Will a long hallway runner look OK with an off-center front door?

14 years ago

Hello, I've given my opinion in other discussions, but this is my first request for help. :-)

The entry hall leading to the open living area at the back of our house is almost six feet wide and eighteen feet long. The floor is light wood laminate, but the hallway is dark and unwelcoming. I'm thinking that a bright color runner will cheer it up. However, the front door is not centered to the hallway as there is a narrow window panel next to it. The door is 36" wide, the side with the windows is 2'2" from one wall and the hinge side is 11" from the other wall. Will a 2'6" wide by 14' long runner, centered on the floor look funny? I will also have a coordinating entry rug across the doorway.

There will be a shoe bench on the window side of the door and a hall table halfway down the hall with a lamp.

I have also considered using a 5' X 8' area rug about halfway down the hall, but I'm not sure if this will look funny.

Thanks so much for your help.

Featured Answer

eoakes

14 years ago

I think it would look good if you balanced out the uneven side with pieces of furniture (if they fit), or heavier wall hangings. to give the room balance. It's hard to say for sure without a visual.

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Comments (9)

PRO
Carolyn Albert-Kincl, ASID
14 years ago
I feel certain that the runner would look strange ONLY if it were off center in a long hallway. Regarding the hall being dark and unwelcoming, it's good that you have a table halfway down the hall with a lamp. You might want to think about adding a wall sconce or two for additional lighting in the hallway.

If you are still worried about the runner, your idea of a rug in the center is good, but it will need to be smaller, probably 3x5. I'd place it in front of the hall table that is halfway down the hall. So with a 5' rug in a 14' hall, there will only be 4.5' on either end. You probably should do the rug instead of the runner. If you're still not sure, bring both home on approval and see which arrangement you prefer.
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lizoregon
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks so much. I will try to attach photos if I can get my iPad to cooperate. The hall is actually 18' long, which is why I was considering either a 14' runner or a 5 x 8 rug at the halfway point. I would center the runner in the hallway, but I wasn't sure if the off center door would make it look odd. Thanks for reassuring me! I don't have any furniture in the hall yet except a temporary chair by the door for removing shoes. The bench will be on one wall by the door and windows and the table or cabinet (hopefully about 6' long) will be halfway down the hall on the opposite wall. I will be hanging pictures along that wall like a gallery. It's a rental, so I can't add sconces. There are two overhead lights, but I don't leave the on. I would leave the lamp on.

I think I will play around with this using a folded blanket, and see how it looks.
PRO
Dytecture
14 years ago
Here's a photo with a off center runner with a console table in the hallway.

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Lanie Brown
14 years ago
Playing with a folded blanket is brilliant. Always good to try out ideas visually in the actual space.
PRO
Custom Home Planning Center
14 years ago
Other than putting a set of bowling pin at the end of the hall with a down light on the pins. Your best bet is to do a tile or stone floor in front of the door and leave the floor in the remainder of the hall to reflect the light given off by the new up lights on top of the build out crown you've added to the hall.
lizoregon
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks everyone for your help with this. Custom Home Planning Center, LOL about the bowling pins. It does have a bowling lane feel at the moment! If we had grand kids they would love sliding in the hallway. I'll just be doing rugs, since it's a rental and I can't make any permanent changes. Thanks for the laugh though. :-)
lizoregon
Original Author
14 years ago
Here's an update (still no photos of the empty hallway). I laid out towels down the hallway to make a 5x8 rug and a 2'6" x 14 foot runner (also tried 8, 10 and 12 foot). The 12 foot runner looked best. However, it only left me about 20" to the wall on each side. The bench and table/sideboard I plan to buy will probably be about 18" deep or less, but it just seemed a bit cramped. I also reviewed photos of a lot of hallways on Houzz and the majority of the long hallways don't have runners. I decided to get the furniture first and see how it looks, and then decide on the runner. Thanks again for helping me think this through.
Katie Adamsky
6 years ago
I just got a runner for our entryway as well, and face a similar problem with our front door being off-center from the hallway. I thought about adding some baskets or a bench on the right hand side, but open to suggestions! We had a welcome mat as well that I took out since I thought it looked awkward with the runner, but now I’m not sure on that either.