Home Decor: Project Hallway #3 - Before & After!

I've been waiting to write this post for a couple of weeks now but I've been hanging on because our hallway isn't quite finished. I'm waiting for Mike to put some cubing shelving up, but because he's lacking in the DIY department, I think the sight of the drill is scaring him, so he's procrastinating (he does this an awful lot let me tell you!). So I figured I may be waiting a while, so I'll show you what its looking like now, 99% complete!

As you can see before we had laminate flooring which was down when we bought the property almost 3 years ago. Some may say carpet isn't practical for the hallway as that's the main thoroughfare, however I love carpets and think they're so cosy, and a lot warmer, especially in the winter, so the laminate had to go! The roman blinds which you can just see in the before picture were also here when we moved in. I'd never dealt with these kind of blinds before but soon took a liking to them and actually wanted them in the new hallway, but obviously in a different colour. I accidentally ordered venetian but I couldn't be happier. As I stated in #2, I got them fitted in the recess which adds a lot more privacy. As you can see, we have an ugly electric meter box in our hallway. I was hoping that my new table would cover this but unfortunately there's still a bit peeking! The canvas that you can see in the photo I purchased from Asda for approx. £8.

Lets take a closer look....

I had been lusting after this Parisian nightstand from Dunelm Mill ever since I moved in, but it was never the right time to buy it. I was also hoping it would go down in the sale, but it never did, and for the £129 price tag, I wasn't sure if I could splurge on something that was technically just going to sit in my hallway and look pretty. Almost 3 years later and I bit the bullet and bought it. I was still in love with it so knew it wasn't just a 'phase' I was going through! Being completely mirrored, it does gather dust pretty quickly, but I keep a special cloth in the drawer (that came with the item) so it takes me a matter of seconds to dust it and maintain it.

You may spot a little bit of a difference between the first table photo and this one.. the date gives it away! It also highlights how I've already changed my accessories around! Haha. I've been wanting one of these wooden block calendars for so long, so when I began searching, I was amazed at the variation in price in different shops for the same quality! This wooden calendar I also picked up from Dunelm Mill for a mere £3.99. I think the font style and colouring couldn't match any better if you tried! The glass lidded trinket jar was again, from Dunelm and was so inexpensive at £2.99. I bought this with the intention of putting keys in as they always get thrown on the kitchen sides. It's been used a few times for keys but I actually think I prefer it empty! It actually came with a pale pink ribbon round the lid, but I took this off. The glass perfume bottle was also £2.99, again, from Dunelm! This came with a lemon ribbon but I took this off and tied my own round it that match my colour scheme a little more!

I often have a candle burning on here as well, which makes everywhere look really snug and homely at night.

Hanging above all this is the Fawsley Foile Pendant chandelier which is from, yup, you've guessed it.. Dunelm! It was £24.99 but unfortunately I can no longer find it on the website. I wanted a little bit of a statement lampshade but nothing too 'in your face', and I think this is perfect. I love the fact that it has both material and 'crystals'/gems. There are quite a few cheap looking chandeliers about now, so I was warey about falling into this trap, but I don't think this looks tacky at all. Even though I haven't changed my lightbulb, it adds so much more light to my hallway at night as well!

 

On the windowsill by the side of the table I've been getting into the habit of displaying fresh flowers. I've been buying a cheap bunch of flowers every 1-2 weeks and splitting them in half, displaying them on each windowsill both here and at the top of the stairs. I love having fresh flowers around the house, especially in the spring/summer. This is a DIY vase that I made myself out of a glass jar. You can probably tell how I made it just by looking but if you'd like a tutorial then comment below!

 

 



I'm aware that this is quite a bad angle for a comparison photo, but you get the picture! The stair post (with the beaded heart on) quickly became a place where we would just hang our coats on when we came in. The coats got layered up until there was a mass of unsightly mess that would be left for me to tidy up and put back in the correct place. Since decorating, I've deliberately put this heart here, not only because I think its a nice simple decoration for the stairs, but to also stop my boyfriend from hanging his many coats! I tell him that doing this could result in the heart scratching the paintwork.. so far so good!

This mirror I've had for a while. I purchased it from B&M, however I know they still have a load in store. Mine was originally white but I spray painted it silver and hung these rose beaded garlands on for a little more glamour. These were £2.99 from the wedding section in erm.. Dunelm Mill?

This wall I'm not too sure about. I've tried to create a collage of photos in a quirky way (i.e. I didn't want all perfectly sized/equal positioning). The silver frames I purchased from B&M. They were originally rose gold but I spray painted them. I think I may get 2 more black ones to place in with them because I'm still not 100% happy with this arrangement.

Apart from the vase of flowers on the top windowsill, the landing is still bare with nothing on the walls so I may showcase this at a later stage once Mike is brave enough to try his drilling skills!

What do you think? In you in the process of decorating? Next task for me.. the bedroom!

If you haven't yet read #1 and #2 on my 'Project Hallway' then feel free to do so here and here.

PS - On a different note, I am holding a giveaway on my blog to win a 250ml bottle of Bioderma (the eye make-up remover that EVERYONE raves about!). I have 2 up for grabs. To find out more, click here.