design 101
A Hallway Can Do One Job Well
British hallways are narrow, dark and asked to do too many jobs at once. They store coats, take deliveries, hold keys and introduce the whole house, often in under two metres of width. The mistake is trying to fix everything at the same time, which gives you storage that makes the space narrower and a mirror with no light to reflect.
Pick the one problem that bothers you most and solve that properly. If the hall is dark, bring light in at low level and take any glazing in the front door seriously. If it is narrow, put everything on the walls and keep the floor clear. If it is cluttered, give it one clear spot for keys and post.
One problem solved well beats three half-solved.
