| Often I am amazed at how overlooked some hallways are. These are the hallways within homes and as well as those that lead up to apartments. Too often a hallway is treated like a neglected cousin, and in doing so a tremendous opportunity may be overlooked. Yesterday while approaching an apartment I noticed the hallway from the elevator to the apartment was simply bland at best. Maybe this was part of the architect's 'vision', and maybe this may read well in a publication, but from a human perspective I found the experience somewhat depressing..... and a lost opportunity. That 'lead-up' that a hallway provides to an entry or the transition to another room or set of rooms has the ability to set a tone or build up excitement of what is to come. Hallways should be viewed as (mostly) narrower rooms, not wasted space. So what can be done to enhance a hallway? Smaller art pieces are perfectly suited to this setting, the kind that you'd like to view close-up. A collection of family/friend photos works well too, especially artfully displayed. Take note of the flooring, the lighting, maybe a wall covering that sets a more intimate and inviting message? Maybe a wider internal hallway has the capacity to house a small home office? Hallways are decorating opportunities, not unusable annoyances. They can be decorated beautifully and also engineered to accommodate specific uses. Look closely at all hallways, especially those that lead up to a home: they often set the tone for a showing as the rooms are revealed. First impressions matter. Pauses between rooms matter too. Have a terrific Tuesday! | 
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