Lovable landings

So many of us obsess about our front entry but forget about its sister space, the landing at the top of the stairs or down the bedroom hallway, hidden from a visitor's view.Make a resolution today to use your decorating genius to make this overlooked gem into a place you want to linger as you pass through on your daily routine. Wouldn't it be wonderful if your transitional spaces were so lovely and inviting they were your respite after a long, hard day? Here's how to make it happen.PINPOINT THE PURPOSESecond-floor landings or back hallways in one-story homes can be a decorating challenge. Some are expansive, but since we don't know how to take advantage of all this lovely space, the area is underused. Others are more like a large hallway, so we assume they are too small to decorate and leave them untapped.Your first step toward creating a livable, lovable space is to assess the square footage and develop a plan to use it well. I confess it took me awhile to do this when we moved into our historic fixer-upper. I was stumped by what to do with the large and lofty area, and it wasn't until we'd lived in the home for a while that it struck me: a study for Dan.I outfitted this nook-turned-study with a large bookcase and secretary that could hold a few of Dan's favorite tomes from his ample book collection, then finished it off with a comfy club chair and ottoman. Now this unused space is Dan's private sanctuary.FURNISH IT FULLYIf your landing is large and open, like mine, give it character with some well-chosen pieces of furniture. In addition to the bookcases and chair in Dan's library, I've added charm to the rest of the upstairs hallway by placing antique desks and tables between the doorways that open onto the central hall.The table that sits outside my guest-room door is the perfect place for a one-of-a-kind accent lamp that adds soft light to guide guests who get up in the night. And it's an ideal spot for an early-morning breakfast tray filled with a carafe of coffee, juice and warm scones.Do you have room for furnishings in your landing or hallway? How about placing an antique ladies desk between two doors and using it as a workspace? Bookcases are another excellent option to place along the walls because they are narrow and can be purchased in a wide variety of widths. Be sure to make them a visual feast by filling them up with books, mementos, photos and a few pieces from one of your collections.If you have an unused corner in your landing, cozy it up with a comfy chair. Add in a small side table and reading lamp, and you've got the ultimate reading nook. If it is being used by children, add large storage baskets or a built-in bookcase to house your children's own collection of favorite bedtime stories.FINISH WITH FLOURISHOnce you've determined the best use for this underused space and furnished it accordingly, don't forget to finish it with a flourish. Artwork is key here and will take the look of your landing from fine to fabulous.If you have a large, open wall, fill it with a grid of matching pieces framed identically. Hang the pictures about an inch or two apart. Use the entire wall, floor to ceiling, to make an even more dramatic display.I've created a montage of intriguing art in my second-floor landing, freely mixing pieces that are all different styles, shapes and colors. I love the look of artwork crawling up my wall and over my doorframes.Finally, top your furniture with an interesting tableau. Start with an accent lamp, then lean a piece of artwork or a tray behind it. Add height with a stack of wooden boxes. Then fill in with a few pieces from a collection, some snapshots and seasonal accents, like a pumpkin on a concrete pedestal or an apothecary jar filled with colorful gourds.(Mary Carol Garrity is the proprietor of three successful home-furnishings stores in Atchison, Kan., and Kansas City, Mo. She is the author of several best-selling books on home decorating. Write her at nellhills(at)mail.lvnworth.com.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)