One of the top missed design opportunities are hallways. Joanie's Tips favorite is a tight gallery style space. A Hallway makes a unique, and wonderful placement for your fa
vorite pieces. A smaller confined space is the ultimate expression of going big in a small space. Joanie's Tips first tip is to first remove everything in the hallway, and on the walls to define your space. The most important focal point for your hallway is your lighting selection.
Ceiling lighting makes, or breaks your entire project. The house I recently designed in Pennsylvania has a twenty foot hallway, and is approximately three foot wide. In that space I placed three miniature crystal Schonbek chandeliers on small medallions. The illusion of space with the chandeliers easily doubled the original foot print. The visual field automatically takes your eyes to the furthest point. My minimum is usually three ceiling mount fixtures. If you only have fifteen feet or smaller, I would choose two. Most vanilla hallways have a single globe light, so you must bring in an electrician.
Joanie's Tips second tip is to paint the ceiling white to brighten up what is usually natural light deprived. Further enhancing your focal point chandeliers, on a w
hite base, is crown molding. Crown molding gets a little tricky when you have a transition into another room, or entrance foyer. Breaking the crown off will remove your continuous illusion of space, and even make your hallway appear shorter. Molding must be carried to a point of logical separation point. To assist on what style of crown molding to use, check out my article, Keeping The Classics.
Joanie's Tips third tip paint color, or wall paper selection must be harmonious with the rooms adjacent to your hallway. If your hallway flows into your charcoal painted walls in your living room, your choices might be a pastel silver & grey stripe wallpaper, subway tile, or carrara marble flooring. One thing that will assist you immensely is going to the paint store, and getting swatches of all colors that carry a grey hue. If you are considering wall fabric, have a swatch of a color that matches your living room for blending consideration. Take the wall paper, and paint swatches home, and tape them on your living room wall.
Joanie's Tips fourth tip is hard surface flooring. The worst look on the planet is a variation in carpets meeting. Yuk! The 
architectural style of your home will influence your selection of hard surface. Joanie's Tips favorites are rustic dark wood wide plank, subway tile, carrara marble, and stone with neutral variations. An interesting piece of hand crafted carpet, in an exotic rug style, inlaid as a runner into a hard-scape surface is also an interesting option.
Joanie's Tips fifth tip is art placement, and frame similarities. Now that you have an amazing "Hollywood Hallway", lean all your favorite pieces down your hallway, no minimum separation. In your placement evenly mix your smaller, and larger prints. Frames should have a common hue carried throughout your hallway to maintain proper fluidity of you new space.
This project transformation will change an area connecting rooms, to a spectacular space that will be enjoyed, and appreciated. The gallery style hallway becomes living space, giving you a return on your investment. In small apartment homes, a unique gallery style hallway will make the difference, when viewed by potential buyers comparing square footage. More important, you have enhanced the quality of your overall living space, and have created a place reflective of your style & passions.
Joanie's tips is a huge fan of "LampsPlus" for one of a kind Chandeliers found in clearance. Check it out......................................
