Our before and after hallway makeover

Our one bed basement flat may be small in many ways, but we do have our own front door and a really good sized hallway (both plus points in small London flats). When we moved in it was a damp and dark space, with dodgy floorboards and dirty magnolia walls. It had one sad looking ceiling light and a concrete entrance area. We had to have some damp proofing work carried out, we sanded the floorboards and our electrician installed 3 light points in the ceiling and extra plug sockets, after being inspired by images of hallway lighting.

We varnished the floor, painted the walls and ceiling white, painted the end wall next to the desk with blackboard paint and fitted carpet in the entrance area. I wanted to make the space work harder by adding as much storage as possible (Stu owns a lot of vinyl!) with an office/desk area in the corner. And it’s finally finished…!

I’m really pleased with the end result, it’s turned a basic hallway into another room that provides storage and an office area, as well as a nice first impression when you walk into our home. What do you think of the makeover?

Shelving storage: Ikea Expedit

Computer desk: Ikea

Picture shelves: Ikea

Ceiling lights: John Lewis

Cuckoo clock: Muji

Desk chair: Vintage

Desk lamp and fan: Vintage