The hallway is the first room in the house that all people who enter it see, so it is necessary to decorate this room stylishly and beautifully. Designers believe that it is the hallway that sets the rest of the mood for the entire home.
The materials that will be used in arranging the hallway should be practical and at the same time beautiful. There are many ways to decorate a hallway, with different designs, but we should not forget that the surfaces should be easy to clean and remain like new for a long time.
After all, the fact is that children can put bicycles in the hallway, which can scratch the walls, shoes, which in turn can stain the walls, and so on. In this article you will learn how to best decorate a hallway and what materials can be used.
What should the wall covering be like?
In fact, there are not so many requirements for wall finishing, unlike finishing a bathroom or toilet. The hallway, the room with the most traffic in the whole house, and therefore bears the heaviest load. As a result, delicate materials are not suitable here; they should also not withstand severe mechanical damage and should not leave scratches.
The second equally important requirement for wall coverings is easy maintenance. The walls should be easy to wipe clean, and best of all, they should absorb less dirt.
Hallway finishing options
There are a great variety of materials that can be used to decorate a hallway. It is important to select them in such a way that the room does not fall out of the overall style of the house and the materials are easily combined with each other.
Most often, walls are finished with laminate, volumetric panels, brickwork, wallpaper, paint or ceramic tiles.
Many people believe that panels are most often used to decorate offices, but not apartments or houses. Panels can be made of wood, MDF, or plastic. Plastic is generally considered the cheapest option.
Experts do not recommend using plastic panels in residential premises. The thing is that this material can emit chemicals; here it is better to use panels made of natural materials, for example, wood.
MDF panels are made from compressed wood chips and are significantly lighter than conventional wood panels. Wood is considered the most expensive and noble material. It is suitable for finishing a room in any style, as well as for finishing almost all rooms.
It has also become stylish to decorate the hallway with stone, but, unfortunately, this option is quite expensive and requires special effort.
HOW TO DECORATE WALLS IN THE CORRIDOR
When choosing material for the hallway walls, it is worth remembering that the corridor takes on increased load. This is the most trafficked place in the house. The decoration of its walls is chosen taking into account the size of the room and the style of the interior, as well as in accordance with the purpose of the room. The corridor space comes into contact with street pollution, it is cleaned very often, so the materials used must be wear-resistant and capable of effective repeated cleaning.
Wallpaper for the corridor
A traditional finishing option is to wallpaper the walls. Nowadays a large selection of textures and colors is offered. Wallpaper is easy to paste; special knowledge and skills are not required for this. In the corridor you can use paper and vinyl wallpaper, as well as photo wallpaper. But it’s better to opt for those options that can be washed.
The finishing pattern is selected depending on the interior features. Small and narrow corridors should not be made too dark, but very light colors are undesirable here, otherwise the wallpaper will quickly lose its fresh look. Choose neutral tones and discreet prints and stripes. For large hallways and halls, we can recommend light colors, plain and with large patterns, contrasting combinations and photo wallpapers. The range of modern wallpapers is so wide that you can choose absolutely any option. The disadvantage of choosing wallpaper as a covering for corridor walls is the low resistance of this material to abrasion and dirt. To make the finish more durable, laminate is sometimes used. It is attached to the lower part of the wall, and the upper part is covered with the selected wallpaper.
Corridor paneling
Modern finishing options are panels made of plastic and MDF. They are easy to attach, wash well, and do not absorb dirt. Another advantage is the low price. But there is also a minus - the panels in the hallway may look rustic, institutional, or may not fit at all with the overall design of the corridor in an apartment or house. Sometimes MDF wall decoration is chosen as a practical temporary option “until better times.” At the same time, with skillful selection of colors and designs, panels can be used to create very unusual images.
Interesting article: DESIGNS FOR A NARROW CORRIDOR
Decorating the corridor with stone
A stylish option is to decorate the corridor walls with artificial or natural decorative stone. In addition to natural material, you can use its high-quality imitation and clinker bricks. In addition, it is not at all necessary to cover the entire surface of the walls with expensive and heavy natural stone. A combination with wallpaper or plastered walls will look elegant and will add landscape notes to the interior of the corridor.
Decorating the hallway with tiles
Ceramic tiles are also good for decorating the hallway. This is a traditional material that is actively used for cladding various surfaces. Ceramic tiles are practical, have a long service life and are well compatible with other finishing materials. In addition to ceramics, porcelain stoneware is often used. This material can imitate natural stone, and in some cases has a wood pattern.
Of course, most often tiles are placed on the floor, but if chosen correctly, they can look very elegant on walls. The downside is the high cost and complexity of the work. In addition, if you want to change the design of the corridor, getting rid of boring tiles is much more difficult than getting rid of wallpaper or panels.
Painting the hallway walls
Painting with preliminary plastering is also used as finishing.
The advantage of this option is the low price and the ability to renew the coating many times. For painting, it is better to choose water-dispersion paints that are resistant to dirt and mechanical damage. It is interesting to decorate the walls in the corridor using decorative plaster. It goes well with stone and other materials. Frescoes or drawings on the walls will help make the corridor more impressive. They will add comfort to the interior and enliven it. However, you need to be prepared for the fact that artistic finishing methods require significant financial investments, time and the participation of experienced craftsmen.
Laminate flooring in the hallway
You can see laminate flooring in the hallways of many homes. This material is quite good, beautiful and not so expensive today, unlike tiles. In addition, laminate looks no worse than natural wood, but costs less. With it you can perform any decorative decoration of the hallway.
Laminate flooring is completely safe and made from environmentally friendly materials; there is also a large selection of colors and textures; it is easy to install. However, the main disadvantage of this coating is that it resists moisture very poorly. If water from the street constantly collects in the hallway, then the coating will simply swell.
Using 3D panels
Decorating the walls in the hallway with panels requires special responsibility and care. The thing is that this material has a completely gypsum base and a special texture, most often waves or diamonds. As a result, it is difficult to wash such panels; they will constantly become clogged with dirt and dust.
It is recommended to either partially decorate the hallway with panels or abandon them altogether. After installing the panels on the wall, they can easily be painted in any color and even coated with gold or silver from spray paint.
Popular finishing options
Decorative plaster
There are many varieties of material. You can choose plaster with a relief or pattern, glossy, matte, bright colors or delicate, pastel. It all depends on your taste and vision of the space. We do not recommend undertaking such repairs yourself. The decorative base requires careful work. You will need a variety of tools - levelers, rollers, combs. What types of plaster for the corridor are most often chosen?
- Venetian - with crumbs of marble and granite. Imitates a variety of terrain, even natural ones - straw, foliage. Requires application of 4-5 thin layers. The work is almost like jewelry.
- Microcement – cement with an admixture of polymer. Durable and moisture-resistant material. It looks beautiful if you apply varnish or wax as a finishing coat.
Venetian plaster
microcement plaster
Wallpaper
Classic option. You cannot buy thin, paper wallpaper. The lower part of the wall is at risk (pets, children, equipment) and will quickly become unusable if you choose a cheap, impractical material.
Vinyl
They consist of a paper base and PVC film of varying thickness and relief. They have increased strength and will retain color for a long time. Tolerates wet cleaning. The variety of colors and patterns allows you to choose an option for every taste and budget. We recommend taking a closer look at flat vinyl (silk-screen printing) or hard vinyl (imitation texture). They are ideal for the hallway.
vinyl wallpapers
Cork
Cork wallpaper provides additional warmth, sound insulation, heat resistance and environmental friendliness. If the interior of your home suggests eco-style, feel free to choose cork for decoration.
cork wallpaper
Liquid
A base that imitates liquid plaster. If the corridor has ledges, niches, or “difficult” corners, give preference to liquid wallpaper. They are easy to apply, hide surface defects, and can be cleaned either with a vacuum cleaner or with a damp cloth if a layer of varnish is applied to them. Mold and mildew will not settle in the corridor, since the material has good breathability.
liquid wallpaper
Panels
The use of panels simplifies repairs. You don’t have to waste time on leveling and thoroughly plastering the walls.
Laminate
Laminate can lie not only on the floor. It can be mounted on a wall using a similar installation principle. Choose panels of class 33. They do not deform from moisture, are easy to clean and have excellent sound insulation. Laminate flooring is suitable for apartment owners who prefer to decorate their homes in natural colors and textures.
laminate
HPL
Modern material made of cellulose fiber and resin. In production, cellulose is treated with a polymer and pressed at high temperatures. The fabric is heat-resistant and resistant to mechanical damage. The color palette of HPL panels remains bright for many years.
HPL
3D
A fashionable way to decorate partitions. 3D panels are chosen by people who prefer a modern style of home decoration. The material visually expands the space and is ideal for narrow, dark corridors. It is environmentally friendly, durable, has good sound and heat insulation. The only difficulty during installation is creating the sheathing.
volumetric panels
PVC
How to decorate the walls in the corridor inexpensively? The answer is obvious - PVC panels. They are produced in the form of slats or sheets, which are cut into the desired format. They hide wall defects well and are easy to clean. It's easy to hide wiring behind them. The front surface of the PVC panel is durable and wear-resistant, and is not afraid of cat claws. Very cheap plastic looks tasteless, choose the material wisely.
PVC panels
Bamboo
Eco panels are easy to install. The wall must first be primed, and then the bamboo must be planted with glue. To make the wall look unusual, plan the pattern and arrange the panels in accordance with the diagram.
bamboo panels
Stone
Decorative natural or artificial stone looks beautiful and noble. It gracefully emphasizes openings and protrusions and is easily combined with wallpaper and plaster. We advise you to choose artificial material. It is much cheaper, but it is difficult to distinguish it from natural material by eye. It happens:
- gypsum – environmentally friendly and cheap;
- acrylic – acrylic resin combined with granite chips, wear-resistant.
- quartz - made from crumbs of quartz rocks, repels dirt and is easy to clean.
All types of artificial material are available in a variety of textures, reliefs and colors. We do not recommend decorating a cramped corridor with stone from floor to ceiling; it looks massive and “eats up” the space. It is better to highlight individual areas - the door trim or the lower zone.
gypsum stone
acrylic stone
quartz stone
Solid wood
How to decorate the walls in the hallway other than wallpaper? Natural wood, if you prefer an eco-friendly, “breathable” interior. This is an elite type of repair that requires considerable expenses. The tree looks noble and luxurious, but needs careful treatment and is capricious in care.
simple wood trim
creative wood trim
There are many options for decorating the walls in the corridor. In the article we described the most popular ones and talked about their pros and cons. Choose a method that suits your financial capabilities and taste.
