Fixer Upper Friday—How I Transformed an Ugly, Narrow Hallway Into a Beautiful, Functional Space

I know it’s been a while since I’ve given you guys updates on the projects going on in fixer upper #1 and #2. It’s not that I haven’t done some really cool things, it’s just that I don’t really think the pictures show just how cool those things are!

In fixer upper #1, I just finished renovating a long, narrow hallway. It was totally dead space…really dark and really horribly painted by the previous owners. First things first, I needed to paint. You already know how I feel about the magic of a fresh coat of paint. It’s just so crazy to me how paint can instantly transform a space! After I painted, I noticed that the light fixture I had was giving everything this putrid yellow glow when it was switched on. No, no, no! So I changed the light fixture, opting to use the flush mount Ikea light I used when renovating the attic bedroom.

Next, I decided to visually break up the space by adding a chair rail. Now, I’m sure there’s a proper way to install a chair rail. I’m sure that there may be specific lumber that is designated for chair rail purposes. Whatever. That’s not how I do things. I just got the cheapest MDF trim I could find (we’re talking $6 or $7 for 8 feet of the stuff) and hammered that sucker right into the wall. You guys, this chair rail made such an incredible difference! Just like that, this horribly long and narrow hallway suddenly had visual interest! As for paint color, I went with Benjamin Moore Tapestry Beige for the wall above the chair rail, and I just stuck to white paint for the wall below the chair rail as well as all of the trim.

For the guitar gallery wall, I ran over to Home Depot and got some MDF base moulding. I should tell you that I used MDF moulding on this entire project because it’s a bit pliable. Anyone that owns an old house knows that these walls are far from flat and straight. So, I was able to easily mount the MDF to the studs in my bow-shaped wall. Again, this is an old house and it made finding those studs way more than just a notion! These are lathe and plaster walls. Stud finders are useless on lathe and plaster walls. Tapping on them to listen for the studs is useless. I even drilled a hole into the wall and still couldn’t find any studs. So I turned to this article and by using some of the tips, I was finally able to locate those hidden studs. Finally, to mount the guitars, I ordered some guitar hangers (find them here). And Voila! A beautiful and functional hallway!

Before

After

What do you guys think?!