Before choosing furniture for a hall you should first assess they type of hall furniture you need.
Many people make the mistake of rushing out and buying furniture they like without giving thought to the practical aspects of an entrance hall - or even an internal passageway in your home.
First and foremost an entrance hall should be friendly and inviting - it the first internal area of your home a visitor will see, so it should not look gloomy and dark but appear bright and airy.
Passageways should also be bright, using natural light where possible, but artificial light where necessary.
Mirrors can be used to make small halls look larger than they are, and scented candles or reed diffusers to impart an attractive fragrance.
With regard to entrance hall furniture, here are some tips on choosing furniture for a hall.
Decide What Type of Hall Furniture You Need Take a good look at the hall and establish the type of furniture you think you might require.
Pay particular attention to: Storage:Such as for boots and shoes, umbrellas, and seasonal wear to help you avoid trailing snow or mud into the main part of your home.
Other storage might be for telephone books, emergency numbers and so on.
Solution: There are various stands and racks available for this type of use, ranging from the traditional umbrella and hat stand to their more modern equivalents.
Some people use storage benches, with hooks above them for coats.
The bench is useful as a seat to help you remove muddy boots and shoes, and the seats lift up to offer suitable storage space.
Display:Accent tables look good in any hall, and can be used to display flower vases, candles or reed diffusers.
A nice flower arrangement is welcoming in any entrance hall, and its effect can be enhanced by setting the flower vase beside a wall mirror.
Lighting can be used to highlight such accents during the evening.
Solution: There is a huge selection of accent tables available to view, both online and in furniture showrooms.
A semi-circular sofa table, such as the Rafferty sofa table by Signature or the same firm's Shelton table, which can also be used as a telephone table with space below for telephone directories, are two examples.
Most console tables are good for entrance halls because they tend to be longer rather than squat.
Accents: While sofa or console tables such as those mentioned above are suitable for hallways, accent tables are particularly suitable for small passageways and entrance halls.
Solution: The 25-inch high Ferndale triangular accent table by Magnussen Home is 24 inches each side and fits neatly into a small corner.
The 52-inch long Paula Deen Home hall table is 18 inches deep and has two lower shelves - this is available in white or cherry veneer and is an ideal form of hall furniture for any style of hallway or entrance hall.
Cabinets: Cabinets are also a useful form of furniture for a hall.
A small bookcase can be used to display a set of encyclopedias, while corner or small rectangular curio cabinets offer an excellent way to introduce your collections to visitors as they enter your home.
Solution: Pulaski furniture offers a graceful 70-inch high curio cabinet in light oak, which at 18" long and 11" deep would fit practically any size of hall.
Hall furniture such as this should be finished in a light color, unless your hall is permanently lit.
Dark woods and finishes are not generally suitable for halls that can tend to be gloomy in nature.
Reflections: Mirrors can be used to reflect any aspects of your hall that you choose.
As mentioned, they can be placed behind a flower display to open it out, and can also be placed strategically, such as at the end of a small hall facing the entrance door to give an illusion of length and space.
Solution: If you prefer to use portable mirrors that can be used only when wanted, Coaster offer some fabulous cheval mirrors on stands, including a rectangular and an oval mirror, each standing just an inch short of 6 feet.
These will look great when placed at the end of a hall.
Or even when lit in a dark alcove! These are just some ideas on how to choose furniture for a hall.
There is a large selection of entrance hall furniture and furniture suitable for passageways to be found, both online and in mall stores.
Before buying anything, however, decide what you need from the example categories above.
It is fine to check out furniture websites, but don't purchase directly from a website.
Visit the same company's showroom and view the pieces that catch your eye - they might look different in real life! Pieces are photographed to look their best, so make sure you check out your hall furniture live.
Choosing furniture for a hall is easy, but choosing the right furniture might not be!