Preparing for the festive season – hallways part 1

Your front door and hallway are quite literally the first things people see when they arrive at your home! Remember that first impressions count and prepare people for the type of interior you have! Sounds rather snobbish! Yes, it does but in reality research has shown that people make judgements on a home within the first ten seconds of walking over the threshold. This research is based on house sales, however if you have guests arriving during the festive season the same principles can be applied.

You have approximately 3 weeks to make your hallway look impressive! The obvious starting point will be the front door, traditionally people place wreaths on the outside of their front door as a sign of welcome. There are many different variations and colours to choose from which will give people a big hint as to the type of interior they can expect! If you have a front door with glass panels you probably already have Roman blinds or net style curtains to prevent people from seeing inside your home.

Older houses which don't have the benefits of central heating or have draughts coming through their front doors may like to consider having door curtains made from heavyweight fabrics. This method of reducing heat loss through front doors has been used for many, many years, you can even by curtain tracks which are designed to enable the front door to be opened without having to fight your way through the curtains! Modern twists on this type of door draught proofing is seeing a revival as people are looking at cost effective ways to lower their fuel bills.

Door curtains, roller or Roman blinds are all an effective method of reducing heat loss and providing privacy. If you have a small hallway keep it clutter free if you want to make a good impression! Either use a shoe rack if you don't have anywhere else to put shoes, rather than just having them piled in an unsightly heap! Remind everyone in your household not to use the newel post as the place to hang their coats, put them out of side or hang then from a coat rail to keep as much space free as you can. If you have a grand entrance hall you can place table or floor lamps to give a softer lighting option which always makes a welcoming atmosphere. Whatever size or shape of your hall you have remember to keep it clutter free and maximise as much space as you can.