Hallways are often a forgotten space and commonly become a dumping ground for shoes, coats, bags and everything in between. Easily overlooked as a room itself, hallways often get put at the bottom of the DIY to-do list. However, what many people forget is that a hallway is often the first room people see when they enter your home and can therefore leave a lasting impression. This is also the case for upstairs hallways, connecting bedrooms and bathrooms, it’s important that this space feels like a network between rooms and allows for the homeowner’s style to flow naturally between.
Instagrammer Charlotte Summers, from Brighton, completely transformed her upstairs hallway and made it into a whole new room with her impressive DIY skills. She documented the whole journey on her Instagram @charlottes_homestyle and spoke to Jacobs & Dalton about the process. Charlotte transformed her upstairs hallway from a dark and dated area to a bright, airy and modern space. Charlotte even went one step further and created a built-in bookcase - this is such a clever way to utilise space and create that ever-important storage. Charlotte describes her style as a ‘monochrome, classic, contemporary twist’ whilst loving neutral tones and classic features within her home, Charlotte states that she ‘despises clutter’ therefore an element of minimalism also comes into play with her style.
Before and after pictures
Charlotte continues: “One of the main reasons I wanted to build our DIY shelving in the hallway was to have an open place to showcase our personal items in a stylish way, and for it to not only be functional space, but also form an interesting display of what makes us, us! As this is also our office/ working space I wanted to keep the décor minimal to maintain a decluttered mind, and also fill it with things that keep me motivated, such as quotes and prints that mean a lot.”
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Charlotte explains how this added feature is her favourite part of the design: “I would say our open plan hallway/study area is up there with one of the best decisions we have made in our home renovation. When we first bought the house we felt like the ‘box bedroom’ at the end of the hallway was a wasted use of space and light, as we didn’t need the additional single bed and felt it made the 1st floor feel cramped and dark. So we decided to knock the wall down to form an open plan hallway / study space that was more useful to us and created a better flow through the house. We are south facing so this demolished wall flooded our hallway with natural light, and a once locked away wasted view of the South Downs, is now a picturesque sight every time you walk up stairs!”
Before and after pictures
Charlotte also had a couple of handy tips for fellow DIYers planning on a new project:
“I find one of the biggest money burners when it comes to DIY is wastage through trial and error. By planning your cuts carefully and purchasing materials in the most efficient sizes you will minimise the amount of unusable wasted material and save money on the way. As they say ‘look after the pennies and the pounds look after themselves.’”
She adds: “Whatever the project, make sure you have a plan! It does not need to be set in stone but do not dive in until you can visualise what you’re trying to achieve. In my house every DIY starts with a cup of tea (or five), a mood board that gives me a general idea of style, accurate measurements (I measure three times to be sure), a rough drawing of what the end goal looks like, and a materials/ tools list. I have learnt the hard way that failing to prepare is preparing to fail!”
Find her at Instagram: @charlottes_homestyle
