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hallway before 1

I need ideas for our hallway! But first, a story.

A few weeks ago I was introduced to FilterEasy. I hadn’t heard of the company before. FilterEasy is a subscription air filter delivery service. When you sign up, you simply select the number of filters needed, the individual sizes, your preferred level of allergen protection and how often you want to switch them out. FilterEasy does the rest and when it’s time to change, your filter order shows up at your doorstep. No more marking calendars. No more forgetting your filter’s size. No more nasty filters. It’s an ingenious concept.

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When was the last time you changed your air filter? You’re not alone. We’ve changed ours maybe three times in the last three years. Which brings me to this…

In the middle of the night last week our furnace suddenly started making a high-pitched screeching sound. It was not pleasant. Steve took a look at it (as much as someone can “take a look” half asleep at 3 a.m. with a flashlight running on nearly dead batteries) and guessed it was a bad bearing on the fan motor. The next morning we had a local HVAC company come out to confirm his initial diagnosis. Just for kicks, we asked for a quote for the repair. They quoted us >$600! Gulp. Luckily, Steve was able to find the part elsewhere and replace it himself for <$100 in just a few minutes. Whew.

Still, we got to thinking about our furnace. It’s 14 years old and we’d really like to have it around for a while longer. I can think of a million other things I’d rather spend my money on than a new furnace. (Wallpaper for the hallway? Hint, hint.) So we jumped on the FilterEasy bandwagon. Obviously, we haven’t been doing our furnace, our lungs or the environment any favors by skimping on air filters. Steve and I were pleasantly surprised to discover that the cost of the subscription service is actually CHEAPER than buying direct from our local home improvement store. And the filters are made right here in the U.S. by the same manufacturer that provides filters to hospitals and NASA. Really, it’s a no-brainer, folks. Act fast! The first 100 readers to sign up here will receive their first order for FREE!

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Now we have no excuse not to change our filter on time, every time. It’s as simple as opening a box and replacing the old with the new. (Is it just me or am I the only one who is overly excited to see where all the bloggers’ furnaces are? It seems like such a personal thing. It’s like getting a peek at their closet or something.)

hallway before 2

So, back to the hallway. The new, clean air filter is the most exciting thing here. Just look at how bored Cheetah is. She can’t even keep her eyes open. It’s a complete snooze fest and I’m ready to do something about it.

hallway before 3

The hallway is narrow and riddled with doors. A short hall jaunts off to the left at the bottom of the image. You can see the door to a small linen closet and at the end of the tangent hall is the main bathroom. My biggest problem with the main hallway is that it dead-ends into a closet door. Boo. In an effort to spruce up the space, I’m considering wallpaper.

Usually, I’m not a wallpaper person. (I thought I wasn’t a cat person either and we all know what happened there.) But I kinda want to go for it. It’s just a hallway, right? It’s not an entire room. And it might be just the oomph! this hallway needs.

hallway brainstorm

I’ve been scouring wallpaper sources, and I’ve fallen hard for this Eskayel grayscale pattern but I’m not sure about the scale. The kids said it looks like “grandma wallpaper.”

hygge & west pajarito

I’m also digging this Hygge & West pattern.

Beware the Moon

And I’ve admired this ostrich motif for years.

To tone down the busyness (and save money on wallpaper), I’m thinking of DIYing a wainscoting but I can’t decide if that would be appropriate for our house and / or if it will only chop up the hallway even more. I go back and forth. As far as the dead-end door goes, I’m hoping the wallpaper will distract the eye. If not, I’ve considered painting the door black or hanging coat hooks on it.

Anyway, I would LOVE to hear your thoughts! Sometimes it helps to have an outsider’s eye. What would you do if this were your hallway? Wallpaper? Wainscoting? Gallery display? Any wallpaper sources you’d like to pass along?

Thanks in advance and don’t forget to show your furnace some FREE love!

*This post sponsored in part by FilterEasy. Thank you for supporting the brands that support this blog! FilterEasy offers any size custom or 4” filter if necessary. Just email hello@filtereasy.com and mention HOUSETWEAKING.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

128 Comments

19.March.2015

I usually change ours once a month when we are running the system, but we have a long-haired dog. They come in a 3-pack at the store, I just buy a bunch at once and store them in the hall closet. How much do the filters come out to apiece through this company? You said they are cheaper, but not how much they cost. The website won’t tell me this unless I give them my email.

Filters are pretty cheap at Home Depot or wherever. The HVAC company warned us not to use the heavy duty ones as they overtax the system.

19.March.2015

I think this would be a great service for those who forget to purchase these monthly, but I have to add that I am able to purchase the NaturalAire filter at my local Meijer for $3.88, and the same filter on the website is almost $12! Then again, I am one of those strange people that is obsessive about changing the filter monthly due to all of our allergies. I just always add it to my monthly grocery list.

19.March.2015

What about white textured wallpaper for the hallway? I have a hall just like yours in my house and I’ve been kicking around that idea for a while…

19.March.2015

Wallpaper! (The Hygge & West is my fave) also, black door with coat hooks for the furnace door!

We special-ordered some wallpaper from Lowe’s a while back. We have yet to install it (very long story), but bought 2 rolls for under $100. If you can make it through all the awful wallpapers in the books, there are some good ones to be had!

A Cup of Jo also did a wallpaper post several years ago. I think it was more geared toward kids’ bedroom wallpaper, but I see no reason why those designs couldn’t be used anywhere! I’ll reply here if I find the link!

19.March.2015

I always forget to change the filter and ours is a really strange size that can only be found at Home Depot which is not my usual hardware store. I got into the habit of buying 5+ at a time which is a pretty penny and then I have to store them in my 1000 sq ft. apartment. Not ideal.

FilterEasy is life changing and I signed up immediately – thanks for the recommendation!

19.March.2015

Hygge & West pattern. This one suits you best…..I think! The kids are right about the first one and I just don’t care for the Ostrich. Personally, before I did walpaper I probably would try a gallery wall or some paint treatment – wall paper is nice but not so nice if you want to take it down.

19.March.2015

I was wrong! It wasn’t A Cup of Jo (although she does have a couple wallpaper posts!). Below is a link to where I had pinned it on Pinterest. It’s from a Canadian blog – rambling renovators – and it includes your ostriches!

http://pinterest.com/pin/38210296810969899/

19.March.2015

What about a stencil to save money. Etsy has some cool options. Here is one shop. https://www.etsy.com/shop/CuttingEdgeStencils

19.March.2015

I’ve always wanted to add the board & batten from YHL to our house. It’s a little less traditional looking than wainscoting.

http://www.younghouselove.com/2013/02/breaking-down-our-57-board-batten/

19.March.2015

I say gallery wall. You take beautiful photos of your home. I assume you take beautiful photos of your kids, put them up. Artwork is great, but your family and memories are what you love most. Consider wall paper on the ceiling in the hallway? Maybe the second one, or another pattern in light tans or greys.

19.March.2015

Oh my gosh. Your furnace is in the hall closet!?!? I never would’ve thought! But of course, you dont have a basement! Mind. Blown. We have a basement so we have a furnace room, where our hot water heater and camping gear hang out.

19.March.2015

I agree with the stencil comment. If you’re unsure at this point, buy and paint a stencil. You can always paint over it if you hate it vs removing wallpaper. :)

19.March.2015

Ugh, we have a hallway just like that – lots of doors, and dead-ends into another door! The difference is where you have a tangent hall in the bottom left of that photo (if I understood that correctly), that’s our living room, and our front door is far left… so essentially the front door faces that right-hand wall in the hall. We have a grouping of 4 frames on the short wall, but the long wall has nothing on it. It’s been driving me crazy for a year and a half. I may take the frames and make a bigger gallery on the long wall. I can’t wait to see what else you brainstorm and decide to do!! Wish I had the guts to go with wallpaper!

19.March.2015

love the wallpaper idea!!! Go for it!! Also, where is thr runner from – I love it and really need one!!

19.March.2015

LOVE the Hygge and West choice! It would look fresh and whimsical but still feel modern with the white and grey. Paper the whole hallway….there are so many doors that it really wouldn’t be that much paper. Whatever way you go, it will look awesome I’m sure!

19.March.2015

We live close to the ocean so our furnace is in our attic! Not exactly accessible or efficient…

And I’m probably in the minority, but I like your hallway as-is. The calm paint color you chose really helps with the business of all the doorways! We live in a smallish ranch, too, and I’ve found my personal preference to be “less is more.”

That Hygge & West paper sure is pretty, though!

19.March.2015

I normally am not a huge fan of wallpaper, but I love that second option you posted! I’m not sure if also having wainscoting would be too much because there is already two kinds of doors… Perhaps a little photoshopping could help you decide if you’d like the look.

19.March.2015

To eliminate the door at the end of the hallway may help. Maybe make it open storage with baskets? Or hang a curtain like you did in the bedrooms. Or hang a huge mirror on it? Which in turn would help bounce light around. Change the hardware on the door to white so it disappears . I am afraid wallpaper would be too busy in the narrow space. And expensive as you say. Art could do a lot for the space. Or some sort of textile hung on the big wall such as a rug or quilt. Which would add interest and soften it some? Board and Battan for texture? There is a number of graphic wall treatment examples on this website. http://makethemwonderblog.blogspot.com/2014/04/graphic-wall-treatment-beforeafter. If It were my hall I think I would start by changing the door at the end and hanging art or textiles. If that was not working then I would move forward with wall treatment ideas. Maybe in stages of sorts to test it. Good luck with it. Maybe simple in a narrow space would be best.Tough decision for sure. Have a good weekend. :)

19.March.2015

I painted all of my hallway doors black (BM Phelps Black in a high gloss) and it totally transformed the hallway! A mirror is always a nice addition. Also, if you have enough natural light, plants can help transform the space as well.

cant wait to see the “after” pictures!

19.March.2015

I’ve always LOVED the designs from Grow House Grow, specifically the sister cities line. I really think one of these would look fabulous in your hall! I heard about Katie Deedy through a DesignSponge Podcast and listening to her talk through the process of creating each design was fascinating! Makes me want to find a space to use her gorgeous work!

http://growhousegrow.com/product-category/wallpaper/sister-cities-collection/

19.March.2015

I think wainscoting/paneling might be a little busy with the wallpaper, but what about just a simple chair rail to separate the top and bottom of the wall – so you can still do wallpaper just above the rail? Honestly, I think wallpaper on the entire wall would also be too busy, so I think the idea to do it only on the top half is brilliant.

19.March.2015

I love your style! Not sure if this fits with the rest of the house, but in the spirit of brainstorming…. What about doing something with the ceiling? Paint treatment (metallic or glossy?) + a couple of light fixtures. I would pair with a great gallery of your photos + a vintage rug. [Out of the wallpaper choices you mention, I love the ostriches :)]

19.March.2015

Oh wow! What unique designs and so gorgeous. Thanks for sharing a link.

19.March.2015

We recently purchased a fixer-upper house and have decided to paint all the interior doors black and we have a “door heavy” hallway just like yours. At first my husband thought I was crazy, but when I showed him all the wonderful pictures I’ve found all over the internet he agreed to it. They are getting painted today. I can’t wait to see them.

This is why I love my radiators – don’t need to worry about air filters or dust and dog hair blowing around the house. :-)

I think that a graphic, large scale wallpaper print could look amazing! Like the ostrich print you featured. I would avoid a small scale print. I think that you have enough “interest” going on with the doors, so the wainscoting or additional trim detail might look too busy… You could always upgrade the doors and/or the casings with a more detailed look?

19.March.2015

I second painting the doors black. We used Sherwin William Black Magic. It adds a nice sophistication to the hallway.

19.March.2015

I second painting the doors black. We used Sherwin William Black Magic. It adds a nice sophistication to the hallway. Another thought is to paint all of the doors black but paint the “dead end” door a bright color.

19.March.2015

I love the vintage rug idea! It would have to be a really narrow but maybe I could find something? We had can lights installed when we renovated. They are set up to “wash” the walls. It’s actually pretty all lit up at night.

19.March.2015

I agree. I think a small scale print would be too busy on the entire wall, too. But maybe the larger ostrich wouldn’t be as busy? I should probably order a sample. Thanks for the feedback!

19.March.2015

That was my thought too…wainscoting would break up the wallpaper but make the hallway feel even busier. Hmmm…

19.March.2015

The runner is from Overstock!

19.March.2015

What about a wall design with stencils? Wallpaper feel so permanent.

19.March.2015

I’m jealous of your radiators!

I think you’re right. If I do a print, it will have to be large scale. The doors are upgrades as-is. We bought them new, installed and painted them a few years back. They actually have a nice, subtle detail on them that isn’t showing up in these pictures. We reused the original casings to save money and keep stuff out of the landfill. I guess I need to figure out how much effort and money I’m willing to put into this hallway to make it less boring.

19.March.2015

Hmmm…I don’t think removing the closet door is a viable option for us – although I agree, it would look better. The linen closet houses a clothes hamper, toiletries, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, etc. It’s organized but not pretty to look at. Maybe I’m making this harder than I need to. I do love gallery walls and the wall hanging idea sounds lovely!

19.March.2015

I do feel like wallpaper is a gutsy choice. Not sure if I’ll have the cojones to go for it or not!

19.March.2015

Have you thought about painting the ceiling? I’m not sure how it connects to the rest of the house, but it can be unexpected. Also reflects light. And it would still work well with painting doors and a gallery wall.

19.March.2015

I was wondering if any local home improvement or paint stores would have anything worth looking at.

19.March.2015

Great, thanks! Can’t wait to check out her recommendations.

19.March.2015

Oooooooh…I like that idea. Do you know of any sources?

19.March.2015

Thanks for mentioning a less expensive source!

19.March.2015

Remember the YHL hallway post? I thought they had a couple of great ideas – some woodwork could really work there if you keep away from a beachy feel or a Victorian molding. There was paneling used in mid-century so you could research those.

19.March.2015

The hallway is essentially contained…you can’t see the ceiling unless you’re in the hallway. That’s definitely an option!

19.March.2015

Grandin Road has some really cool paterns (http://www.grandinroad.com/indoor-decor/paintable-wall-paper/#w=*&af=cat2:indoordecor_paintablewallpaper cat1:indoordecor). So does Target (online)!

19.March.2015

I don’t care for the first wall paper but the second two are lovely. I’m anxious to see what you end up doing, I too have a door heavy hallway only mine is probably twice as long and ends at a blank wall. Its the only unfinished area in our house and I just can’t decide what to do with it. I’ve been thinking about a gallery wall too, but I still don’t know what to do with that blank wall at the end of the hallway. I don’t know what it is about hallways but I know for me they’ve always been the most difficult area of a house to decorate.

19.March.2015

The second I read “wallpaper” I immediately thought of Amber Interiors’ new line… http://amberinteriordesign.com/i-did-some-wallpaper-yall/

I’m particularly fond of the Hunan option, and you could go with the gray for more of a punch or keep it subtle with the taupe/ivory.

19.March.2015

Oh yes, I’ve seen her new line. LOVE.

19.March.2015

I’m jealous that you have a blank wall at the end of yours!

19.March.2015

FYI – The Graham & Brown Eden is nearly 50% less on Amazon. I kinda like it. Thanks for passing along the link!

19.March.2015

I vote for Wallpaper. Something leaning towards modern and graphic and as for the door at the end of the hall? I would wallpaper it right along with the walls and hang art on it. With the top and bottom of the frame secured to the door so the frame doesn’t bang every time you open and close it. hinges can be painted to blend with the paper and so can the knob. Kind of like this:

http://www.houzz.com/photos/169117/Rasomuro-55N-Door-by-Lualdi-Porte-modern-interior-doors

19.March.2015

I’m not sure if you’re familiar with 4 Men 1 Lady, but she has a narrow hallway with a black dead-end door! (http://www.4men1lady.com/new-hallway-rug/) The largest open wall space is on the right side as well, and she chose to do a simple gallery wall there. I think something similar to this would look good in your space and match your style. A picture ledge might be a good option also since it gives you the option switch things out as you wish.

I love the 2nd wallpaper option, but I’d be worried that it (and the wainscoting) would be a little too busy for a narrow space. You know your style best though, so trust your gut :)

the three things that come to mind are add wallpaper, add decorative lighting in the hallway (will bring the eye up instead of at the door), and switch the door to something with more detail (have you seen the crazy pivot door with bookcase)?

i love sarah sherman samuel’s wallpaper round-up http://www.smittenstudioonline.com/wallpaper-round-up/.

19.March.2015

I love the combo of a dark paint color & wallpaper…. I might install a chair rail on the upper portion of the hall walls, between 2/3rds – 3/4ths up. Then paint the walls under the chair rail the same dark color of your daughter’s room and add a large scale wallpaper on the top 1/3rd ish portion of the walls above the chair rail and include ceiling or vice versa (wallpaper on the bottom, paint on the top). I’d also paint all the doors the same dark color and line the hall with a few simple frames with your photos. Excited to see what you come up with!

19.March.2015

I agree with the comments that wainscoting would break it up too much—and it’s a more “cottage” vibe as well…plus the transition around the living room corner would be awkward. Or you could do wainscoting that went all the way up to align with the top of the doors, which would make the ceiling seem taller in there.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/113364115593853953/

Don’t be scared of wallpaper! It’s the perfect space for it—something to look at while you are walking by, but in small enough chunks between trim that it isn’t overwhelming.

The idea of putting a mirror on that far door could work really well to distract and bounce light around. It might be fun to make it into a kids’ art gallery, or decorate it seasonally. If the view is always changing, it would be more of a destination than dead-end.

19.March.2015

I was also thinking stencil. With all the cutting for doorways it may be wasteful to do wallpaper (therefore way more expensive than it should be for the square footage), I think you could get away with a real fun print/pattern if you go for monochromatic or low contrast. The Otomi (from Cutting Edge) would look amazing in a hallway https://www.etsy.com/listing/173251512/otomi-stencil-pattern-reusable-stencils?ref=shop_home_active_4

19.March.2015

I think I am in the minority here but I love your first choice. It just reminds me of the Hmong indigo batik cushions in your home. With painted black doors I think it would be stunning!

19.March.2015

Gallery wall is overdone and the hallway is too narrow to start adding to the walls. Wainscoting is too busy. Wallpaper is a better option however do you have enough wall space to make an impact with it? I would upgrade the rug to something special and do something with the door at the end of the hall. Black paint will make the door hardware disappear. Maybe hang amazing artwork on the door?

19.March.2015

You might be onto something with replacing the door!

19.March.2015

No your not, making it harder than it needs to. That’s the fun of good design, and getting everyone’s opinion is fun too. No reason a hallway can’t have great design too. You will come up with something that makes you happy I am sure. But removing wallpaper if you change your mind is a tough one. You are the one that re-painted three times right?

19.March.2015

Remember when YHL did this modern wainscoting? http://www.younghouselove.com/2014/02/setting-the-mood/

What about that wainscoting, 3/4 of the way up, everything painted charcoal? Maybe that would be too heavy for your open space though…

You definitely need a vintage runner.

19.March.2015

So clever!

19.March.2015

I totally agree! I vintage runner and black door or doors… perfect.

19.March.2015

Guilty.

19.March.2015

Ok, what do I know? My inital thought is to 1) paint end door something’s shocking, chartruise or black, something that works as focal point. 2) Then, pop art type massive silhouettes of your kids painted directly on the walls. Skip the wallpaper.

19.March.2015

I totally agree with changing the hardware on the end door. Black hardware on white makes the door look way more than a closet door and more like an exit door. Although the wallpapers are nice they just don’t seem to match your taste (as in all the other projects).

19.March.2015

I like that idea.

19.March.2015

While I love a pretty wallpapered wall, I worry that it would make the hallway feel more narrow. I like the idea of the black paint, an easy and inexpensive option. We recently did a gallery wall of family photos in one of our hallways and I have to say, it makes me smile now every time I walk down the long boring space. I also painted most of my old black picture frames gold and they look fantastic! Good luck!

19.March.2015

What if you did that end door in chalkboard paint? That could be cute. I do love the wallpaper idea! Have you looked at the Serena and Lily wallpapers? We renovated our home before we moved in last year and I steamed off 5 + layers from nearly every wall (and ceiling!!) then fell in love with the Lamu paper in bone from Serena and Lily and hung it in our bedroom. I love it.

19.March.2015

apologies if this has been said above – babe in arms and skimming …what about a mirror on the end closet door? I see a mirror. Maybe a black door with a mirror! Anyhoo, looking forward to your decision.

19.March.2015

Oh man, I’ve been waiting for the hallway makeover. I have a very similar situation and I’ve been eyeing wallpaper too. There is a fun decal wallpaper on etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/179196641/self-adhesive-herringbone-pattern similar to the Ferm Living papers…and I like that it can go up and come down easily. We also have a wall of grasscloth in our living room that could tie in nicely to our hallway. I think a lighter grasscloth could be fun for you. It adds texture, dimension and warmth without being too busy. Lowes actually has a really great selection.

20.March.2015

I love the bird wallpaper. Also, what about the stripes that the boys bedroom used to have for the door at the end of the hallway. And you can take them off if you dont like them.I think it would tie in beautifully with a grey print wallpaper!

20.March.2015

Ellie- I love this idea! Creates texture but doesn’t overwhelm you with color!

I was also thinking an accent hung from the ceiling. to move your eye down the corridor. Maybe fabric, lighting or art?

20.March.2015

Giulia- I instantly thought of YHL’s hallway post as well. They did a wonderful job turning a pass through space in their home into a visual destination.

20.March.2015

You HAVE to do a wallpaper in this hallway… it is the perfect spot for some pattern! I think the Hygge & West paper would be perfect along with an (almost) black door at the end. Maybe a chalky black. I think the paper and door alone will look fresh, crisp and clean, just like the rest of your home.

I can’t tell you how excited I am to read about FilterEasy… I probably sound like such a weirdo saying that, but I literally JUST posted about how we had our new/old 40-year-old house’s ducts cleaned, and not only had they never been cleaned before, they were riddled with mold. Scary stuff. So, now I’m, like, resident Air-Filter-Commando of the house. :) As for wallpaper, I LOVE the first one. It’s linear enough to fit with your modern style, but has organic elements that tie into your vintage rugs as well. I can’t wait to see what you choose!

20.March.2015

First, so glad I found your site. You always give me new ideas and even though I lean to more farmhouse industrial I always am enlightened by something you share.
I think the first thing that would make a huge difference would be to change the light fixtures. Then I would add wainscoting, some art ( not gallery) and maybe paint that facing door? Black? Or put something interesting on it ( a vintage exit sign).
I love your wallpaper but I worry that you must won’t get much impact for the $$$ in a hallway.
There’s may ramblings.
Love the air filter service. Now they could do that for many things that are so each to forget: toothbrushes, light bulbs, batteries, pacifiers, lol.

20.March.2015

Just read the other comments and see mine where already reflected but I did find this picture that I think shows that wainscoting can work.
http://pinterest.com/pin/Ayx-TQAQwNcBumlw1GgAAAA/

20.March.2015

We have a reusable furnace filter that was here when we purchased the house. We take it out, spray it down with water, let it dry, and put it back. It’s awesome.

I have a long, narrow hallway too. We had can lights installed too; they are great. I started out hanging art on the side walls but took it all down; it drove me crazy to mainly see the sides of frames (and some frames lean out just a tad at the top when hung -you don’t notice that when viewing art from the front but do when viewing from the side – so I was constantly adjusting them). I do have a blank wall at the end so I hung a piece of art there (a photo of lake – so it looks like a horizon from the end of the hall).

When I see photos of your hall I think less is more. I would take up the rug you have and replace it with NO rug. This is a wonderful space to showcase your beautiful floors that you put so much work in to… And the expanse of wood floor would provide a unifying, unbroken focal point (as well as a great contrast between light walls/doors and dark floors). I would replace the end hallway door with a lighter wooden door that has textural interest OR I would paint the OUTER edges of the door black and leave the center of the door white. I hope how I’m describing it makes sense. I can’t see from the photo, but if I remember correctly your doors have some kind of architectural interest… So if the panels allow it, the black would act as a “frame” for the white center, allowing the door to act as it’s own piece of art. The black would also “hide” the hardware. I think it would give a very clean vibe.

Here’s a photo of a hallway I found where there were white doors on the sides and a wooden door at the end. Let me know if the link doesn’t work and I’ll try to send it again. Thanks for including us in the fun brainstorming phase of this project!
http://static1.squarespace.com/static/4fcf5c8684aef9ce6e0a44b0/t/53c57512e4b083958bf66739/1405449496768/long+narrow+hallway+design.jpg?format=1000w

20.March.2015

I am thinking of trying this DIY “shiplap” (horizontal paneling) half way up my bathroom wall, capped with a chair rail. It would be cool if you did that with some wallpaper above. I like serena and lily for wallpaper, but it may be pricey.

http://theinspiredroom.net/diy/diy-horizontal-plank-walls-tutorial-faux-wood-planks/

20.March.2015

Love this idea as well! My mom has done the textured beadboard in a half bath and it is amazing! Not sure it fits your house though. Love some of the other textures on the link above! I have always love grasscloth as well, but unfortunately so would Cheetah.

20.March.2015

I always dread furnace or hvac problems occurring! That’s a really cool idea to have your filters delivered. I saw some pretty dragonfly wallpaper on HiSugarplum that was black and white. I don’t remember the name of it but it was beautiful. That, with board and batten would look really pretty in your hallway or one of your other wallpaper choices. I’m sure whatever you come up with will be amazing though!

20.March.2015

I love this image you posted. The globe lights are beautiful. Wishing I had a window at the end of our hallway instead if a blank wall….

20.March.2015

I love the wallpaper idea – go for it! I also love the Filter Easy subscription. Going out to buy new filters is always a hassle for me, and I end up waiting too long to replace my filters. Thanks for sharing!

20.March.2015

Kate, I don’t have a window at the end of my hall either, but I was pleasantly surprised at the difference of the feel of my hall when I hung a large nature photo. It really helped!

20.March.2015

I was thinking something along the lines of what Young House Love did in their last home hallway??

20.March.2015

I think the wallpaper idea is great and I love the top pic. I say no on the wainscot. I do think engineered prints of the kids and you and your hubby (and kitty) would look cute. Or find some art with color in it. Nothing crazy,more like vintage oil paintings. Just a thought.

20.March.2015

I like the clean, empty, calm, uncluttered look of your hallway the way it is now. I wouldn’t muddle it up with anything. Leave it alone!

I echo the comments about painting the end-of-hallway door black. It’ll coordinate with your black doors in the kitchen as well as the black details in your newly finished main bathroom. I would also consider painting the hallway ceiling the same color as the walls (or the main background color of the wallpaper/stencil you choose). With the hallway being so narrow, the ceiling can feel like a big stripe going down the center (and make the ceiling feel lower than it is) if it’s a contrasting color. I would love to see Layla (http://theletteredcottage.net) do a Pick My Presto on this one!!! :) It’ll be gorgeous whatever you choose, I’m sure. You know your style well and have great taste.

20.March.2015

Well, I absolutely adore the ostrich wallpaper! But I’ve been a little obsessed lately with beautiful vintage wall hangings — there are some amazing kilims and other handmade pieces out there! Etsy of course is a great site for that. That would be my vote. Maybe even a few of them, sort of as a series? I envision light-colored ones for your hallway to keep the space from feeling crowded. I also think fabrics give a window-like feel, with textures and patterns adding lots of visual interest! I hate to say it, but sometimes I get tired of other people’s photos in their homes. A few special ones are great, but art is so much more interesting!

20.March.2015

I think your hallway looks like a neutral runway and is missing the warmth and life of the blues/greys/reds/orange colours that run throughout the rest of your home. I agree with the suggestion of either showing off your floors or adding a vintage runner. A large nature inspired photo on the large bare wall would look great or a stacked trio of nature pics trees/water/sky with warm wooden frames. What about changing out the existing slat doors to the furnace with more of a raw wood mid-century feel? I would use your living room table/bench as inspiration with the wooden slats running vertically with a couple of solid strips that run horizontal, Dana go and rest your bench up against the doors, can you see my vision? I would also love a mirror in the space too to bounce some light, maybe on the wall opposite the nature pictures, double the scenery.

21.March.2015

I vote for black door, new vintage rug (with red accents) and maybe a textured wall. The more plain wall leaves room for adding personal touches down the line. The black door can look like a wall of art (door of art) even if just hang nice gold hooks reside there… Whatever you plan on, it should be awe inspiring.

21.March.2015

But..that being said, the ostrich print is my favorite. It would look great.

21.March.2015

oooh wallpaper for sure. I might have to put the ostriches in my house :) any kind of strange animal image and I’m there. I also painted just my closet doors and back side of front door charcoal and you’d think it would make it more noticeable, but it actually just disappears. All of my walls are white, trim is white, and floors are light, but it’s like the door is just gone. Love it!! I think charcoal, just a few shades off black is a little easier on the eyes too. I have some black doors in my basement (to cover up the previous owners cherry red choice…what?) and I’m thinking of changing those to charcoal too.

21.March.2015

I fully agree with Barbara and would leave the hallway untouched except for painting walls and ceiling as bright as possible (in the same colour) and adding some interesting art. This could be engineered photos as Kristy suggested. Any patterned wallpaper would be too much given the many doors, one of them louvred, the smoke detector, the trapdoor to the attic, the thingy above the linen closet door, the other thingy on the right wall when you enter the hallway… And definitely no wainscoting or chairrail! Far too busy for this smallish space. Can’t wait what you decide on.

21.March.2015

i love the stencil idea too. I’ve done high gloss on matt in the same color and it’s really pretty but not too obvious.

21.March.2015

have you ever checked out http://www.spoonflower.com? They have an insane number of patterns. They print when you order so they basically have every image you can imagine and some you never would. You can also upload your own design.

21.March.2015

For my two cents, I say leave the walls as-is and paint the ceiling black (if you dare) or a complementary colour from elsewhere in your house. And add a runner for colour/interest.

21.March.2015

This might sound like a dumb question, but why and how would one need to use an “air filter” in the furnace? Is this a new house thing, or does it not apply for radiator heat?

22.March.2015

Have you thought about continuing the tongue and groove in the hallway like the mudroom/dining room? I think it would create some nice continuity and symmetry. You might even try painting the same color as the mud room above the tongue and groove. I don’t think that painting the doors black will work in this space. I think it would drag more attention to the number of doors in the hallway, and the doors are spectacular as they are in white!

Have you looked at other options for your furnace closet doors? I know you need doors with ventilation, but I wonder if their are more modern options than the shutter style? I know you’ll choose a smart option, this is a toughy!!

22.March.2015

Thanks for the link to the free filter, totally scored one the other day. There prices look pretty comparable too! :)

23.March.2015

You could always fake wallpaper by drawing a design on your wall, likely in the same amount of time it takes to hang wallpaper but for waaaay less money (or permanence, for that matter!). Not stencils, but something quick and linear like this amazing abstractly patterned hallway:

http://www.dykast.us/2009/04/08/the-curse-of-the-dreaded-long-hallway-and-what-i-did-about-it/

I wanted wallpaper in a similarly door-heavy space of mine and was inspired by that hall to draw on my walls instead (I did a more labor intensive bamboo design)…I was happy with the process and results: http://suburbanpop.com/2015/02/06/diy-paint-pen-wallpaper-walls/

Having said that, your doors are gorgeous (!!!) and they make your hallway super pretty as is! :)

23.March.2015

What about wallpapering the ceiling? It doesn’t seem like such a huge commitment, but still adds some oomph to the hallway. Something like this: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/56787645275156995/

I also really love the idea of painting the closet door, or switching it out for something vintage or with character to sort of act as it’s own piece of artwork.

Good luck! Can’t wait to see what you come up with :)

23.March.2015

I would skip the wainscoting…..it doesn’t really suit the look you have going on in the rest of the house and I thnk if you did it you would have to wrap it around to the other walls as it might look strange just stopping there. I love the wallpaper idea but finding a pattern is tough. I like the idea of painting the doors black and adding a nice light fixture ( looks like the middle light is not a pot light so you can add some sort of fixture there ). Also changing up the runner…..a nice vintage one would be fabulous but if not in the budget there are a ton of other great looking options. A nice large scale piece of artwork ( like really big! ) would look really good on that big open wall. Have fun with it!

23.March.2015

I like the idea of a large scale pattern. (Love the 2nd option) I agree wainscoting could be too busy and too bulky for the narrow hall no matter how thin it is. What about a DIY drawing:

http://www.vintagerevivals.com/2013/01/diy-sharpie-wallpaper-tutorial-this-is.html

Oh how I wish I had so many people at my fingertips for all my design dilemmas. No doubt it’s because of your insane amount of talent! I love your blog and your home. And I have an Everett as well so we must be kindred.

23.March.2015

You already have a gallery style display in your dining/mudroom (which is awesome by the way), plus looking from the living room down the hallway, the shelf has a lot of visuals, so a gallery wall would feel busy to me. What about oversized art? Something like this http://www.decoist.com/2013-11-28/hallway-decorating-ideas-for-the-modern-home/hallway-with-large-artwork/

23.March.2015

Another vote for Grow House Grow. I went to college with Katie and love her designs!

23.March.2015

Your house is perfection and I love your style! I wanted to weigh in on your hallway. I don’t think board and batten or wainscoting fit your aesthetic and with all the doors in the hallway I think it would be too busy. I love the idea of wallpaper. I think the colorway of the Hygge & West paper is perfection in your house but I also like the idea of a previous commenter who mentioned hanging white wallpaper to add texture. Good luck! I’m sure it will end up looking amazing.

23.March.2015

Good thinking about the open shelves in the living room at the entrance! I hadn’t considered the busyness of them.

23.March.2015

Awesome! I can’t believe you drew that!!

23.March.2015

No need for an air filter if you have radiators.

23.March.2015

I hadn’t thought about the grascloth + Cheetah thing – good warning!

23.March.2015

Love the idea of using a natural wood door at the end of the hallway! Thank you for including the photo.

23.March.2015

I had thought of that, too. Would it be weird to hang a mirror on the door?

23.March.2015

Same concept – different application of a nicely mirrored bedroom closet door…or public restroom in a fancy establishment. They always have well-placed full length mirrors as you’re entering or leaving. You could make this look amazing. Seriously. Good luck!

23.March.2015

i would love to see wallpaper – on the door, too! And possibly hang a mirror on that door at the end to disguise it and bounce back some light.

23.March.2015

I think the wainscoting idea isn’t that far off since you have it in the dining/mud room. It could echo and actually make things more cohesive. I do think there are a lot of doors that may chop it up a bit, but something bold above it would be lovely. Large art in a hallway would be a waste because you can’t stand back and take it in to appreciate it. Tough decision. Good luck!

23.March.2015

I personally loved the gallery wall on YHL, in their second home. And with 3 kids and your vacations, etc, I’m sure you could fill it up quickly. I’ve been wanting to do one but I’m horrible at mapping it out and buying frames. Plus, I hope to move soon.

24.March.2015

This would be a tough decision. Here’s another thought- what about wallpapering the ceiling something subtle or textured and painting the top 1/4 just a hue darker to draw your eye up, and not to the door at the end of the hallway. Just another thought, that you likely wouldn’t need, or may be too cumbersome- but we replaced our ranch style trim with a ‘picture framing’ style. It might look sharp with all the doors. I’m sure whatever you end up settling on will be interesting! Lots of ideas

24.March.2015

I think that painting the door black and adding some simple artwork in the open wall space would make a big impact without being too busy! I have no doubt you’ll make it look great :)

25.March.2015

I only read through half of the responses, so I apologize if this has already been suggested! If that were my hallway, I would buy a new door for the closet at the end. I would buy a shaker door (to match the style of your kitchen cabinets) with chalkboard in the recess. I’ve seen these doors pre-fab style and they’re awesome. I would list all of my kids’ chores on that door and would leave the occasional lovely, inspiring note or quote. Pretty chalk colors. Trivia questions. Fun stuff. A friend of mine has this going on and I always love to see what’s new on her chalkboard door. I would also change out the hardware and make it look like it goes somewhere :) Then, to bring the fancy up a notch I would DIY an awesome niche’ down the length of the hallway in between the studs and display awesome art pieces, sculptures, etc. Maybe even several sections. You could even run some wiring in there for awesome low-light pucks. That way you’re using dead space and not eating up your already narrow path! We are currently renovating our house (6 weeks in, 6 weeks to go) and we stopped the contractor right before they started sheetrocking and had him install a horizontal niche in between the studs above our pot filler for my spice containers, etc. We have cozy modern taste and I’m thinking of white brick for backsplash, 3/4 of the way up the wall, to include the inside of the niche. But for your space I think clean sheetrock edge for the niches would be great! There are lots of examples on the interwebs. Good luck!

25.March.2015

I would paint the closet door shiny kelly green and do the wallpaper floor to ceiling – I love all the wallpaper selections you posted. Another thought is to look at http://www.whatisblik.com or other sources for removable wall stickers and keep the hallway as a fun ever changing gallery space.

27.March.2015

Did I really just get $200 worth of air filters for free?! I understand this is a promotion but WOW- thank you for doing this! I’m excited to try this service and this discount was exactly what it took for me to finally scratch this off of my to-do list.

29.March.2015

Since I suggested this, I’ve fallen into the black hole that is the internet. I have seen a lot of rooms painted 1/3 of the way from the floor. I have also seen painted ceilings that looks beautiful. What about painting the ceiling and bringing the paint 12″ down unto the walls and keeping the base light? I think that could be simple and stunning with the right color. I wish I could find an example to show you. Paint is the easiest to change if you don’t like it!

30.March.2015

Ah hallways. Im in hallway revamp hell right now actually. Having a contractor come in to help with repairs after removing hideous panelling. We are going with a really simple wainscoting on the bottom and im stenciling the top. I love the wallpaper Dana. I hope you go for it.

31.March.2015

I had to come back and post this for you: http://www.hyggeandwest.com/products/daydream-gold
Gorgeous! I think I may have to do this in my hallway, similar to yours.

31.March.2015

I hadn’t seen the gold option before. Beautiful! Thanks for the link.

17.May.2015

I love the ostrich paper for your hallway. It’s adorable and just enough personality for your darling family. It is subtle enough also. Keep it simple. No wainscoting. Paint linen closet black. Or red? Could be cute!

21.February.2016

Oh my gosh, do you LOVE yellowbrickhome’s new laundry room? The ostrich wallpaper looks soo good in there!

22.February.2016

It’s so cute!