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How can I brighten up my landing?
My stairs go up the middle of my house, with four doors off a very small landing at the top, and no windows so it is very dark.
It is painted Army issue Magnolia as we live in a married quarter so we can't hang paper, or paint as we have to put it all back before we leave. Better still (!) it is woodchip wallpaper so it isn't exactly pleasant.
The ceiling runs parallel with the upstairs ceiling, rather than sloping down over the stairs themselves so any pictures tend to look lost in such a great expanse of space.
Could you give me some tips on how to brighten up my stairs and landing - there is no window in my hall either - just a small panel of glass in the top of the door, so there really is very little natural light.
Also do you have any advice on hanging pictures in this area - I can never judge how far up the wall they should be!
Many thankscl-tartymuffin
Bearing in mind wallpaper and paint are out of the question this is quite a challenge. May I suggest doing something with lighting then. You haven't mentioned what light fittings you have but this sounds like the perfect opportunity to fit something of a statement that also gives you good illumination. You may also even want to think of coloured lighting or colour changing lighting.
As for pictures I think it depends on the subject and the size when it comes to where and how far up in this case - I do like that look of a staircase wall hung with lots of pictures - it can make what is effectively a through route into something quite stimulating. In your case you may want to consider a collection of different mirrors collected from car boot sales or junk shops for an eclectic look that will also amplify the light in this dark space.
Best of luck - I'm from an army family myself and I know how grim those married quarters can be!
Naomi Cleaver is the presenter of popular prime-time series on domestic design and decoration for Channel 4. Credits include 'Other People's Houses', 'Britain's Best Home' and Naomi's latest series for Channel 4, 'Honey, I Ruined the House'.
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