How can I create a hallway when there isn't one?!

[slinkyboo]

We have just moved into our lovely new home in France. It is nearly perfect (apart from needing new bathrooms etc) except it doesn't have a 'proper' hallway. The main door leads straight into the living area. There is a good sized claokroom around the corner where we hand coats and store shoes...but I'm struggling with what to have just as you walk in, to keep things tidy and have somewhere to put bag, keys etc. At the moment there is just a basket on the floor for shoes...and debris on the floor! Thanks for any suggestions

If it's just a bag and keys then a very flat hall cupboard (Ikea do wardrobes only 35cm deep) or a console table with drawers but if you want more storage than that it's a question of (a) moving front door (expensive and could ruin the appearance of the house (b) training yourself to use the cloakroom (c) creating one of those little lobby areas that are generally cramped and dark and eat into the proportions of the room you are borrowing from (d) making a big porch (see (a)) (e) using the back door and extending to create some sort of mud room there (this relies on you being at least semi-detached of course).

Thanks lala...the porch is a good idea for a leter date as outside the main door is a large side patio area where the roof overhangs. I imagine it would not be too difficult to create some sort of porch (plenty of room).

In the meantime...I've been looking at those bench seats with baskets underneath...think one of those would do exactly what I want. Thanks!

How about one of those Ikea shelving units which you can use as a room divider - you could put a few baskets in the alcoves to hold keys, etc and as you can see through the shelf (no back to it) it won't block any light.

We had no hallway here when we moved in & eventually got a false wall built incorporating cupboards, etc. It doesn't run the full length of the room, just long enough to give the feel of a hallway. Porch as well.