How to create a hallway that will help sell your home…

When people step into your home, what first impression do you think they get? Is it a warm, welcoming home, cared for and precious to its owners, or somewhere a tad scruffy, uncared for and just a bit in need of some TLC? When potential buyers step through your front door, you want them to instantly feel a connection, to imagine that they might live there themselves, somewhere they aspire to living.

This won’t happen if you have settled into a routine of using your hallway as a bit of a dumping ground. Coats slung over the end of the bannister, shoes tumbled by the front door, junk mail in a heap on the side, a bulb out… It’s so easy to become blind to our own surroundings, a hallway, after all, is simply the way to reach the other and far more important rooms in the house. Arriving home from work or school, all you want is to drop everything and find comfort in kitchen or sitting room, or climb the stairs to bed. We all do it, but you can’t be doing it when you’re seeking to sell.

Quick fix list coming up!

1. Demand every family member actually hangs their coat where it belongs – coat cupboard, coat hooks or even neatly tucked away in their bedroom. If you have coat hooks, assess the volume of coats hanging from them – and take as many as possible away. Chances are you have several seasons of outerwear hanging there, and quite probably many items you’ll never wear again. Pack away the out of season coats and donate those you no longer want. 
2. The hallway is no place for shoes. Nobody loves other people’s shoes. Consider where they really should be placed – a shoe rack hidden in a cupboard, lined up at the bottom of your wardrobe, even packed into a chest of drawers, as long as they aren’t on public view.
3. Assess the hall table, or whatever piece of furniture you have as a table. What do you really need on there? You need a table lamp (so much nicer than an overhead light during the dark nights of winter), a bowl for keys and a scented candle. Be sure to light this at least a half hour before viewings take place – scent is a very powerful influencer of mood!
4. How is the flooring? If the carpet has definitely seen better days, look at investing in a runner from the front door, where the most wear will be. Something bright that contrasts or coordinates with your decor is perfect. If you have a tiled or parquet floor, give it a good clean, right up to the edges, and consider adding a rug or runner on any worn areas.
5. What about the lighting? An overhead light is great, but can be a bit overwhelming. Add a table lamp for some ambience and, if you can, look into having a dimmer switch for your main light. Make sure light fittings have been dusted, and that all bulbs are operating at the same wattage.
6. Accessorise accessorise! Hallways aren’t generally very spacious, but there’s always room for a good mirror. Not only do they let the light bounce about and open up the space, but they’re an absolute necessity for checking one’s lipstick before one leaves the house. Houseplants are huge these days, and a splash of green will add a vibrant and contemporary touch. Big is best – if you have a spot, find a tall plant such as a snake plant, or a calathea. The first is really quite hard to kill, so is perfect for beginners. If you haven’t any floor space, how about adding a series of small shelves with pots of ivy or pothos – both pretty trailing plants that aren’t at all demanding. 

You never know, once you’ve made your hallway homely, you may decide you like living here after all. 

Eddie – Friday 20th May 2022.