| In part two of this two part series, we look at | | | | desk can all be found in a range of attractive designs |
| specific tips and ideas for decorating apartment | | | | and are above all functional. Finishes can include pale, |
| hallways... | | | | blond wood with steel; contrasting black ash with |
| Furnishings | | | | honey-tone wood detailing; glass with wrought iron, |
| Floors: Smooth, hard floors are the elegant, practical | | | | and lacquered white or colored laminate surfaces. Hat, |
| choice for the apartment-style hall. Pale and modern | | | | umbrella stands and coat hooks should match or |
| woodstrip flooring is light and space-defining, and | | | | blend with your furniture finishes. Choose chair or |
| looks good on its own or with a vibrant abstract | | | | seating shapes for their sleek silhouettes - curvy |
| design rug or two. A smooth sweep of plain floor | | | | organic forms or strikingly sculptural looks - and |
| acts as a foil for light and bold areas of color, and | | | | upholstery in vibrant colors. Powerful acid green, deep |
| acts as a flattering background for the clean lines of | | | | turquoise, scarlet, and ultramarine as well as neutrals, |
| streamlined furniture and furnishings. Alternatively, a | | | | black, cream, or charcoal, are all colors that are in |
| boldly colored floor - tiles or a customized linoleum | | | | keeping with the contemporary style. |
| design - can work equally well as a focal point in a | | | | Details |
| low-key setting. | | | | Colorful plastics and molded resins come of age when |
| Lighting: This is more than functional - use it to create | | | | they are used for innovative accessories in the |
| an inviting mood and use vibrant lampshades to | | | | apartment-style hall. Lamps, frames, and containers, in |
| create color accents. Position spots or torcheres to | | | | quirky shapes and jewel-bright colors, have the |
| emphasize architectural details or color features, and | | | | stamp of modernity and, as sleek examples of |
| place table lamps to illuminate plants, flowers, or | | | | contemporary chic, can be clever or practical. Metals - |
| other accessories. Take the opportunity to make a | | | | brushed steel, aluminum, sand-blasted finishes, and |
| feature of a central fixture with a futuristic design or | | | | industrial-style sheet metals such as zinc - are also |
| quirky chandelier in metal, glass, or plastic; or opt for | | | | appropriate for details. Use them for surfaces, |
| a minimalist, gallery effect with wire tracking and | | | | containers, and elegant lamps, and for fittings such as |
| adjustable halogen spots; or just choose the simplicity | | | | handles and hooks. |
| of a paper shade. | | | | For a white or neutral setting, choose one or two |
| Windows: Emphasize the functional aspect of a hall | | | | eye-catching color pieces to add dramatic impact. A |
| window - if it has colored glass take that as a color | | | | brightly covered chair, an impressive table lamp, or |
| lead for other accents - and make the most of the | | | | the details in a pair of framed prints are good |
| light. Simplicity is the key, with plain white or color | | | | subjects. Alternatively, focus on shape and texture |
| accent blinds, or cotton or linen fabric panels to tone | | | | contrasts. Add to the graphic quality of black |
| with the walls. Lace these through metal eyelets onto | | | | aluminum frames, and display the group in a tight |
| tension wires, or fit simple tab-headed or clip-topped | | | | formation; or place a curvy, floor-standing iron |
| curtains, hung from wrought-iron or steel rods. | | | | jardiniere or coat stand where its silhouette makes a |
| Furniture: Choose furniture which blends with the | | | | dramatic contrast with the background. Otherwise, |
| pieces in adjoining rooms, provides useful storage or | | | | arrange a group of the same-color objects together, |
| display potential, and looks light, airy, and uncluttered. | | | | as on the shelf unit on the left below, so that they |
| Shelf units, a console table, a chest of drawers, or a | | | | create a low-key pattern and textural interest. |