Color Blocked Hallway
With any renovation, at least a few unexpected items or issues cause the timeline to shift. That’s just part of it. During this renovation, it happened in the hallway. We waited MONTHS for our closet doors to arrive and they showed up wrong. They were re-ordered not once, not twice, but three times. I suppose I can say the third time is a charm because the hallway is finally finished! I’ve been eager to share this room reveal with you because of the paint application. I took a risk and I’m very glad I did! Click through to see my color blocked hallway in all its glory. I’ve also compiled every single source… you won’t believe how affordable this transformation turned out to be. It’s all in the post!
You probably remember the teaser post… I revealed our linen closet and shared my tips for making paint selections for color blocking while we were waiting on the doors to arrive. If you missed that one, definitely check it out!
Hallways are tricky spaces. You spend a ton of time walking through them to get to & from whichever room you’re entering or exiting, but it’s not an area you’d ever hang out in. My mindset is that a hallway should look great since you’re traveling through it so frequently, but I wouldn’t necessarily devote a large portion of my budget to that particular space since I’m not spending quality time there. Despite the low budget for this hall, I took specific steps to make it feel high-end and custom. I’m pretty sure the average person would never notice!
For starters, we refinished the hardwood floors, replaced every single door, then added gorgeous millwork from Metrie (crown moulding, baseboard, and casing). In addition to a fresh coat of neutral color blocked paint, I also added new hardware to both the interior doors and linen closet (leftover from our kitchen renovation). I opted for the same classic, hammered knob from Nostalgic Warehouse (catch my interview with them here) that can be found throughout our entire home.
Check out the before image below…
It looks like a totally difference space, right?! It’s amazing what updating the basics will do.
On the ceiling, you’ll notice I installed wallpaper and added three flush mount fixtures that elongate the space. On the floor, aside from refinishing the hardwoods, I added a budget-friendly runner with a simple greek key border. It feels nice underfoot and gives the dogs some traction when they come sliding around the corner chasing each other. Ha!
If you watched this project unfold on Instagram (if not, watch it here!), you might remember us customizing the utility doors? We added slats that allow our hot water heater and furnace ventilation. It was an easy, functional customization that kept every single door in our hallway consistent and matching. We were able to avoid ugly utility doors thanks to this retrofitting hack.
In addition to the louvered door panels, I also made a custom air vent return. Thanks to the odd shaped hole in our old home, I had trouble finding a visually pleasing vent cover. After a quick trip to my local hardware store, I came home with a piece of wire mesh and spray paint, then we fashioned this easy custom vent cover that blends nicely with the millwork and patterned wallpaper.
If you’re wondering about sources, I’ve linked everything below. You can either click directly on each item, or use the linked numbers below to be redirected…
01: flush mount light fixture // 02: crown moulding // 03: casing // 04: pull // 05: knob // 06: baseboard // 07: geometric wallpaper // 08: hallway runner // 09: hammered brass door knob // 10: interior door // 11: Sherwin-Williams Extra White SW 7006 // 12: Sherwin-Williams Amazing Gray SW 7044
Go grab the $36 runner (#8) and $56 light fixture (#1) while they’re both on sale! Those are both great bargain finds in the space.
If you’re wondering about the built-in linen closet, don’t forget to check out that post here! We completely reworked that feature and I wallpapered the interior, as well as the drawers. It looks so much better.
Since my previous post, you’ll notice we added a door. It was always my intention to have closed hallway storage for linens, right off the bathroom. Much like the french doors, we didn’t have the linen closet door in time for the shoot. It’s still styled the same way inside though!
The door shown above leads into our guest room. Our hallway is really long and is basically the center of our home.
Alright, I hope that wasn’t hallway overload. Please let me know if you have any questions in the comments below! I’d also love to hear your thoughts on the color blocking paint application or design in general. Sometimes you have to “funkify” a space in a classic way, and on a budget. I tried for both this time around! Do you think I succeeded?