Home Project: Gallery Hallway
“Hallways are the pathways that pump life into our home.”
A space where guests are welcomed, a walkway of memories are shared, family culture is celebrated, friends gather for coffee while sitting and watching children, and prayers are spoken over our home.
I recently completed a special hallway project in our home. Our entry hall had little purpose and mostly served as a space to walk from point A to point B (and hang random wall art). I wanted to create an entryway that invited guests into our home with glimpses of who we are, where we’ve been and what we value. I also needed to find a way to work with the current colors in our home (beige and black), which I have to admit I wasn’t a fan of at first, but I have come to love. What this space lacked were side tables, shoe storage, light and inspiration! Instead of buying all new furniture I repainted our entryway table and bench to match each other and to go with our current hallway mirror.
My husband and I captured so many photos from our trip to Spain. We were fascinated by the architecture and old doors. I wanted to somehow capture the designs we fell in love with in a creative and simple way. The Alhambra in Granada and Plaza de Espana in Seville was especially meaningful and inspiring. My great, great grandfather came from a small town called Padul just outside of historic Granada.
Our bench sits across from the playroom, so I really wanted to be intentional with this space by creating a nice seating area for my friends and I to sit and have coffee while watching the kids play. I also like to sit here and relax in the mornings when my son is playing. Before the bench was just used as storage for family games.
There are many ways to personalize and add interest to your wall collage. I mixed family portraits with framed architectural details like these iron Spanish rosettes and modern, carved wooden plinths that resemble the Moorish carvings we saw in the doorways at the Alhambra Palace. I love the classic look of black and white photos. The brass frames add elegance.
Decor Tip: Adding gallery lighting above your photos creates an elevated look. In the evenings gallery lights provide a warm glow and soft lighting in your hallway.
Finding authentic metallic mosaic tile similar to what we saw in Plaza de Espana was a challenge. Thinking outside of the box I added metallic accents and touches of artisanal details through the photo frames, plant pots, pillow buttons, candle sticks and pearl mosaic side table.
I kept our entry table minimal, only highlighting a couple of meaningful family photos, a framed verse that has special meaning to our home, and a few elegant accents to dress it up. The style sets the tone for our home: simple, elegant and approachable. A handwoven storage basket sits underneath our table as a place to store our shoes when we come in. Storage baskets with lids are an easy and decorative solution to entryway clutter. (For more ideas on elegant entryway storage solutions).
To play up the beautiful archways in our hallway I looked for photo frames with arches and round edges to help soften the space.
Creating an elevated living space for your family takes time, intention and a whole lot of heart. Be intentional with every space in your home. Your hallway can be more than just a passing through zone. Now, when I walk through my entry hallway instead of it being just a walkway, it serves as an everyday reminder of my blessings. I have the joy of walking into a space that reflects my creativity and the heart of my home.