5 Small And Narrow Entryway Design Ideas For Seriously Stylish Hallway Decor

green hall entrance london home — *Interior Design:* *Laura Stephensid.* *Photographer:* *Boz Gagovski. Walls and woodwork painted in* *Whirlybird* *by Farrow & Ball.*

There are many things to consider when decorating a small or narrow entrance hall in your home. You may want to elongate the space to make it feel bigger, or create a good first impression with decor that is stylish as well as practical (such as having somewhere to put your keys without having to fall over a chunky table!) It is also important to make sure that you add clever storage for shoe and coat organisation so your narrow hallway remains clear and uncluttered and not messy and overwhelming as soon as you walk in the door. In this post, I’m listing five simple ideas on how to design a narrow entryway for seriously stylish small hallway decor.

Paint the stairs a distracting bold colour
Frame the entrance door to elongate the space
Draw the eye with large artwork
Put up a shelf to create a thin storage table with no legs
Keep things organised with stylish shoe storage

green painted stairs in a hallway — *Image credit:* *Olivia Outred Studio*

Keep your small entrance hall light but visually interesting by painting the stairs a bold colour

It is tempting to keep small, narrow entrance halls bright and white so that they do not feel uninviting or cramped. However, this lack of personality and colour can make an entryway feel very uninteresting and bland. Create a visually appealing hallway by painting the stairs opposite the entry door in a bold hue - this will draw the eye up and create a real statement while keeping the rest of the space light and bright. When painting stairs, it is important to do your prep work so that the paint does not scuff or chip with so much use. Lightly sand back each tread and use a durable, hardwearing floor paint that won’t scratch off.

painted front door yellow entrance — *Image credit:* *Jessica Alavi-Ellis*

Frame the entrance door

Alternatively, framing the inside of the entryway door is a great way to add a focal point and brighten up a narrow hallway. If you have the space, you can make the entrance door look grand by taking the colour over the door frame. Or, use a bright, statement shade that stands out and attracts the eye along to the end of the hallway - elongating the space and making it feel bigger.

narrow hallway design ideas — *The London interiors author Ruth Matthews framed a wallpaper panel in her hall with wood trim for an inexpensive way to add some large art in her entrance. Image Credit:* *Design Soda*.

Add large artwork to make the most of the wall height

While the entranceway may be narrow, making the most of the wall height by hanging large artworks distracts from the slender proportions of an entrance hall. Make sure that artworks are framed in thin, narrow frames to stop them from protruding out too far from the wall, or take inspiration from London interiors author Ruth Matthews who pasted her hallway wall in a wallpaper panel and then ‘framed’ it with some mitred wood trim for a slim, vertical finish.

scaffold board console table — *Image credit:* *Kerry Lockwood*

Put up a shelf to create a slender storage table

Interior stylist and home influencer Kerry Lockwood erected a shelf over the radiator in her rental as a place to put her keys, add atmospheric lighting and display seasonal decor. As well as being practical, the shelf distracts from the basic radiator without taking up a lot of precious space or being obtrusive. For a rustic-look scaffold board shelf like Kerry’s, click here.

small hallway shoe storage — *Mustard Made Midi Locker - Olive Green £319 via* *Rose & Grey Interiors*

Stylish shoe storage

Shoe storage in any entryway is a must-have item, but it is particularly important in narrow hallways where floor space is limited. Invest in wall-hang shoe storage so that the floor remains clutter-free while making sure that the depth of the shoe storage is slimline (vertical pull-out designs work well).

Add A Rug For Extra Pizazz

You could also take the time to find a rug for a little bit of extra pizazz in your hallway. Depending on the shape and style of your space, you can look into runner rugs, circle rugs, colourful rugs, or whatever else you prefer. The whole point is to bring something extra, so don’t be afraid to go bold with a pattern.