For most of us, decorating spaces like the living room, kitchen and bedrooms can be easy, but what about those less remembered areas in the home? Don’t neglect the functional spaces in your home as somewhere that doesn’t need that same thought and TLC. Bringing to life the hallways, stairwells and porches of your house or apartment is a great way to make every moment in your home feel special. Why waste the opportunity to put a smile on your face every day you spend in your own little haven? Not to mention that these are the spaces that make the first impression to your visitors.
Hall, stairs and landing décor has to strike the right balance between practical function and inspired styling, which can be tricky. That’s why we’ve got a few little tips to help you start off easily, letting you build your personal style on top. Read on and discover painted stairs ideas, hall decoration inspiration and more. The perfect recipe for a warm welcome.
The Colour Palette
Setting the scene always means choosing the right colours, textures and finishes. For the walls, choose a light and airy colour that doesn’t close off the space. We love eggshell shades or pastels, which work well all year round for a fresh finish in summer and a look that’s easily warmed up by soft lighting in winter. A great alternative if you want to shake things up is to try a vintage or patterned wallpaper. It can really change the feel of your hall, and looks great set against a coloured skirting board. Grey, greens, blues and yellow-based patterns make for an uplifting feel and are easy to pair your other décor to.
Wallpapering your whole stairwell or hall may be slightly daunting, so if you’re not ready to commit, why not opt for an accent wall instead? Choose a bright, vivid colour to contrast against the rest of your walls. Red, orange, pink, green, purple and gold are all welcoming colours without being too obtrusive. An accent wall doesn’t have to be painted either. Geometric wall tiles in neutral and pastel colours can be arranged for a unique décor idea that’s stylish and satisfying.
When it comes to flooring options, the classic choices are carpet or wood. Many people like to add a plush carpet in your entrance way, which is warm and inviting but can be high maintenance. We love to set our floorboards free and, instead of running carpet, opting for painted stairs. If you do want to create this look, choose a classic dark colour like navy blue or maroon to ensure the finish stands up to footfall and dirt.
Your Personal Gallery
Your stair and hallway walls are the perfect place to display paintings, photos and more. Installing a gallery wall is a great way to show off your photos or artwork collection and add a personal touch to your home. Rectangular box frames are elegant, simplistic and easy to install, and they don’t all have to match either! A selection of different colours and sizes works great to revamp your space. Offset the shape of your picture frames by styling your gallery wall around a round wall mirror.
If you’re blessed with roomy stairs where you can place furniture or shelving at strategic points, add frames and fragrance together on the surfaces. We love using SmartScents Fragrance Sticks in areas where there’s heavy traffic, so there’s no chance of wax mishaps. Our rolled paper scent sticks are a great low-maintenance and flameless way to enjoy hours of stunning fragrance. And they look beautiful too. Available in a number of scents to suit your taste, simply choose your fragrance and place in one of our SmartScents Holders and enjoy.
Furniture to fit in every space
Do you really need that little cubby hole under the stairs, or could it be put to prettier use in truth? We’ve all been KonMari-ing our belongings to the thrift shop, so what to do with that space? Try removing the door from an under-stairs storage space, and creating a stylish nook instead. Paint the inside clean white, place a small decorative stool or table inside, and add a vase of fresh flowers. Alongside it, place your favourite PartyLite Hurricane, where you can add a little candlelight by nightfall. Don’t forget, our candle fragrances smell fabulous even when they’re not lit, so you’ll get the benefit of this scented display all day long.
Even the most basic pieces of furniture can give your hallway character. A side table makes an excellent décor piece and can be upcycled from your existing collection for a no-cost DIY project. We love narrow console tables for barely there hall furniture with big impact. Decorate with a trio of PartyLite Votive Candles in holders to suit your style for a fragrant hallway addition that looks and smells amazing. Our votive candles are available in an extensive range of delightful fragrances and burn for up to 11 hours. Or make a statement with our 3-Wick Jar Candles, and discover upto 45 hours of fragrance encased in an exclusive illustrated glass jar.
Got any hacks and style tips of your own for those unusual parts of the home? Share them with us on social, using the hashtag #MyStyle! We love seeing how you innovate with PartyLite products. Or check out our Fresh Home Fragrance Collection - available in five delectable fragrances and six different odour neutralising ways to keep your hall and stairwell smelling fresh, all year round.