Entrance hall ideas - how to make your home festive right from the start

Entrance hall ideas often get forgotten - your hallway, as one of your smaller interior spaces, can seem less important. But the atmosphere it creates sets the tone for the whole house. Come Christmas, your hallway should be giving you that festive feeling as soon as you step through the front door! 

While it can be easy to focus entirely on the living room and overlook a narrow entrance and staircase, it’s the detail that makes the difference. To make an impact with your yuletide decorating this year, go boldly minimalist or maximalist, rather than settling safely in the middle. We’ve compiled some top tips from designers and styling experts to help show you how. 

It’s finally time to deck the halls again, with holly and a lot more besides...

See also: Christmas decorations - the biggest trends for 2020

Hang foliage wreaths from your staircase

Get creative with foliage by loosely weaving sprigs of spruce, fir or ivy around simple rattan or wooden hoops, such as those used for embroidery. Not naturally arty? The more nonchalant the finished result, the better, as it ties into the homemade trend. Not got the time? Have a browse of Etsy (opens in new tab) for some rustic ready-made wreaths or opt for one of our 2020 picks. Hang them from your spindles and give that neglected wall beneath your staircase some style.

Decorate and display some miniature trees

Your main Christmas tree may get all the attention, but miniature trees are ideal for injecting festive spirit into dark corners and narrow corridors. Either follow the same decorating theme to link your hallway to the rooms beyond or have fun playing around with a different palette. If space is particularly tight, consider a trendy pre-lit wall hanging, such as this one from Cox & Cox (opens in new tab).

See also: Faux Christmas trees - our edit of the very best to buy now

Go gaga for gold 

Gold has been a trending colour all year, adding glitz and glam to kitchen worktops and entertaining tables, so expect opulent metallics to dominate festive decor. Mix and match gold, silver, bronze and brass to dazzlingly luxurious effect, and don’t hold back! Gold eucalyptus leaf garlands, mirrored silver paper chains, orb balloons and glittering disco balls are sure to thrill any guests.

Pile up the presents

Getting ahead of the gift-wrapping game doesn’t merely save you from a last-minute Christmas panic. Pile up your prettiest presents at the bottom of the stairs or in a hallway nook, so that they spark that fuzzy festive excitement every time you walk by. Just don’t let children or pets tear them open before the big day!

Weave foliage along the bannister

Brightening up a bannister with foliage is a smart way to incorporate the continuing trend for bringing the outside in. “I love creating loose waves of foliage along the staircase and adding some wintry sparkle with battery-powered fairy lights” says interior stylist Leoma Harper from Style the Clutter.  “I’ll then add finer details and texture by hanging Christmas decorations off the branches.”

See also: The best Christmas wreaths to make a grand - and festive - entrance

Cosy things up with candles

It’s no secret that the warm, flickering glow of candlelight can any space look inviting. Yes, even a dark, narrow hallway! Katherine Christopher, director of K Christopher Interiors, suggests cosying up a dull radiator cabinet or side table with an array of cinnamon-spiced candles in glass lanterns. “Look for copper, bronze and gold tones to create an eye-catching, luxury and elegant finish,” she says. “Trail some chunky twig garlands around your display and intersperse some dark faux berries and glittering ornaments for depth.”

Remember baubles aren’t only for the tree

Every Christmas, a treasure trove of stunning tree decorations arrives in the shops, and we want to buy them all! Luckily, you can justify doing so, as shiny baubles also look fabulous hanging from your staircase or piled up in glass bowls, glistening under your hallway lighting like these by Rebecca Dupere, director of Dupere Design (opens in new tab). She suggests interspersing them among oranges studded with cloves for a mouth-watering festive aroma as soon as you come in from the cold. “You can always use the oranges in mulled wine afterwards!”

See also: Table ideas for Christmas

Release your pent-up party mood

Given how much joy the coronavirus pandemic has sapped from 2020 so far, it makes sense to go unapologetically bold and colourful with your Christmas styling! Drape carnival-esque garlands, complete with tassels and giant sequins, around your bannister and along the handrail. Consider paper pom poms and oversized baubles, too. Ensure your outlandish look stays stylish by sticking to a considered colour scheme that zings against your walls. Enjoy the party mood, even if you can’t host a festive fiesta this year.

See also: Festive finishing touches