Your hallway is the gateway to the rest of your home, so make those first impressions count by adding a hallway rug or carpet. Our hallway rug guide includes styling tips, expert advice on rug design and material and more.

Things to Consider

The Right Sizing

Your new rug should be proportional to the space and nearby furnishings in your hallway. We’ll cover the correct sizing below, but for more details, check out our guide: How to Choose the Right Rug Sizes.

Complementary Styles

Choose a rug that complements the decor in your hallway. Ask yourself... does it reflect my personal style? Does it work well with the surrounding furniture? If you’re looking for a standout hallway rug, a unique pattern will immediate attention whilst also hiding any unwanted stains or spillages.

Durable Material

Because your hallway carpet needs to be accommodate a lot of foot traffic, the ideal rug will be made out of robust, long-lasting materials in durable weave patterns. Good, durable hallway rug materials are wool, sisal, bamboo slat, seagrass, hemp and polypropylene. Keep an eye out for hand knotted or flat woven constructions in low pile heights as these can handle the most wear and tear. For more information on rug materials, check out our guide: Rug Materials for Every Style.

Easy to Clean

Due to the high volume of people likely to be going in and out of your hallway, your rug of choice should be easy to clean. Consider short pile carpet for quick and easy vacuuming.

Standard Hallways

Match the shape of your hallway with a similarly shaped rug. Most standard hallways are square or rectangular, so accentuate that layout with a rectangular rug. If your hallway is large, leave at least 20cm of floor space on all sides of the rug. Alternatively, place the rug right up against the wall in smaller spaces.

If your hallway has a semicircular opening or a curved staircase, mimic this with a round rug to fully play up the space.

Tip: Try the open door test: If your hallway rug lies inside a door’s pathway, does it struggle to open and close? This can cause major damage to your rug over time, so be sure to choose a shorter pile option or place your rug away from the door.

Grand Hallways

If you’re working with a lot of space or a dramatic staircase, then you’ve got yourself a grand hallway. Play up the extravagant size with a large, eye-catching area rug. Consider unconventional shapes, such as a novelty-shaped rug or have the focus be a geometric pattern instead. In a home that likes to keep things traditional, stick with a Persian or oriental rug to highlight your hallway’s grandeur.

Small Hallways

When you're tight on space, why not make the most of it? Choose a hallway rug that gives the illusion that your hallway is larger and more spacious than it really is. For a long, narrow hallway, we suggest placing a runner that extends almost the entire length of the room. If you’re going for personality, we suggest an oval shape with a bold pattern – it will make the space seem long and inviting.

Front Porch

Front porches take a beating from foot traffic as well as all the side effects of a lived-in home (shoes, backpacks, sporting gear). Give them a little extra care with an hallway rug that can withstand just about anything. We suggest durable indoor-outdoor rugs with a pattern to camouflage dirt and prevent any more of it from getting inside your home.

Psst! Don’t forget about rug grippers.

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