Narrow hallway – how to use its potential to 100%

The arrangement of a narrow hallway in a block of flats can cause a designer to lose sleep. Fortunately, compact chests of drawers, shallow shoe cabinets and wardrobes up to the ceiling come to the rescue. A narrow vestibule requires well-thought-out furniture. The entrance area, considered the showcase of the house, is the first room our guests see. It is therefore a good idea to carefully plan the space, introduce appropriate colours, lighting and slightly improve the proportions of the interior. How to do this (and not go bankrupt)? We encourage you to read on!

Space optimization:

Full-height wardrobes: building a narrow wall with a wardrobe that reaches the ceiling

Optimizing a small room is essential if it is to be fully functional. Forget about rows of shoes blocking the entrance or furniture that doesn't fit. Discover our unique collections and get inspired! A sliding wardrobe is a perfect idea for a narrow hallway. An example is the TRIVI model in a fashionable shade of cashmere, broken with gold inserts. Inside you will find spacious shelves and a clothes rail. You can conveniently hang up your coat, jacket, handbag. The less visible, the better.

Small rooms especially like order, and furniture for a narrow hallway is supposed to make it easier to maintain order. A model high up to the ceiling will be a great solution here. It will hold even more things. A wardrobe extension is also an option, for example from the CABO, ACATI or ELENI collections. Use the potential of the interior by adapting it to your needs. Build up a narrow alcove with a wardrobe or shelves. Check out the advantages of the narrow HAGA model in the shade of snowy pine and anthracite. Inside there is a rail for outerwear. The furniture will not take up much space, while ensuring functionality.

Hanging shelves: space for decorations, keys or hats

Are you arranging a narrow hallway? Blog inspirations will help you optimally design the entrance space, where storage shelves are a must. On these open ones, you can arrange leather goods, decorative baskets or ornamental plants. Install a hanging shelf under a mirror, above a chest of drawers, a shoe cabinet or above the door, gaining even more storage space. You will always have various small items, such as keys, a wallet or gloves at hand. Here, for example, the MEVIA shelf in the color of artisan oak will work well - an ideal proposition for interiors bathed in natural colors and materials.

Bench with storage space: conveniently put on shoes and store additional items

When arranging a narrow hallway in a block of flats, get multifunctional furniture. The compact NELLI wardrobe, in addition to a wardrobe and hangers for outerwear, offers a capacious shoe cabinet with a soft seat on it. This model is available in several color versions. You can also decide on an upholstered bench with a storage compartment, where you can throw shoes, leashes, umbrellas and other things.

The modern MEVIA shoe cabinet with a seat and open shelves for storage is also worthy of attention. It will work perfectly in almost any entrance area. Black metal legs will fit perfectly into a soft loft arrangement, but not only.

Organizers: for shoes, scarves or gloves to keep things tidy

In a small hallway, any solutions that make it easier to keep things tidy are worth their weight in gold. You can place caps, hats, shoe care accessories, and less frequently worn shoes in a basket, decorative box, or practical organizer. An organizer with compartments can be hung in the closet, and decorative baskets can be placed on shelves.

Optical enlargement of space:

Light colours: optical enlargement of space

Are you arranging a narrow hallway? What colors to choose? We often forget that with the right shades of walls, floor and furniture you can visually change the proportions of the room. White, beige and light gray will brighten up a small interior. Slats or wallpaper in vertical stripes will "lift" a low ceiling, and a shorter wall in a narrow hallway painted in a darker color will visually shorten a long hallway.

So if you want to make a tight entrance area feel lighter and more spacious, introduce light colours. Creamy white, delicate pastels and natural shades of wood will work perfectly here. An example is the elegant ALVARO furniture in cashmere colour. The whole is complemented by high metal legs (they also add lightness to the decor) and gold, jewellery handles. In this collection you will find stylish shoe cabinets, mirrors, chests of drawers, as well as wardrobes and hanging shelves. All elements are decorated with delicate milling on the fronts. The shade of cashmere and gold will add a bit of glitz to the arrangement, and most importantly - it will brighten up the room.

Mirrors: a large mirror on one of the walls

Without a large mirror, you can't move! It is a must-have element of equipment for every entrance area, especially a small one. So if you are looking for an idea on how to optically enlarge a narrow hallway, get a mirror reflection. The bigger, the better. Hang the mirror above a chest of drawers, a wall shelf or anywhere on the wall. Ideally, it should reflect a nicer part of the apartment. It can be a window, spectacular wallpaper or green plants. It will have many uses. You will look at yourself in it before leaving, and it will also optically enlarge the room. Combined with light colors of the decor, it will work wonders. We guarantee it!

Stylish mirrors in a decorative frame, as well as minimalist models can be found in unique collections at Furnitop.co.uk: ALVARO, HAGA, MAXIMUS, QUANT, TEVORA and many others.

Lighting: take care of the ceiling lighting, wall lamps and a lamp above the mirror

With the help of properly planned lighting, you can create a climate in the room, highlight what you want, and carefully hide any interior flaws. The basic rule when it comes to arranging a narrow hallway is to avoid too dark light. It should be bright, and therefore spacious. The main source of lighting will be complemented by a small wall lamp, a flat ceiling lamp and LEDs - for example, by the mirror, above the wardrobe, on the shelf. A modern solution will be an LED strip, which can be mounted almost anywhere: by furniture, in a niche, around a mirror.

If you are arranging a narrow hallway, the arrangements should take into account the optimally placed elements of the lighting system. It should be elegant, but also functional. An interesting solution for an exclusive entrance area may be a shoe cabinet (e.g. the TEVORA model with an additional drawer for odds and ends), a mirror above it, and wall lamps matching the decor on the sides of the pane.

Minimalism: Avoid Too Much Furniture and Decorations

A modern narrow hallway does not like an excess of accessories, colors and patterns. So if you like patterned motifs on wallpaper or textiles, limit them to a minimum. Definitely avoid maximalist photo wallpapers. If anything, use an intriguing pattern only on a fragment of the wall. However, feel free to reach for natural materials, a jute carpet, a wooden stool, a decorative seagrass basket for storing e.g. dog accessories. High legs of wardrobes, cabinets and chests of drawers will additionally lighten the decor. Go for neutral colors, introduce a bit of greenery, make sure to hide as many things, shoes and jackets behind minimalist fronts as possible. The floor should also be uniform, which will optically enlarge the space.

Sliding doors: replace traditional doors with ones that don't take up extra space

Many people wonder how to cleverly arrange a narrow vestibule. Arrangements of a long hallway with several doors to other rooms do not have to resemble a narrow corridor, somewhat separated from the decor of the rest of the apartment. When arranging this type of space, maintain consistency in style and color. And if you want to save additional space, consider installing sliding doors to the living room, kitchen or other room. This is especially advisable where traditional swing doors can bump into adjacent furniture or even prevent free passage through a narrow hallway. Sliding doors are also perfect for a wardrobe. What's more, you can install them on an irregular recess and hide shelves for storage or coat racks behind them.

Smart solutions for using centimeters of available space

Another practical solution for a small hallway is to use the space above the entrance door. This kind of mezzanine practically does not take up any space, and in return offers additional shelves for storage. You can mount a hanging cabinet across the entire width of the wall, up to the ceiling, or create a custom-made cabinet.

Place organizers in the closet to avoid clutter and help you quickly find what you are looking for. You can also opt for suspended furniture (hanging shelves, cabinets, a folding bench) that won't take up space on the floor and will make it easier to keep it clean.

It is rare to find a window in the hallway. In this case, the arrangements gain in lightness - if you give up thick, darkening curtains and drapes, ensuring maximum access to daylight. The uncovered window will optically enlarge the small hall. You can use it by mounting a large mirror on the wall opposite. The interior will gain depth, it will be much brighter. So if you have a window in the hallway, be sure to use its potential! Place a shoe cabinet under it or create a stylish built-in unit with a seat and decorative cushions. Use the space above the window recess by hanging a shelf or an additional storage cabinet.

Optimally arrange the narrow space between tall furniture or between a wall and a wardrobe, for example, using elements from the MALTIS collection. Here you will find, among other things, a stackable shelf , on the shelves of which you can place haberdashery or decorative boxes for trinkets.

Best inspiration for a given style:

Scandinavian style: simple shapes, light colors and natural materials

Scandinavian trends have that “something” about them, and above all, they work perfectly with other interior design trends. So if you are decorating a narrow hallway with a wardrobe and a shoe cabinet, this style will hit the nail on the head. The determinant of the Scandinavian aesthetic is simplicity, functionality and light, subdued colors. Tight interiors like it, so when looking for an idea for an elegant entrance area, get to know the collections of adjustable furniture in a Nordic version. One of the proposals may be the compact DIAMOND wardrobe, which includes a narrow wardrobe with a mirror, a panel with hangers, a shelf and an upholstered shoe cabinet. Black high metal legs correspond with the shade of the evoke oak. The furniture is made of a solid laminated board. It is only 137 cm wide and less than 40 cm deep. Add accessories made of natural materials to the decor to enjoy a stylish, cozy interior.

Industrial style: raw materials such as concrete or metal

Are you furnishing a narrow hallway in a block of flats? Inspirations on Furnitop.co.uk will allow you to create a unique interior design with a loft flair. Simple furniture on a metal frame, floor tiles imitating concrete, as well as wood, which will slightly warm up the austere arrangement bathed in shades of grey, will work perfectly here. An example is the QUANT soft loft shoe cabinet combining the shade of oak with the black of the frame. Under the lifting upholstered seat there is a large storage compartment for hats, gloves, small leather goods. Below there are closed shoe shelves. An extremely effective solution is an LED strip along the entire width of the cabinet, illuminating the furniture. On the wall above it, it is worth mounting a partially upholstered QUANT panel with hangers, equipped with an open shelf. The whole will allow you to create a spare, industrial, but at the same time warm arrangement of the entrance area.

Minimalist style of decorative elements

In small rooms, the best choice is simple forms, minimalist design and neutral colors. Choose accessories wisely. Go for naturalness, including green plants.
Narrow hallway – inspirations: leave the walls in a uniform, subdued colour; emphasise the shape of the furniture using spot lighting; opt for a monochromatic decor bathed in white with dark accents; choose decorations carefully (it can be an intriguing graphic, a designer coat rack, a straw hat, which is a decoration of the hallway in itself). You will find much more design inspiration for a small entrance area, a small living room or kitchen on our blog and at Furnitop.co.uk!