We’re focusing our attention on the humble passage of the home – the hallway – and how it can set the tone from entry to exit.
Hallways welcome and guide us through the home, but rarely do we take the time to appreciate their aesthetic and functional value. We’ve put together an edit on how to bring out the best of this transitional space by taking cues from a hoard of leading Australian designers. Be it thoughtfully placed furniture and lighting, a striking lick of paint or some hardwearing floorboards, they’re all integral to making this space work hard in the home.
Sul Sole Va Pendant
High ceilings? Pendant lighting is your answer. Ready to bring an elegant atmosphere to your hallway is the Sul Sole Va Pendant, made with clear glass bulbs and brass details. What’s even better, it’s available in three iterations so you can choose to cluster these pendants together or one simple pendant feature.
Den Holm
What a way to make a (hallway) entrance. The Den Holm sculptures inside the Queens Park House by Alexander & Co. show us how to bring art into the hallway in new and exciting ways. Here the highly recognisable limestone sculptures lend an organic sense of form and texture, befitting to the light-doused space.
Mangas Globo Rug
Another unconventional way of celebrating art in your hallway is the Mangas Globo Rug by Patricia Urquiola. Forget your average hallway runner, the Spanish Mangas Globo Rug is made entirely from wool, offering an artful, ‘lived-in’ sense of home from the hallway. Templeton Architecture and Lou Prentice Interiors certainly think so, selecting this very rug for their Louisa House.
Beam Coat Rack
It’s needless to say the coat rack’s role in the hallway. But if you’re looking for an equally chic solution, the Beam Coat Rack by Big Game for Hay (available at Cult Design) is a prime candidate. As seen here in the Netherlee House by Carole Whiting, it’s a take on the traditional American Shaker coat rack that lets you add as many pegs as you need while also acting as a shelf.
Moller Bench #63
As local studio Pipkorn & Kilpatrick demonstrated in their Brighton Home, the Moller Bench #63 is a timeless piece for the hallway and entry space. The Danish bench is woven with cord around a soaped oak frame; craftsmanship built to last a lifetime and withstand frequent use. Available at Great Dane.
Admonter Oak White
Hallways can get very busy. To combat the traffic you need hardwearing flooring and rest-assured you’ll find it at Admonter. The Admonter Oak White is our choice for the hallway, sustainably sourced and formaldehyde free, making it also an ideal option for underfloor heating.
Porter’s Paints Black Sea
As most family homes know, hallways can be privy to the odd knock or some wandering little hands. To help to conceal this, consider a bold colour statement like Black Sea by Porter’s Paints, letting you create a standout hallway like this one from the Barcom Terrace by Arent & Pyke.
Art by Ellie Malin
The hallway is the perfect place to show off your collection of prints, that should include this one by Melbourne artist Ellie Malin. Ellie’s works are inspired by travel and childhood and influenced by photography, architecture and popular culture, deconstructed into simple shapes and colour. With plenty of variations available, you’re sure to find one of Ellie’s prints to fit your hallway space.
