How to Style Halls and Staircases

They say that “the eyes are the window to your soul” ……. Well your hall is the window to your home! It is the first view that a guest sees when they enter your home and sets the tone for the kind of décor that you like. Muted and pale or vibrant and glossy …. These are the looks that immediately set the scene for the rest of your home.

Mandy Chody, Partner of M&Y Interiors says “We always enjoy making a hall and staircase interesting and practical as this area has to withstand dirty feet and mucky hands which are part of family life. We also encourage our clients to have vinyl wallpaper which is perfect for sticky fingers and luggage scuffs which can be easily washed off together with a durable material for staircase handrails which can hide the marks of an everyday life in a busy household.”

A “wow” light fitting from the first floor down through the stairs is always a show stopper and one of the favourites is a fibre optic light which only needs one bulb so extremely energy efficient but looks amazing.

M&Y always recommend if possible to a console table in the hall area which is convenient for keys etc. especially with drawers. Most people like two lamps on the console table as these can be put on timer and are very welcoming for clients coming into an empty property especially if its dark or they are alone. We also recommend a mirror for those last minute checks before leaving their home.

Staircases can be made in many different materials to suit the individual properties ranging from modern properties who might use stone, glass, Perspex with leather handrails to more traditional properties that could embrace wood, wrought iron or stone.

We have been involved before in a wood floating staircase which looks wonderful and is a definite asset to any hall especially if the staircase needs to be unobtrusive in the hall area.

Some lucky clients have a huge hall and staircase area and the trick is to make it cosy and inviting without filling up the space. We use occasional chairs or upholstered benches as well as rugs and sometimes for a very large hall we place a round table in the middle which is ideal to display fresh flowers. We also recommend wall lights for additional interest.

To make a smaller area look larger, we often mirror one wall to make the hall look twice the size … this can be in bronze or antique mirror and made in squares for added interest. This adds to the wow factor of the area.

A sturdy coat cupboard is of major importance when you enter to take guests coats, hats etc. We often build this in to make it as unobtrusive as possible and it soon becomes one of the most useful cupboards in the home.

Artwork that catches the eye is very important to consider as it can fill blank walls and add colour especially if the floor and walls have been chosen as neutral. M&Y also recommend this to finish off the hall area and create that special ambience. This needs good lighting as a winning combination to make sure the art is shown off to its best advantage. In fact, lighting to a hall is of paramount importance.

Mandy Chody, Partner at M&Y Interiors says, “We are experts in creating warm, welcoming hallways and staircases for our clients. We always enjoy this design process as it is often our starting point to creating a beautiful home for our client.”

"I absolutely loved working with Mandy, Nigel and Samantha at M&Y. They quickly got to know our tastes. They are professionals and absolutely fabulous!"Mrs H
"M&Y interiors were so helpful in the planning and redecorating of my new apartment. Nothing was too much trouble and I wouldn’t hesitate in using them again. I highly recommend this company."
Stanmore
"I'd like to thank you, Nigel and Sam for your work in making our house a home. We love it. Once more, thank you!"
Mrs K
"M&Y created a incredible luxurious, family home in keeping with the style of a Grade 2 Listed building fully embracing the traditional look we wanted, even down to the finest details."Mrs S
“I would highly recommend Mandy, Nigel and Team. Their patience and getting to know what we wanted was excellent. Mandy has a great eye for colour and sense of style. We are delighted with the end product.”Totteridge
In the good times and the bad.... "Thank you again for the way you handled this issue and the resolution. I don’t believe many companies would have acted this way and I’m extremely grateful for your commitment to delivering a happy customer outcome."Mr C
“M&Y have handed over our fully refurbished office in Hertford today and I’m still buzzing with excitement because the transformation has been totally amazing . The brief was pretty basic ,I wanted to create the look and feel of the Ralph Lauren store in Bond Street ,but make it work for an office environment , on a sensible budget. Mandy and her team hit the target perfectly and we now have a really fantastic work space, and a very smart meeting room that will impress any visitor, plus the coolest looking office kitchen in the county! I can’t wait to get back to the office!”James, Wedge Homes Ltd
"LIFE IS NOT PICTURE PERFECT BUT THE M&Y FIT IS MORE THAN PERFECT" We highly endorse M&Y Interiors. They offer a fantastic customer service and Mandy and Nigel with their loyal team always go the extra mile for their clients. The reward for a job well done is the opportunity to do it again. Very much looking forward to working together on the next big project in due course. Nigel’s approach to resolving matters is a breath of fresh air and all I can add is that the world would be much a better place with more people around like Nigel and Mandy.’’ Thank you again, we are forever grateful.MR F
"What a stunning home you have created for us. We can’t thank you enough. From our first meeting I knew that if anyone was going to be responsible for refurbishing our home it had to be you. I had faith that you could make us a dream home. Mandy, I felt straight away a connection with you and I was comfortable that you understood what I would like. Your ideas on interior design including furnishings, fabrics and colours are amazing. I may not have always been the easiest client, but I am now a truly happy one. Nigel, the home would not be complete without your input in managing the project."
Mrs R
This was the first experience working with an interior designer and I was very mindful that we still maintained our own style and preferences. Mandy did not impose her views or choices on us, but listened carefully to what we liked and got to know our style and was extremely respectful of our budget, which is quite unusual in this field.Mrs N

 

Want to see more relevant projects?

Book a meeting →