A NEW KITCHEN OR BATHROOM. Off-street parking. A new heating system. An extension. A loft conversion…
The list of relatively expensive potential home improvements goes on. But, if asked for a cost-effective way of enhancing a home, not many people would even think to suggest giving the hallway a makeover.
Hallways are often neglected spaces. They’re somewhere to hang coats, fling kicked-off shoes, store umbrellas and other paraphernalia… it’s as if the junk that gets posted through the front door sets the tone for the hallway’s miserable existence.
That posted detritus tacitly gives licence to family members to dump all kinds of stuff in these spaces. “I’ll just park my bike here against this wall,” they unconsciously mumble, en-route to their chicly kitted-out bedroom.
For many people, hallways are halfway houses. They don’t have an obvious purpose, like kitchens or bathrooms. Comparing the
love most hallways get to, say, a lounge is like comparing an unwanted child to the parents’ favourite. So much time and effort is devoted to the lounge. Yet, as their name suggests, lounges are really designed for little other than loafing in. Yet these snooze-chambers are showered with the costliest furnishings and décor.
Meanwhile, hallways are viewed as a kind of runt room. For example, when was the last time you heard a homeowner say they’re thinking of getting some designer wallpaper for the hallway?
Dumping ground
The fact that hallways are quite often narrow and dark means many people want to get out of them as quickly as possible.
But a good hallway sets the tone. A hallway can work like a handshake that comes after a smile in the shape of a smartly painted front door. “Ah, lovely to meet you,” the hallway would say if it could speak. “Let me introduce you to my well-groomed friends, namely The Rooms.”
The above photo is a good example of what can be done to improve a hallway for a fraction of the cost of the big home improvements mentioned above.
Well lit, naturally
What really helps this relatively modest hallway in Herefordshire stand out is its bright, freshly painted, half-glazed front door.
This allows natural light to pour into the space. The translucent door is complemented by two classy light fittings. And the whole area is painted in a soft, light natural tint that acts as a Pantone swatch card for other rooms leading off the hallway. A super-skinny table in one corner looks like it’s politely breathing in so as not to get in anyone’s way as they enter the property. And the clean-as-a-whistle welcome mat also contributes to a great first impression.
The photograph was taken to show that the hallway’s colour-scheme continues into the open-plan space that leads off it. Including that slice of wall on the left of the frame also adds depth to the photo, as does the camera’s big aperture setting that blurs the first door-handle to help ensure people appreciate the sharpness of the front door.
How to lick stamp duty
Vendors looking to make a really good first impression economically would be wise to: fit a new or freshly painted semi-glazed front door; repaint the hallway, add a couple of swish light fittings; and bung all their coats and boots in the nearest cupboard so this important space can breathe. A photograph that shows a hallway in its best light will help attract buyers who we know will be keen to move before changes to stamp duty come into force on 1 April.
In other words, a quick hallway overhaul could make the difference between a quick sale and, well, being stuck with a gloomy passage beyond April.
Please drop me a line if you have any questions. I’d be happy to chat to you about photographs that help sell more properties.
Let’s create content with even more kerb appeal.
– Editor