Most homes have hallways, and we rarely give them more than a passing thought. However, halls are an important part of the house – they are, after all, the first place visitors see when they call, setting the tone for the rest of the property.
Your hallway is probably not at the top of your list when decorating or deciding on flooring options, yet it really should be.
According to The Telegraph, the entrance hall is an opportunity to show off your personality or reflect the history of the house with a flourish.
But which type of flooring is best for the hall? Here are just a few of the factors you should be considering.
Durable is Desirable
Unless you want to replace your hall flooring every couple of years, you should always go for the most hardwearing options available for your budget. Hallways are the most used rooms in the house, so they need to be able to withstand a lot of traffic with the minimum of maintenance.
Tiles, parquet flooring and even polished cement are good options, and of course, you can’t beat oak engineered flooring, such as that available at www.woodfloorwarehouse.co.uk/engineered-flooring/.
Choose a type of floor which is easily cleaned, too – or, if you are putting carpet down, consider buying a runner or rug to help keep the worst of the dirt off. A runner in a contrasting colour to your carpet will look great if you want to make a statement.
Colour Matters
The colour of your hallway flooring will help create the right atmosphere. If your hall is narrow, you will do better to choose a light, plain or neutral colour, which will give the illusion of space.
Larger hallways look great with darker colours, such as dark wooden floors, or with patterned tiles. Try to avoid using fussy patterns in a smaller space.
Be Age-appropriate
Taking these factors into consideration, you should try to choose a style of flooring which matches the age of your property. Modern homes will look fabulous with painted floors in bright colours, while Edwardian houses will suit more traditional materials, such as wood and tiles.
Victorian homes, on the other hand, will look amazing with decorative floor tiles, which you may well be able to obtain from a specialist dealer.