First Impressions Count - Look After Your Hallway

  When it comes to making the most of your décor try not to forget


about the hallway. Everyone is well aware of the old saying


that first impressions count, but despite this   we


very often neglect to give the reception area and vestibule in our home the


style makeover we give to the rest of the house. A well-functioning and   stylishly designed and decorated   entrance hall can become   a focal point for the home, making it   more straight forward to leave the house with all the items (phone, gym kit, dog lead, shopping bags...)


that are required for   day to day living. So stop putting things off and start to pay some


attention to your hallway.  Wipe the front step   to clear


away any small stones and leaves –


this will reduce the risk of them being brought indoors and creating dirt and


dust.   Be certain


your front door closes   firmly and,


if it does not, fit stick-on draft excluding strips, available from DIY stores.


  Check the paintwork is neat and intact, paying special care around the key hole. If your door is UPVC,   the best thing to do is wash it down with some


general household cleaner and a microfiber cloth. Clean glass panels so they


sparkle, and revive metal letterboxes, handles and door numbers with Brasso or


Silvo.Give your doorstep a facelift. If it's wood, apply a stain; if stone


or brick, try International Paint's Doorstep


Paint. Use a galvanised buchet to house your umbrellas, ready to grab


should it look like rain's coming.  Sort


out a scarf, hat and pair of gloves for everyone in your family and pop in a


clear storage box under the stairs or in your hall cupboard. Thick winter coats


take up more room than summer jackets, so have a good sort out of your coat


stand, so there's plenty of space. Stash a pile of old newspapers out of sight


in your hallway - but still within easy reach - ready to pop muddy boots and


shoes on. Still on the subject of muddy shoes, buy a stiff brush and keep with


your shoe cleaning kit. Use to brush dried mud off outside, before it gets trodden


into your carpets.  Be certain any


outdoor lights you have fitted are working properly - if it's a


motion-detector light,   check it's coming on sufficiently early to cast its light on your gate or steps.   And simply because the


weather has turned that little bit cooler do not neglect your pot plants Select winter-flowering pansies or cyclamen for colour.   Make sure your hedge is kept neat and tidy – perhaps it


needs one more cut before winter well and truly sets in - you want as much


natural light coming through windows for   the


longest amount of time during the day.   If you have recycling bins leave at the back of your home –   it may well be convenient to leave them by the front door, but


that is hardly the stylsh option, is it?! Finished outside?   Close the


door and   look at your hall   the way a


guest would.   And do not  stop with  the appearance of your hall – how does it


smell?   Place a selection of scented candles around artistically


or perhaps a reed diffuser. There is plenty of choice when it comes to candles


but try to get the best you can, by which we mean brands like Yankee candle and


True Grace candles. Think of your hall as a room, not a space to pass through, and


style it as such.










The author is owner of the Scented candle Store where you will find a range of   candles as well as other home fragrance items like the reed diffuser