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The Finished Hallway Remodel – Before & After

I was beginning to think that I would never be able to say these words, and that I was stuck in some sort of hellish Groundhog Day scenario where I’d just be working on my hallway from now to eternity without ever actually moving forward, but finally…the hallway is finished.

hallway after remodel - teal doors, striped walls, watercolor artwork

It doesn’t seem like there would be much to do in a hallway, right? But this hallway has undergone quite the transformation since we bought this house. So let’s start with a few before and afters, shall we?

This was the view into the hallway from what is now the music room when we bought the house.

hallway before remodel - narrow cased opening into hallway, green carpet

The doorway was very narrow already, but it was made to feel even narrower with a folding vinyl “curtain” that was installed in the doorway. And just like most of the other rooms, the hallway had green carpet, polystyrene tiles on the ceiling, and a drab flat antique white paint color on the walls.

I widened the opening between the music room and the hallway, removed the carpet and refinished the original hardwood floors, removed the polystyrene tiles, had the whole thing re-drywalled, and in general, opened up and lightened up the hallway.

hallway after remodel - teal doors, striped walls, view from music room
hallway remodel - before and after - hallway doorway widened, striped walls, teal doors

The original coat closet was just inside that doorway to the right, blocking the view of the hallway bathroom. When the furnace was added to the house, the coat closet was used to house the huge intake duct, which filled the entire closet, making it no longer useful as a coat closet.

hallway before remodel - original coat closet being used for furnace ductwork

During the bathroom remodel, I removed that coat closet completely, along with the huge metal intake duct that was inside…

removing a hallway closet and air ducts for furnace

…and then I moved and widened the bathroom doorway. This was the view from inside the bathroom looking towards the hallway during that remodel.

moving and widening a bathroom doorway

So now that view to the right from the doorway between the music room and hallway looks like this…

hallway after remodel - view into hallway bathroom with teal doors and gray vanity
hallway remodel - before and after - green carpet removed, original hardwood floors refinished, closet removed, bathroom door widened

Just to the left inside the doorway, the previous owners had built an additional coat closet to make up for the loss of the original coat closet to the ductwork. So all of this in combination — the very narrow doorway with closets on either side — made this hallway feel very cramped and closed in.

hallway before remodel - closets on both sides of doorway

Now that the closet on the right has been removed, and the closet on the left has been replaced with built-in cabinets that aren’t as deep as the closet, things feel much more open.

hallway after remodel - teal doors, striped walls, watercolor artwork

Once you got past the closets, then there was a wall of shelves on the left (most of which had been removed before I took this picture), and there was also another tall, enclosed, movable storage unit on the right. That was also removed before I took this picture. The previous occupants definitely liked to have many storage options. 🙂

hallway before remodel - green carpet, shelves

I used both of those areas to add some color and decor to the hallway.

hallway after remodel - original hardwood floors, teal doors, striped walls, watercolor artwork
hallway remodel - before and after - striped walls, new doors, teal doors

On the left is a series of colorful geode watercolor prints that I found on Etsy (source in the list below).

hallway after remodel - teal doors, striped walls, watercolor geode prints

On the right is the little console table that I built specifically to fit this space, along with one of my favorite pictures from our wedding day that my mom turned into a “watercolor” with her Photoshop magic.

hallway after remodel - striped walls, teal doors, gray console table, watercolor artwork

Standing in front of the bedroom doors and looking back towards what is now the music room, you could really get a sense of how closed in the doorway and closets made the hallway feel.

hallway before remodel - closets on both sides of cased opening

Removing one closet, decreasing the depth of the other storage (from 24 inches to 18 inches), and widening the doorway went a long way towards making this hallway feel brighter and much more open.

hallway after remodel - widened doorway, teal doors, custom linen cabinet, striped walls
hallway remodel - before and after - widened doorway, closets removed, striped walls, teal doors

Here’s a better view of the larger closet that the previous owners had built to replace the storage in the original coat closet lost to the furnace intake duct.

hallway before remodel - 1970s closet, narrow cased opening, green carpet

Tearing that closet out was one of the very first projects I did right after we bought the house. First I took all of the green carpet and carpet pads up, and then I tore down that closet…along with some of the polystyrene ceiling tiles and some of the 1″ x 4″ boards they were stapled to.

hallway closet removed

And I also learned that at some point, everything was painted seafoam green — the walls, ceilings, trim, doors, and even the exterior wood siding. I’ve found this color on every surface except the wood floors.

And now that closet has been replaced with this custom, built-by-my-hands cabinet that has storage in the top with adjustable shelves, two drawers in the middle, and a big compartment in the bottom that houses my cat’s litter box, with an entrance on the side where she can easily get in and out.

hallway after remodel - new linen closet with cabinet for hidden cat litter box and entrance on side
hallway remodel - before and after - old closet removed and new linen cabinet installed

So that’s it for the before and afters, but I also tried to get some pictures showing how the hallway connects and relates to other areas of the house.

From the hallway bathroom (i.e., while standing at the sink) this is the view into the hallway…

hallway after remodel - custom linen cabinet with compartment for hidden cat litter box, view from hallway bathroom

Standing over by the cabinet and looking into the music room, you can get a glimpse into the kitchen…

hallway after remodel - peek into kitchen from hallway

Those chairs and side table in the music room are still awaiting their makeovers. 🙂 I can assure you they won’t be used as-is in that room.

Standing in the music room over by the doorway into the kitchen and looking back towards the hallway, this is the view…

hallway after remodel - custom built-in linen cabinet, view from music room

And finally, from the chairs in the music room, you can see the entryway wall, the hallway, and of course, the music room wall that has the piano against it.

hallway after remodel - view from music room, teal doors, custom linen cabinet

I kept forgetting to order the dummy doorknobs (i.e., doorknobs that don’t turn) for the bathroom doors. I finally did that yesterday and they should be here Wednesday. But other than that one very minor thing left to do, I’m so unbelievably relieved to be done with this hallway. This thing has been like a heavy weight on my shoulders for months now. Every time I’d want to work on something else, I’d feel this twinge of guilt because I really needed to finish the hallway first. Well, no more. I’m now free to work on other things completely guilt-free. 🙂

Products, Sources and Links:

  • Paint color – walls, trim, cabinet: Polar Bear, Behr
  • Paint color – stripes on wall: Classic Gray, Benjamin Moore
  • Paint color – doors: custom mix, Behr (click here to see formula)
  • Paint color – ceiling: white flat ceiling paint, Behr
  • Paint color – console table: Kendall Charcoal, Benjamin Moore
  • Paint color – lamp base: Coral, Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch spray paint, gloss finish
  • Ceiling light: Overstock
  • Geode watercolor prints: WatercolorPaperie on Etsy
  • Black frames: Hobby Lobby
  • Double white on white 24″ x 36″ mat: Amazon
  • Matte gold 24″ x 36″ frame: Hobby Lobby (custom order section)
  • Console table: DIY instructions here
  • Kitty Pass wall tunnel: Amazon
  • High wall cat litter box: Amazon
  • Gorilla Grip cat litter mat: Amazon
  • Built-in cabinets: DIY instructions here
  • Matte black Schlage Plymouth with Addison Rose doorknobs: Build.com
  • Lamp: Marshall’s (used to be turquoise)

 

 

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93 Comments

  1. It is such an amazing transformation Kristi from what it started out as…….an understated ugly duckling hallway to a hallway that is modern, classic and very stylish and so open and refreshing! Once again, you had incredible forth sight with removing those closets and opening the doorway to the music room. Great job, well done!!!!

  2. It looks wonderful!!! I don’t know why but, I wanted to see this area done so much. I think ever since you did the bathroom. It’s just so beautiful!

  3. So, have you sung part of the Hallelujah Chorus in there? I’m guessing the acoustics are pretty cool! I know I’d want to sing some sort of praise song for getting such a big project all finished!! It all looks amazing!

  4. Kristi, this is ahhhhmazing! I love every inch of it! It’s more functional, bright, open and really inviting! The fact that you are doing all this yourself still blows my mind. Bravo girl!!

  5. Not once in my life have I said the words “I love your hallway”. I love your hallway! The b4 and after pic are so fun to see. Thank you for sharing

  6. Whew! I’m exhausted just thinking of all the work that went into that hallway! It turned out beautifully! Question: where did you relocate the intake vent to ? on all the DIY shows they lament at how expensive it is to move HVAC.

    1. We actually have a completely new HVAC system. The old furnace and all of its huge metal ductwork is completely gone. Our new HVAC indoor unit is in the attic, sitting just above the walls shared by the bathroom, hallway and music room, and the intake is that big vent on the hallway ceiling.

  7. It looks wonderful !! What a difference!! I’ll bet it make you feel giddy just to walk thru there !!
    But did you mention one of my favorite things?? The skylight ! I just love it!! So much light added !
    Now on to some fun things!!

  8. One word…PERFECTION!!! LOVE EVERYTHING…from the ceiling down to the floor…speaking of the floor…the color turned out SO BEAUTIFUL on your floors too!!!

  9. Truly wonderful! Thanks for all the different perspectives. It’s great to see how the various parts of your home relate to each other. What an amazing transformation! Very inspiring!!!

  10. I really can’t get over how NICE the finished rooms look compared to where they started. It’s amazing how cheap carpet, old paint, awkward built-ins, and polystyrene panels had made the house look so sad and shabby when there is such a nice house underneath. Great job! and good for you and Matt that you had the ability to see the diamond underneath all that mess!

    1. I was thinking the same thing ..it really motivates me to do something with our hallway.
      Seeing the diamond is one thing many of us miss and why those flip-flop shows and Kristi’s transformation are so encouraging. Wonder of wonders..Kristi you are amazing!

  11. It’s absolutely beautiful, congratulations! The most outstanding thing to me is the difference using the black marker on the stencil in the music room made. I liked it before, but doing the shadowing with the black marker made a huge difference and it is now gorgeous!

  12. That is stunning! You have been working on that hallway for so long, I bet you are so glad to have it finished. You are making such great progress on your yearly goal list. Fantastic! Can’t wait to see what you coming up with next.

  13. I know how important it is to have room to move around in a wheelchair (my ex is wheelchair bound), but boy, that accessibility comes in handy for the rest of us, too! I love how open and spacious that hallway is! All your doorways, really! You have really turned your home into a dream house! I know you have a lot more in the future plans. I always look forward to your projects!

  14. This is one of my favorite areas you have rehabbed! It’s such a change from the original hallway area. It’s open and welcoming and looks amazing from all other rooms in your home. I love it! Well done, Kristi!

  15. Wow! Just. Wow. I’m so totally blown away with your vision: I wouldn’t have been able to “see” the finished space in the Before, and thus, would have passed on the house. You are so inspiring. Thank you for sharing.

  16. Quite beautiful. Job well done! I so appreciate the pictures from the different viewpoints. One of my favorite things is how well your spaces flow together, which I know is by design but I’ve noticed it’s something so many people overlook. Your interior design background really shines in the choices you make. Thank you for sharing.

  17. Wow, what a transformation! I love how’s the house is coming together. And look it, there’s furniture in the music room. You must be happy to finally have some working, finished rooms.

  18. this is really beautiful!!! What an amazing transformation for you and Matt! The house looks so much bigger in the after photos with the changes you made. Really, it’s just lovely. 🙂

    1. I have just been scrolling thru as I was sure I wouldn’t be the only one who thinks the chairs are amazing as is… The hallway looks magazine perfect and those chairs in the background are DONE imho!
      bravo Kristi!

  19. Goodness that is pretty. All the rooms are coming together really nicely. The last photo from the music room, showing the hallway and entry really helped me understand how it all came together. I love it!
    I have one SUPER OCD comment, and I may be the only person who notices this. Your geode prints. If you centered them on a gray stripe instead of the white stripe, there would be an equal number of stripes at the top and at the bottom, thereby visually centering them on the wall. Am I totally crazy?

    1. Yes, you are :))) Sorry! If you look at them as a group of pictures, there are both horizontal and vertical symmetry of the stripes. xoxo

  20. Oh.em.gee Kristi!! Your hallway makeover looks amazing! But so do all the other rooms you have renovated since moving in! Everything you have done just blows me away! I am a neutral girl but every time you choose something colorful that I think I won’t like, I always end up thinking it looks so beautiful when you are finished. Your vision for your home… and your abiity to get it done… is seriously impressive and very inspiring! Beautiful job! 🙂

    1. I feel the same way. I am a neutral girl also, yet I love everything she does. Kristi’s rooms are so balanced. Even though they are colorful, they never feel overwhelming.

  21. Truly night and day difference!

    Had to laugh about the sea foam green. I grew up in a house of a similar vintage and there was telltale clues it had once had that color. Remove a light switch plate or outlet cover and there was sea foam green. Also multiple cabinets and closets that the landlord had been lazy about repainting. LOL

    Mark

  22. Beautiful. I really like the shutter-type doors on the right in the first picture. What is that type of door called? I wanted to see about buying a set and it would be helpful to know the correct name before doing a search. Thanks.

    1. Those are a BiFold door that Kristi took apart and hung one panel on either side of the doorway to use as a double door for the hall bath. I love how she did that.

  23. Another lovely job by Kristi! I’m calling your house “Shades of blue” and I just love it. (and I’m not a blue lover!) The blues with your pops of color make me love blue!

  24. WOW….I love seeing all of the before and afters! I came in halfway through some of your makeovers so I never saw all of the before’s. What an amazing transformation this house has gone through. I absolutely love it! I LOVE all of the jewel tones you have picked out in this house! Through your room makeovers, you are so inspiring to those who normally would not see potential in an older home. Each room you have touched is just gorgeous!

  25. Absolutely beautiful, Kristi! So spacious, open and beautiful!! Congratulations on this project completion!! Wow!!

  26. Didn’t you also install a solatube or something like that to bring more natural light into the hallway?
    I didn’t see it on the list, but I don’t want you to shortchange yourself on your list of accomplishments! =)

  27. I am constantly amazed by your work! When I opened this email and looked at the pic. I just sat there and said Wow! You are incredible and your house is SO beautiful. You are transforming it room by room. Keep up the great work and thanks for the inspiration!

  28. Congratulations, Kristi! That is a marvelous makeover and incredibly detailed too. You definitely have a decorator styled home now. You and Matt must be very proud (he must be beaming from ear to ear with pride over what you’ve accomplished). And I’ve enjoyed seeing the progression too. You are not only talented… you are incredibly tenacious.

  29. Kristi, this looks amazing. One question will you have to redo the wood floors in the bedrooms when you get to that point?

    1. I will. What is now the master bedroom will become the master bathroom, so it’ll be tiled. In the guest bedroom, the floor wasn’t even sanded this last time (at the beginning of 2017) because I had to have a room to store furniture and things that were cleared out of the other rooms. Matt’s game room has been sanded, but the floors have never been stained or sealed, so that will have to be done before any decorative stuff can happen. Of course, Matt’s game room also still has the old, cracked drywall and polystyrene ceiling tiles, so that all needs to be ripped out and replaced with new drywall as well. And the guest bedroom has all solid wood shiplap on the walls and ceiling. I’m still not sure if I’ll keep it or take it out and drywall. So in addition to the floor, I’m pretty much starting from zero on both of those rooms.

  30. You know it is not just beautiful and beautifully made but I wouldn’t even know how to start to design something that is so nice. I love all of it but . . . . we have two cats so I think the kitty litter “hiding spot” is my favorite. You are an extremely talented person and boy does it show

  31. While everything you have done is beautiful and functional, I believe my favorite thing is that you have opened the whole house up with that great flow.

  32. Kristi, you are a WIZARD! The difference between the ‘befores’ and ‘afters’ is astounding, and the end result is breathtaking! It’s so clean and new and modern yet classic and just so darned gorgeous! It’s hard to pick a favorite thing about it. I love the color on the doors, that built-in cabinet, the table you made, the artwork, the refinishing of the floors – all of it! Miss Peeve must have the fanciest kitty potty in the entire state of Texas! A+ five star result!

  33. Kristi, I’ve been following your blog since condo life, and I never thought I’d be so excited over a hallway!! I don’t think I would’ve had the vision you saw when first purchasing this home….I think I have a lot of vision for homes, but the befores make me cringe. like everyone else is saying, it’s gorgeous and job well done!

  34. Just lovely! It is not the same old design that you see from so many bloggers. I love the look from the hall to the music room. The wall treatments just complement each other so well. So many pretty rooms completed now!

  35. I do believe a certain Mrs Gaines has some serious competition for design and execution.
    This is quite amazing, nothing short of sensational, and you deserve many pats on the back.
    You are one talented woman.

  36. Wow!! An absolutely stunning hallway that you’ve completed. Where did you get the wallpaper from? I really love the modern look!

  37. Really, just an amazing transformation!! I still harken back to when you originally decorated your living room…which was so nice…and then you’re music room…and then you tore down your ceiling. Stuff everywhere!!!

    I would have checked out then and there.

    But not you…just LOOK at all you’ve accomplished!!! Everything is so you (as I’ve come to “know” you through this blog). Your way, your design (and redesign 😉) and your most amazing success! What a joy it will be for you to see everyday!

    It’s so modern and fresh and colorful… so happy for you!!!

  38. How did you get so handy and this good? I feel like a mensa candidate when I put up a picture, but to actually BUILD things and use a tool other than a hammer – WOW.

  39. What a beautiful space! Functional, too. And I love the way your style & colors work from room to room. This is better than your average hall. Good job…as
    always!

  40. ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC…!!! I LOVE IT ALL..!!
    Can you imagine if the people who you bought the house off of, follow your blog, they are probably AMAZED about how beautiful it became…!!!

  41. Kristi, it looks lovely and so uniquely you. I would be moving a chair in there so that, for an hour or so, I could sit and just admire it. But then, since it would probably be the only space completely finished, I might even stay longer.

  42. It must be so calming coming into your home. You can be really proud of all you have accomplished in this last year. I thank you for sharing the products you use and introducing all the watchers to new and exciting colors that I for one would never dream of using. It opens up my mind to try new things. I look forward to seeing what you have planned next.

  43. Absolutely beautiful!!! Amazing, Kristi! I love seeing your before and afters! Thanks for the inspiration!

  44. Your house is so nice. I AM TAKEN my your ceilings. Did you blog about those? I would like to know how you did that. Crown is nice but you went one step farther.
    Good job.

  45. Kristi,
    I rarely subscribe to blogs, but yours caught my eye. I am so impressed by your sense of design & color, but even more, your “daring-do”. I am inspired!!!

  46. These “french” doors to the bathroom. Omg yes! I have an issue with the amount of room ours takes to swing open and we cant open one of the vanity drawers unless its closed. So frustrating. After seeing how great these look I’m going for it and going to install these too!!!

  47. Kristi, I’ve just discovered your blog and I’m ingesting all your posts back to back. Your work is truly inspirational!!! Do you mind sharing what types and sizes of baseboard trim, crown molding, and door casings you’ve used for your hallway? Also curious are your new ceilings about 8 ft tall or did they end up higher than that after you tore down the suspended ceiling?

  48. Do you have two cats? I’m curious if the litterbox is still working well for them. I have two cats, who get litter everywhere, so I’ve thought of trying to box in their litter area, but I’m worried one will be inside and the other will want to get inside and it will cause issues.

    1. I do have two cats, and they both use this litter box. One of them is new to us. She’s only been here a few months. And she’s very particular about the box. If I skip a day cleaning it out, she’ll take the liberty of finding another spot in the house to go. So I have to be very faithful in cleaning it out every single day. But I haven’t seen any problem with one needing to use it while the other is in there. And having it enclosed, especially with the Gorilla Grip mat, does help to keep the litter contained. In fact, I never see any cat litter strewn outside of the cabinet unless I do it when cleaning out the box.

  49. Just amazing! I’m also super impressed that you did this yourself. I whine and writhe and gnash my teeth when my husband needs me to help with something construction-wise. I sure do like your finished rooms!