One part of our house has always felt unfinished to me: the hallway. It's a space I walk through countless times every single day that has never received any design love. Why? I guess because it's so much simpler for me to organize a concept or a theme for a room. A corridor is so transitory! So abstract! So easy to ignore!
Until now, when my baby has decided to use the hallway as his straightaway. 🏁 Watching him explore this blank stretch of house made me want to make it colorful and interesting. Which, BTW, is something I’ve noticed a lot since becoming a parent.
Projects I put off for years—a place to eat dinner in the yard, a properly lit living room—I’ve found the motivation to do for him. Time feels tighter than ever with a baby, but the motivation to make our home warm and welcoming is stronger than ever, too.
So, I finally gave our hallway its moment. I hung a family portrait that had been collecting dust since the holidays (WHY did it take me six months to hang this?!). I found a runner rug I loved and rolled it out. That’s literally it. Two tiny acts, maybe a few hours’ worth of effort, and the space feels so much more alive. Walking that hallway feels like an entirely different experience.
Gentle nudge this week: if you’re a hallway neglector like me, don’t be! Find a piece of art you love. Throw down a runner rug. Boom.
Here are my favorite picks from two Sway-fave brands that prioritize healthy materials (
and they’re washable)...in case your hallway is next. You can find
Sway’s rug-vetting standards here.
