Narrow hallway & decorating solutions needed

[Gardener]

The entry hall and corridor is very narrow, I don't want to paint /paper the lower part of the walls as I think they will quickly become shabby.

I thought about tongue and groove panelling but that will narrow the hall even further.

I don't want to put any textured finish effect on either.

Is there any other kind of panelling or protective something that can be affixed directly to the wall but would be easily removable at a later date?

[andyh4]

The classic solution to this problem is to put large mirror(s) on the wall to give an illusion of space.  This could be above or over any panelling or other covering

[Gardener]

Yes, I will be putting one on the end wall, as no one should be able to brush against it. I will keep looking in DIY shops and UK websites to see if I can find anything that will fit the bill.

[andyh4]

End wall will not work - has to be on the side wall to make the narrow bit appear twice as wide.  Put it on the end wall and you amke the narrow bit seem twice as long and therefore even narrower - all optical illusion of course.

[James2]

Have you thought about tiling, there is quite a range now.

[woolybanana]

If there is a staircase, you could live dangerously and get rid of the contremarches which will let light through as well

 

[Loiseau]

Is there some tough sort of wallpaper for the lower section of wall, like the textured Anaglypta beloved of Edwardians? I have that sort of thing below the dado rail in my UK house; I have painted over it on several occasions, and it is very good and hard-wearing. It usually has either a slightly leafy, or a geometric, embossed pattern on it, so gives a bit of visual interest.

Also, you could make the end wall a darker colour than the hallway itself, to make it appear to "advance".

Angela

[woolybanana]

How about a brightly coloured bird in a cage to give the hall some life?[6]

[Cendrillon]

[quote user="Loiseau"]Is there some tough sort of wallpaper for the lower section of wall, like the textured Anaglypta beloved of Edwardians? I have that sort of thing below the dado rail in my UK house; I have painted over it on several occasions, and it is very good and hard-wearing. It usually has either a slightly leafy, or a geometric, embossed pattern on it, so gives a bit of visual interest.

Also, you could make the end wall a darker colour than the hallway itself, to make it appear to "advance".

Angela[/quote]

You could use toile de verre which is tough though once stuck to the walls is almost impossible to remove. As I said on another post you just paint (and can re-paint) it with emulsion paint.

[Jonzjob]

A photo would be handy? Then we could see what you are trying to do. After all a photo is worth a thousand worms, especially in the garden?[:-))]

[chirpy]

The simplest guaranteed  solution as a paint tecnologist with a lifetime in research all round the world is to MOVE HOUSE [I]if you do not want to paint paper etc.[6]