This simple hallway refresh (that cost nothing) has been something I’ve wanted to do since we moved in. I love a cute little hallway, and this one is right outside our master bedroom, so it really should be a pleasant sight. But for months now, this antique chest has become a dumping ground for our family, which has been anything but pleasant. I finally decided to do something about the situation…for zero dollars.
I’m reworking some of the wall décor in other areas of my home, so I snagged two of my favorite straw hats from the front living room to add some texture in here (after the initial shot, I switched the top straw hat). The artwork is an original piece by Justyn Chapman, and was a part of my staircase gallery wall. I really wanted to pair modern artwork with the traditional feel of the antique chest, and I love the way they look together.
I almost always have extra décor pieces lying around the house, so I gathered a few things I wasn’t currently using…black vase, coffee table books, vintage hand broom, and paper mache bowl…and styled them on top of the chest. Mustard-colored stems are from Hobby Lobby and just keep moving around the house.
The antique chest is just so special to me. I found it at an antique store in Arizona when I traveled there to meet my great niece for the first time. It has all the character and patina I was hoping to find, and a memory of meeting the newest member of our family to go with it. I’m so happy to finally be able to fully share this piece with you.
The plug-in, brass picture light is from Ikea, but sadly discontinued in this color. I’ve had it for a few years, hoping to find a place to use it, and since there’s no electrical on this end wall, it’s the perfect spot for it. I just plug it into the outlet on the side wall and unplug it for pictures. We love having accent lighting in our master bedroom hallway now.
Adding a faux cedar garland to the artwork was such a simple way to bring Christmas cheer to our hallway without going overboard. I’m excited to have this spot to decorate seasonally over the years, but for now, I love the simplicity of greenery.
This simple hallway refresh literally took me a few hours to complete, and when Jeff and the girls saw it, they all remarked that they loved the change. Jeff really loved that it cost me nothing! This space has always felt (and looked) cluttered, so to have it be fresh and complete is such a welcome sight. And my hope is that with all the décor on top of the chest, there won’t be room for junk.
So that’s it…a quick and simple hallway refresh that cost me nothing but added loads of character. I hope you liked this little peek at an area I’ve never really shown on here, and maybe gleaned some ideas for styling a hallway in your own home. I’ve linked some of my favorite antique and vintage-style items below in case you’d like to incorporate them into your design or gift them to that hard-to-buy-for person this Christmas.
Do you have antiques or vintage items in your home? I’d love to hear about your favorite antique pieces or any questions you may have about antiques in the comments below. It’s a subject I am very passionate about and love to discuss.
More Christmas is coming, so stay tuned…
what did you use to hang the hats?
Just nails in the wall…small ones.
i live in Phoenix Arizona and I must know where you found that chest! it is a great find, and will have to go see what other items they have.
I wish I could remember where this was…it was a big antique mall near Gilbert. When I come back to Phoenix again I’m going back to that place because it was a dream. I went twice while I was there for 5 days…that’s how good it was!
Hello, where are the mustard colored branches in the vase from?
They’re from Hobby Lobby! I forgot to add that but I’ll go back and change it. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.