What would you do with this hallway?

[MrsPacMan]

I'm lacking in inspiration, flooring, wall colours, knock the cupboard under the stairs out to leave it more open. House renovation has melted my head

I think a radiator cover would look very twee, sorry.

Is the radiator a normal heigh one or is it especially long and short?

If its a normal height one I'd put a shelf and mirror above it.

If it is a long and thin on I would change to an upright fancy new modern one and free up some wall space.

I don't think radiator covers are necessarily twee as long as you go for a modern style.

You could have a radiator cover which has vertical strips (rather than criss cross trellis which is a bit 1990s). this sort of thing. Or maybe horizontal strips would be more 1930s. If you got it made with a solid wood shelf across the top it would tie in nicely with the banisters.

Or there are even more modern radiator covers around like this but no idea where you would get one.

Or you could not have a cover and just have a shelf above, or a console table which fits "around" the radiator iyswim.

But before you order anything, rip up the carpet and take a look. Under a similar swirly floral in our 1930s house we found original oak parquet flooring which we still have. It looks gorgeous with nothing more than a quick mopping a couple of times a week.

We've got similar bannisters in our house, I have to admit I wasn't keen at first but painted them white and they've been fantastic for young kids learning the climb stairs :) three different heights has worked well for us. Agree with the above, wood floors and carpet on stairs, maybe some coir matting set into the floor near the door for muddy shoes?

Agree about the tiles- we have inherited some black shiny tiles in our hallway and they are a nightmare! So difficult to keep clean, plus the previous owners dogs have scratched the surface.

Hate the banister - either spindles or oak newel posts and glass - might be the quickest and not too expensive. Agree with laminate flooring and new doors, get rid of the doorbell and a new radiator - either upright or column radiator - if budget allows all this.

Decor wise, I like the dado rail with a split paint colour. We have pale grey on bottom and PBW on top

Very good point DrudgeJedd

Is the house 1930s or 1960s? The stair case is the same as we have had in two houses built in 1968. The doors look of that era as well. In the 1930s they would probably be a plain square spindle.

I agree about lifting the carpet and seeing what's there, in both 1930s and quality 60/70s houses there possibly could be parquet. Herringbone, if you're lucky or square, which is ok.

definitely the banisters....i recently replaced mine, I kept telling people I hated them and they are ugly. when people asked me to show them what they were like I put ugly banister in google images and they came up! we have spindles now and it looks so much better!
love the radiator covers minipie has flagged up!

What age is the house? I had bannisters like that in a 70s house - they'd been stained a very orangy pine so I painted them white with a satin wood and they looked great. I'd keep yours and work with the colour if they are original.

I don't think I'd do a radiator cover - maybe a shelf over it.

I like the bannisters. I'd paint them white and replace the dark wooden doors to the other rooms.

Plain carpet or runner on stairs and tiles / wood / karndean on ground floor sounds good.

We have tiles on our porcelain tiles on our ground floor and it's great. Very practical and looks good.

Oh I'd also replace the radiator with a nicer looking one. Maybe a flat panel or if your decor is appropriate then an upright.

House is 1964 (from memory)

I sort of like the bannister but I know it divides opinion and I'm not sure if it will dictate the decor in the entire hallway?

There's a porch and not a massive amount of space between door and stairs so not sure an upright radiator would fit, but would like a nicer looking normal radiator (if there is such a thing)

Will definitely lift carpets and have a peek incase there's something lovely under there 😊

www.hudevad.com/en/products/p5p5k

There are cheaper alternatives (we have one) but wish we'd got these. Plain and blend in to the wall rather than being a feature.

We had a couple of those in our old place pirsonal - they do look very good.

Minipie - we'd like to change our cheap plain ones for Hudevad however the chances of all the pipework being in the correct place isn't high. We fully renovated so the thought of knocking new holes and putting in new pipework isn't very appealing.

I hear they are great though. Trust the Scandanavians.

They look lovely! So much nicer than "normal" radiators, very clean, and probably would be nice with the clean lines of the bannister. 😊

Feeling much more hopeful about the whole thing now. Anyone have any wisdom on doors?

The Jed Wen single or four panel Shaker in natural wood, from Screwfix would look contemporary and smart.

Yes I agree with JT05 on the style of door. I think I prefer the four panel but both are nice. However, if you are keeping the existing banister I would go for painted white doors as otherwise the woods won't match. Also painted white doors make the place feel more spacious IMO.

What would people think of painting the bannister a colour other than white? Too crazy?

No not at all crazy- if you don't like it you can always re do it.

What colour and were you thinking of toning it in with the walls or making it a feature?

would like a nicer looking normal radiator (if there is such a thing)

Personally I think the "Barlo Round-Top Type 21 Double Panel Plus Convector" radiatords look the smartest of all the 'normal' radiators.
www.screwfix.com/c/heating-plumbing/central-heating-radiators/cat830988#category=cat2900036&brand=barlo

What would people think of painting the bannister a colour other than white? Too crazy?

Honestly, I wouldn't. What colour would you go for? Grey woodwork always looks a bit depressing to me.

I vote for white. You have a lovely hallway, lots of space. What a great welcome it is to the house. I'd leave it as uncluttered as possible.

You'll need firedoors. Look at the Dordogne ones. www.howdens.com/doors-joinery-collection/internal-doors/internal-primed-stile-rail-doors/primed-dordogne-door/

Very simple but stylish. Painted or left as wood.