How to Decorate a Long Foyer Hall

A long foyer hall presents a decorating dilemma because, if you don't decorate it properly, it can end up looking bare, cluttered or more narrow than it really is. The area 5 feet above the floor is an important space, according to interior decorator Barbara Schlattman in "The Smart Approach to Home Decorating," because that's where your eyes focus. No matter what decor elements you choose -- paint, artwork, rugs, mirrors or lighting -- you should strive to make the foyer a welcoming place for family and guests who enter your home. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Paint the long foyer hallway a lighter paint color, such as eggshell or ivory, which can make it appear wider and more spacious. Dark colors can make a long hallway seem more narrow.

2

Place a rug in front of the door for people to step on as they come into your home. Not only is this helpful if visitors have wet or dirty shoes, but it will help visually break up the long space, especially if you position a matching or coordinating rug in a separate area of the hallway, such as midway down the foyer hall. A second rug can also be used halfway down the hall as a visual anchor for a bench, small table and chair or console table. If space permits, furniture can provide a seating area to put on shoes or a place to leave your keys.

3

Hang a single, large mirror on the wall above a console table or bench to give the illusion of more space in the hallway. The mirror should fit the size of the table or bench ... not too big and not too small. Or hang a grouping of five or more smaller mirrors on one of the long walls of the foyer hallway to open up the space. Hang additional groupings of artwork or framed photographs 4 to 5 feet down the wall from the grouping of mirrors. Keep the groupings limited to one of the long walls, not both; groupings on both sides of the wall can be overwhelming.

4

Mount sconces, connected to a dimmer switch, on the long foyer walls to provide decorative, soft, continuous lighting for those who enter your home. Choose sconces that are similar in style to or coordinate well with your main light fixture. Mount them 8 to 10 feet apart on the walls, at a height of no less than 66 inches.