Anyone who lives without a closet in the front hall can attest to how frustrating it can be. I don’t have children (yet), but the amount of shoes, coats and scarves that add up over a few days is uncanny. I have taught myself to bring the “non-essentials” upstairs to our coat closet to keep the chaos at bay. Some days though, I dream of a large foyer with a double door closet.
I have come to realize that small living is an art. It’s a balance between knowing what you need, being diligent about putting things back in their place and shopping for dual purpose furniture. The hallway above is our hallway, that won an award on Houzz. Fun, right? It has also gained some attention in Original Home Magazine, an online publication, because of it’s multi purpose.
Here are some things I considered when deciding how to tackle my no-closet design dilemma:
Small Storage
It’s essential to have a place to put things your things when you come in from outside; you need to drop your keys, purse, take off your shoes and jacket. So you ask yourself, where will all these things go? Console tables with multi purpose use are your best bet in small spaces. It allows you to have the opportunity to store your everyday small items (keys, mail, etc) and lends room for mittens, scarves, hats, etc. The Ikea that I used has been a life saver, as it’s narrow enough (aim for 12″-16″ deep at most) yet provides ample storage.
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( I changed the hardware to make it more my own)
Another alternative to the Ikea unit would perhaps be this console table:
This West Elm console is small in scale, with it’s legs slim and narrow depth. It has functional drawers and offers a place for baskets and you can even tuck your shoes under the unit.
Hanging Coats
To keep the front hall looking organized, having easy access hooks for coats is your best option. Be sure to keep only the essential ones in reach, and put the others away when only using them occasionally. This will minimize clutter and offer room for when your guests come. Hooks can be used in a playful way, built in or attached to a pre made unit. This is where you can add your personal touch.
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A Place To Sit
A front hall should always offer a sitting spot for when you and your guests need to put shoes on. As a gal who doesn’t always wear the most practical footwear, this is essential. In the case of our front hall, the space did not allow for a bench, thus we use the stairs or pull out a dining room chair, which is adjacent to the front hall. If neither of these are an option, be a bit more creative.
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