compartment doors on the side that is longer and a regular hinged door on the other.
A floor-length mirror is a must. You can put a corner sofa or a small bench for ease of putting on shoes. Among the features of corner sets:
- They look very stylish and compact.
- In such closets you can put a lot of clothes and things, even not essential ones.
- They are very functional because they can be equipped with specialized storage systems.
- Corner structures are affordable because manufacturers do not spend a lot of materials on them. If you order built-in furniture, even according to individual parameters, it will cost much more profitably due to the absence of the need to install back panels and tops. A built-in wardrobe consists of a frame with side walls, external doors or sliding doors.
Before deciding on the type of furniture, it is necessary to take measurements of the hallway and create a plan on paper for the location of all interior elements. Then calculate the approximate dimensions of the furniture and consult with the manager of the company where the furniture will be manufactured. This important rule applies to a small corner hallway.
In addition, you should correlate the design of the corridor with the overall style of the apartment. After all, in the hallway guests get a general impression of the apartment, as well as the tastes and preferences of its owners.
Identification of room features
Classic L-shaped hallway design.
Any space at the entrance doors can be ennobled by eliminating its shortcomings and emphasizing its advantages.
A corner hallway has an advantage: it can be combined with a room or a sliding partition can be made instead of a door. This design technique allows you to use different materials to decorate the hallway, visually increasing its area.
Design of an L-shaped corridor with a wardrobe.
It is convenient to divide the narrow long space into functional zones: at the entrance to the apartment and the lobby. The use of multi-level ceilings with built-in lighting, color scheme of zones, and finishing will allow you to create a cozy interior in any style.
In an L-shaped hallway, the covering can be combined: lay tiles near the entrance doors; parquet, laminate, and carpet would be appropriate closer to the rooms.
Light wall decoration in the hallway.
Any design is acceptable for walls: decorative plaster, lining, wallpaper, plastic, stone-look tiles. It all depends on the chosen style. It is better to avoid large patterns and contrasting colors when decorating a narrow space.
Decorating a small hallway in an apartment.
The staircase in the L-shaped hallway can be transformed: built-in lockers for clothes and shoes are appropriate in the space under the steps. If the ceilings are high, mezzanines are made at the very top. They visually even out the disproportion of the room; they are an ideal place to store hats, gloves, and scarves. This is a great alternative to a chest of drawers.
Wooden hallways
Whatever the design of the corner hallway, if it is made of wood, it will serve faithfully for a long time. These headsets are not exposed to adverse factors, such as temperature changes and high humidity.
When the budget is not bursting at the seams and you want to make a cozy, good-quality hallway, it is advisable to give preference to this option.
Recommendations for selecting furniture
Nowadays, the range of furniture in stores is so wide that you can choose any options that suit your apartment in style, color, functionality and other parameters. And where then should you start choosing furniture?
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Useful recommendations to solve the problem:
- take measurements. This is where every design project begins. Then all the data must be put on paper or a special program. This can be done even without drafting skills. It is only important that the plan of the room is before your eyes;
- think over all the furniture elements. Look through the photo design of corner hallways to have a clear idea of what you want. Choose a location for your closet in advance. Show this on your plan;
- You don’t need to buy many pieces of furniture for a small room. Sometimes less is more. Ergonomics and comfort are important here. You should start building a furniture composition with a corner cabinet;
- choose a suitable furniture façade. While looking through the options, select the ones you like and show them to the consultant in the salon. This way they can offer you suitable furniture much faster.
Read: Hanger in the hallway - the most stylish models for the hallway (95 photos)
Corner furniture for the hallway based on fibreboard
This material is called MDF and it is used in the production of cabinet models. Durable cabinets, shoe racks, benches or chests of drawers are made from such slabs. Most owners of small corridors order corner cabinets from MDF for hallways, especially if the rooms are very small.
The cost of this material is cheaper than natural wood. MDF boards are made from wood chips compressed under high temperatures. MDF contains specialized resins and polymer substances.
Design of lighting in the corridor
The final touch in the design of the corridor in the apartment is light. Here it is better to avoid monotonous central lighting. One light source again narrows the space and makes the corners dark and uncomfortable.
A chandelier is only appropriate in a fairly spacious corridor with a high ceiling.
Lighting ideas:
- Sconces on the walls in a checkerboard pattern.
- Sconces at different height levels.
- Spot lamps in the ceiling.
- Illumination from salt lamps in the corners of L-shaped architecture.
- Pots with plants in the corners with lighting.
- Bottom wall lighting.
- Different light temperatures: cold near the mirror and warm in other areas.
A universal solution would be to use spots emitting a directional luminous flux
A two-level ceiling with oval shapes will allow you to change the geometry of the space and install built-in lamp models
The variety of lighting creates a cozy and even mysterious atmosphere in this space. It will be comfortable to be in such a room.
Corner furniture made of chipboard
Since it is made from compressed sawdust with the addition of phenolic compounds, chipboard furniture emits unpleasant odors. Therefore, many experts say that this material is unsafe. However, in hallways where people spend very little time, this furniture option is quite acceptable.
Chipboard is not resistant to humidity and the effects of temperature changes. Such furniture will not last long. If you have an idea to update your interior within a couple of years, MDF furniture is what you need. Moreover, modern manufacturers apply a protective film to the surface of MDF, which extends the durability of the products.
Color version
A narrow hallway in an apartment can become incredibly cozy and stylish with the right colors.
The main technique used by specialists in the field of interior decoration is the use of glossy surfaces. It can be anything: floor, ceiling, wall decoration, furniture facades.
To visually expand the space, you should choose a light palette - white, beige, gray, blue. For contrast, it is permissible to use brighter shades for accessories.
Solving the problem with the design of a narrow hallway is quite easy. You just need to follow the recommendations and advice of experienced specialists. Go for it and you will succeed! Good luck!
Which furniture and other interior elements are preferable in the hallway?
A wardrobe and shoe rack are required. Designers advise purchasing corner hallways with a built-in mirror. Moreover, you don’t have to buy it separately, which involves additional expenses. In small hallways, where there is no massive closet, there should be hangers. Corner versions of such products look great.
In addition to all of the above, the hallway can perfectly accommodate:
- Small corner chest of drawers.
- Miniature ottoman.
- Corner bedside table.
- Corner sofa.
- Shoe rack.
- Cabinet or bookcase.
It is possible to provide the opportunity to supplement any elements of the headset with storage sections or shelves. This will look especially natural in a corner cabinet or chest of drawers.
Useful additions
Decor of a modern hallway in a house.
A special role in the interior of any style is given to lamps. They serve as an additional decorative element. If the hallway is divided into zones, the space at the entrance doors, near the mirror, is more illuminated. Lamps are often mounted in suspended ceilings. It is more comfortable.
For the lobby, dim diffused light is more suitable. Wall sconces of unusual shape add charm.
Switches for each zone must be individual. Lamps are made built-in and remote. It is convenient to use rotating spotlights in hallways. Powerful lamps clutter up the space; it is better to opt for compact models.
Hallway design option.
Cute little things in moderation create a homely atmosphere. It is better to select functional additions to the interior.
It is irrational to use floor decor for narrow L-shaped hallways. It clutters up the space. There shouldn't be a lot of decorations. Appropriate:
- All kinds of panels;
- Decorative key holders;
- Hangers for hats of unusual shape;
- Non-fragile vases for storing small items;
- Baskets with lids for shoe care products.
By following these rules and tips, you can create a unique design in a hallway of any format.
Requirements for furniture in the hallway
The main thing is the functionality and quality of the materials from which the corner sets are made. In the background is a laconic design and compliance with the overall style of the apartment.
The furniture in the hallway should be compact and easy to use. It is advisable to correlate the color scheme with the overall design of the walls and floor. You can play with contrast. For example, in a bright hallway, buy corner furniture in dark, almost black tones.
Advantages of corner options
A wardrobe, a mirror, shelves, cabinets, a chest of drawers, hangers - all this must be placed in the front door, while not forgetting that it is advisable to select all interior objects in the same style.
Sometimes the only options will be corner or modular models. The former, unlike the latter, are more economical, practical and accessible. In addition, corner structures have other advantages:
- Wide size range (depth from 45 cm and width from 120 cm);
- Significant savings in square meters of small hallways;
- Using inconvenient spaces (corners, niches);
- Combination of closed and open sections;
- Possibility of individual configuration.
A popular option is to place a corner wardrobe in the hallway, because its “advantages” include significant spaciousness, a closed design, mirrored facades, the ability to be “embedded” in the wall and a convenient door opening mechanism (without taking up additional space).
Photo corner hallway
The main rules when decorating a hallway
In order for even a small hallway to look functional and spacious, it should be decorated in one of the following style directions: neo-classic, minimalism, Provence or loft.
Try to use as many different light colors as possible when choosing finishing materials, since thanks to this simple technique you can increase even a small amount of square meters.
It is better not to use more than three different colors. In this case, one of them must be the main one.
For flooring, ideally, you should choose wear-resistant materials, such as linoleum or tiles. Look at the photo of a small hallway and you will see for yourself that this is a room in which there should not be any conspicuous drawings.
Hallway in Khrushchev
It is difficult to arrange a hallway in a Khrushchev-era building due to its small dimensions and inconvenient breading.
Most often this is a long and narrow room, which cancels out any furniture or a small vestibule adjacent to the hall. In this case, it is possible to design a hallway in an apartment in several ways.
Redevelopment, removing doors to the living room and kitchen, or visually expanding the space with a play of color and a minimal selection of furniture. A few tips for arranging a hallway in a Khrushchev building:
- choose the right color, bright enough, but not white, otherwise all the dirt will be immediately visible. There are successful photos of hallway design posted online, from which you can take an example;
- you can use glossy elements: mirrors, suspended ceilings;
- if the space does not allow any furniture, then you can use hooks and small shelves;
- but if the hallway is very long, then make a wardrobe closer to the (narrow) wall;
- Mount spotlights at the bottom of the mezzanine.
Basic elements of the corridor
In conditions of limited space, it is important to determine the main elements needed for the corridor. Every detail must be functional
The following are installed in the corridor:
- closet;
- whatnot;
- cabinets;
- hanger;
- ottomans or other seating areas;
- dresser
- entrance and interior doors.
Tiles on the floor of the corridor of a two-room apartment.
You should not clutter up most of the corridor. It is ideal to use hidden elements built into one of the walls. If its facade is covered with mirror panels, then the space is almost doubled.
A mezzanine is a good option for seasonal storage of things or shoes. The best set for a narrow corridor is made to order.
A shoe rack will help keep the hallway tidy, especially in apartments where more than one person lives. The variety of available materials allows you to fit this detail into any interior.
A hanger is an essential attribute of a hallway. And although in a small corridor it is often combined with a cabinet, there are many successful options for using it in a small corridor, for example, its corner design.
Parquet floor
Undeservedly little attention is paid to doors when decorating a hallway. But in a small room they can occupy up to 30% of the wall space. The basic rule is that doors should always be combined with baseboards, if the latter are used. As with other surfaces, it is preferable to use non-dark colors. Doors made of light brown wood will expand the space well. If possible, interior doors can be removed, leaving arches in their place.