A wide corridor is a source of extra square footage for storage, displays and more. It is an area of the home that people often ignore since they consider it useless space. On the contrary, it can be used in creative ways that go far beyond a typical family photo gallery. Consider creative new ways to use a wide corridor, and make the most of every square inch of your home. A hallway with more than 36 inches of extra width offers many creative possibilities.
Add a Wall of Built-In Book Shelves
One of my return clients has a beautiful home with a very wide corridor that leads to four bedrooms and a large bathroom. It was a huge waste of space since she used it to hold a single narrow table with a faux plant and an array of framed family photos. It did not look good at all, and I gave her a few creative new ways to use her wide corridor.
She had a tremendous amount of hardback books, many of which were first edition collectibles. They were not displayed in an ideal location since the room was exposed to sunlight when the window treatments were open. The wide corridor was the ideal location for built-in book shelves and collectible book storage.
I had my father measure and design built-in book shelves for one side of her wide corridor. They were twelve inches deep and offered six supported levels from floor to ceiling. She used the top level to display a collection of wood carvings. The books and carvings looked tremendous, and they would no longer be exposed to sunlight.
Create a Seating Area Beneath a Corridor of Windows
The end of her wide corridor offered a recessed space with a window. The view was beautiful. I suggested using it for something other than a place to hold potted plants. When mulling over ways to use the end of her wide corridor we decided on a built-in seating area. She commissioned my father to build a sturdy U-shaped bench with hidden storage, and we ordered custom cushions that coordinated with the colors of her decor.
During the day the northern exposure provided enough light for reading, and at night the family used wall mounted lighting. Her wide corridor became a useable space that added a great amount of appeal to the home. She was very happy with the finished product.
Built-in shelves such as those previously mentioned could be used to display collectibles. In any case, they served double duty. Not only did they provide another place for storage, but they also helped to further insulate the wall thermally and acoustically. By all accounts it look brand new, and the wide corridor was used from one end to the other.
Source: Personal and Professional Home Decorating and Design