10 Ways To Make Your Hallway Bigger & Brighter

1 Open Up Your Space

We all want more space and light, but the jury is out on whether to remove the corridor wall to open up the hall. On the plus side, doing so brings in loads of light and increases the living space. But not everyone appreciates a front door opening straight onto a living space and, if you have a family, the house will seem even noisier.

Avoid making a mistake you'll regret when you come to sell by consulting local estate agents to find out what people looking to buy in your street really want. You'll need a structural engineer and builder to check whether it's safe to remove the wall, and whether an RSJ is needed to support the floor above. Instead of removing the corridor wall entirely, consider a halfway measure: a wall of glass, or a half-height or movable partition.

2 Put In A Glamourous Staircase

Though the work is expensive and disruptive, replacing the wooden hill with a glass or metal staircase can transform your space. Beautifully constructed glass stairs bring in light while metal versions have strength without bulk, and cantilevered stairs with hidden supports appear to float effortlessly. Balustrades no longer need to be chunky wood; glass and steel are bang on trend.

3 Replace The Front Door

Choose a door with glazed panels to improve the natural light within the hallway. In an older house, stained glass is an opportunity to show off your artistic temperament. In a wider hallway, side panels of glass either side of the door can bring in even more light.

4 Rethink The Layout

Are you circulating around your home in a neat holding pattern or does the layout get in your way? Moving a doorway, or blocking up an unused one can improve the situation. Sliding doors and screens which don't open into the corridor helpfully offer extra space.

5 Get Suitable Storage

The space beneath the stairs can hold more than the vacuum cleaner. Ask a joiner to quote for built in cupboards, which can incorporate whatever you need, from bike storage to CDs. Pull-out drawers will make good use of the space hidden at the back. There's plenty of freestanding storage that can fit neatly beneath the stairs or along the hall wall. Opt for a smart chest of drawers, a useful bench seat or a narrow console table with drawers.

6 Make Room For Hanging Space

Let's bring back the old-fashioned coat rack. A hall stand will take coats, jackets, hats and shoes.

7 Brighten Up The Landing

There's no point having a glam hall if it all falls apart when you reach the first floor. A skylight can banish any gloom, or try Solatube, a small dome set into the ceiling that brings in a shaft of daylight via a tube from the roof.

8 Add Colour

More than anything else, a coat of brilliant white paint can give the impression of space and if you're really going for it, use Light and Space from Dulux, which claims to reflect twice the amount of light of other paints. Alternatively, pick out paints that are wipeable, washable and designed to stand up to family life. Dulux and Crown (above) both have stalwart versions.

9 Create A Focal Point

As you rush out to work or on the school run, you'll be thankful for a console table parked in the hallway, so useful for mail, school bags and keys but also beloved of designers to create a focal point. Dress it up with a glamorous mirror, painting or wall art, a pair of lamps and a few well chosen accessories.

10 Dress Up Radiators

Naked or clothed? That's the decision that faces our radiators. If you're stuck with an old and ugly one, put it out of its misery with a decorative cover. You'll end up with a neat, narrow shelf on top, ideal for a photo frame or those shells you picked up on holiday. Find one at Winther Browne or get one made to your exact spec, which you then put together from flat-pack at Jali. If yours is a contemporary space, swap old ugly ones with sleek, modern pieces that could be works of art...