More than just functional

Create an elegant entrance area with our tips.

The hallway or corridor: It greets us when we come home and bids us farewell when we leave. This space therefore plays a crucial role, although it is often overlooked in interior design. It serves as a kind of calling card for visitors because it is their first chance to get to know the residents’ style. With a little care and some sophisticated solutions, any hallway can be transformed into an elegant entrance area.

The sideboard from the Mya capsule collection by burgbad (design studio: Altherr Désile Park) creates order with drawers, metal boxes and a wooden tray. Photo: burgbad

More than just an in-between space

Some call it the hallway, others the corridor. In France, it is known as the entreé, while Americans remove their shoes and coats in the mudroom, at least in the suburbs. In Japan, it goes by the name of genkan. Trend consultant Oona Horx-Strathern of the Zukunftsinstitut describes it with these words:

This interspace serves to maintain a degree of spatial hygiene, and it is usually visually distinct from the rest of the house as well. This space creates an elegant link between outdoors and indoors. It can be fundamentally conceived as a kind of decontamination chamber disguised as a lobby.

Oona Horx-Strathern, Zukunftsinstitut

Multifunctional furniture:

There are naturally important differences depending on the type of construction – from the narrow hall in a historic apartment building to the spacious vestibule in a new build in the countryside. The home’s floor plan determines the creative possibilities that are available for the interior design. But all the different varieties have one thing in common: the challenge of combining functionality and elegance. With contemporary furniture and modern interior design ideas, this difficulty is easily overcome, and a stylish entranceway can be created.

How to give the hallway a homelier feel

The style of the rest of the house is revealed right from the first moment you step inside the entrance. Creating a well-designed hallway comes down to a few key aspects.

Let there be light

Since the entrance area often lacks a window, it needs a well-planned lighting concept. If the ceilings are high, elegant chandeliers that welcome residents and guests with radiance can lend an atmospheric touch. Stylish ceiling lights or wall lamps are also a good idea. Unlike table or standard lamps, they provide pleasant illumination at the mere flick of a wall switch. The Ufo 12-light wall lamp by KARE is one example of a real eye-catcher. This light installation with twelve swivelling lampshades will give any picture wall a run for its money. (Photo: KARE)

A splash of colour for a welcoming touch

Lacquered wall cabinets in the SIMETRIA line by Schönbuch

The entrance area is predestined to be a place for creativity. Patterned wallpaper or powerful wall colours can often take some courage in other rooms, but the hallway invites a more daring approach. After all, people rarely linger there for long. Pairing a lighter base colour with a striking shade on one wall gives the space a more elegant feel. And why not experiment with a stunning red, a rich petrol blue or an expressive motif wallpaper? Colourful murals can also work well here. The lacquered wall cabinets in the SIMETRIA line by Schönbuch adeptly draw the eye. Alongside the striking colours, the forms play an important role, giving the hallway a contemporary design. (Photo: Schönbuch)

Storage capacity in a small space

Last but not least, every hallway is judged by its functionality. Is there enough room for all the shoes? Are the coat stands big enough for the jackets and other outerwear? A place to put keys and letters is another must, and a small entrance area should, of course, look as tidy as possible. Well-thought-out, multifunctional items of furniture are the trump card here. Take the TILDA coat stand by Schönbuch , for instance, which features a built-in pouf. The sideboard in burgbad’s Mya collection provides plenty of storage space in the hallway with its drawers and boxes, yet still exudes a delicate elegance. (Photo: Schönbuch)

A carpet lends a cosier feel

A soft carpet can create a snug and cosy feel from the moment you step into the entrance area. Its size and colour should coordinate with the other furnishings. A wide carpet makes a narrow hallway appear more spacious. Soft colours give the entrance a welcoming atmosphere, making visitors feel quickly at ease. Even the doormat needs to be taken into consideration: The Sand model by Heymat is inspired by Japandi style . This fusion of Asian minimalism and Scandinavian design gives a space an uncluttered yet elegant look – perfect for a contemporary corridor. (Photo: Heymat)

New ideas for the hallway

It does not take much to create a modern hallway. Often it needs nothing more than a few images or a stylish sideboard as a visual highlight. There is an extensive selection of coat racks and stands – from design classics to contemporary design objects. Anyone looking for inspiration will find the latest discoveries from the furniture industry in the imm cologne New Moments database. As space is limited in the hallway and an overall clean and tidy feel is important here, a small number of accents can achieve a great deal. These special touches make visitors feel at ease from the moment they step inside, but they will please more than just guests. For the residents, too, there is nothing nicer than an elegantly designed entrance to bid them farewell and welcome them home.

Are you looking for more ideas for tiny spaces? A little creativity can transform a balcony into a niche filled with the utmost comfort with these clever designs .