Hallways can be challenging to design, especially if you don't have access to natural light. It's important to always keep your hallways lit since it is an area with moderate traffic, and you don't want anyone tripping over their feet. So, how do you brighten up a dark and narrow hallway? We have gathered ideas for you.
The key to giving the illusion of wideness is to paint the hallways in a brighter and lighter color. Incorporate a soft color palette if you're thinking of decorating, especially on the rugs and wall paintings.
- Eggshell White & Cream
- Grey & Baby Blue
- Grey & Pastel Yellow
- Beige & Blush Pink
- White & Mint Green
- Grey & Sage Green
- White & Periwinkle
- White & Terra Cotta
- Tan & White
- Pure White with Accent Decors
- Light Mauve & Eggshell White
Hallways connect your rooms together. They will be where you'll tread while you perform your daily tasks. Although you may think they don't need too much attention, they play a part in the atmosphere your home evokes. If you want to learn more about how to design your hallways, keep reading below.
11 Dark Narrow Hallway Paint Ideas
Color is the foundation of your interior design. It can make or break your aesthetic and set the tone for how certain parts of your home will feel. If you have a dark hallway away from natural light, simply painting it a lighter color and adding adequate lighting will already do wonders.
Here are great ideas you can paint your narrow hallways with.
Read: "10 Best Extra Long Runner Rugs For Long Hallways."
1. Eggshell White & Cream
This color combination is tried and true. It's a safe route to take if you're not yet confident about exploring other shades. Some people don't see the significant difference between eggshell white and white, but even to the untrained eye, you can easily spot the difference.
Eggshell white has a softer tone with a slight sheen that reflects light better than stark white matte paint. It is also better at concealing flaws, which is ideal for medium to high traffic areas around your home.
Combined with cream, you'll be creating a refreshing and soft color palette that can brighten up your hallway. The color scheme allows you to explore other styles because of its neutral tone.
Read: "How Wide Should A Hallway Be?"
2. Grey & Baby Blue
Painting your hallway surfaces with grey and baby blue is a great way to brighten it up without going for loud and vibrant colors. The combination has a moody, somber appeal, perfect for interiors with cold-toned color schemes.
The colors will also give off a tranquil and serene feeling, and it can be a good base for styles you want to explore.
If you want to introduce a splash of color, decorate the hallway with vibrant indoor plants. It will seamlessly blend with the color scheme since the walls are painted with natural and neutral colors.
3. Grey & Pastel Yellow
Grey and pastel yellow is a unique combination that can brighten up your hallways. Grey will give the depth and structure of the surface as yellow makes the space brighter and wider.
To make the hallway seem wider, decorate a wall section with a large mirror. Reflective surfaces do an excellent job of giving an illusion of space. This is ideal if you want to keep decorations at a minimum to have more space. It's part of the wall so it's not bulky, and it's a low-maintenance design.
4. Beige & Blush Pink
For a softer, more feminine flair, go for beige and blush pink. The play of colors is visually warm and relaxing, instantly making guests and loved ones feel welcome.
Both colors brighten up the room and make the space feel wider. Unlike neutrals, these colors won't look lifeless or drab, so you have the option to leave the hallway as it is since the colors can do all the work.
However, if you want to add more visual appeal, decorate the walls with vibrant paintings that go with your color scheme.
Not only will the hallways look brighter because of the paint, but the space itself will have more approachable energy simply because of the decor.
5. White & Mint Green
Make your hallways more visually refreshing with mint green and white. As usual, white will make your hallways look more spacious than it really is, and it will better absorb light, so there are fewer risks of tripping and falling.
Mint green will blend with white seamlessly, and together they will create a bright color scheme.
The color combination has more character than if you choose to paint the walls with neutral colors, so this is ideal if you want a more visually stimulating interior.
6. Grey & Sage Green
If you want a more muted color scheme but do not want to lose the refreshing hints of green, go with grey and sage green.
This color combination is more toned down, but it will still make your hallways look brighter.
Since the combination can somehow look drab in low light, invest in warm and bright lighting on the hallways. This is necessary if your hallways are facing away from the windows and other light sources to avoid accidents.
Place indoor plants, lamps, and paintings in your hallway if there is still enough space: This will make your hallways look more inviting.
7. White & Periwinkle
For a soft and whimsical appeal, paint your hallways with white and periwinkle. Not only will this make your hallways look bright, but it also gives a cheery and youthful appeal that adds to the vibrance of your home.
If your hallway has multiple entry doors, this is an opportunity to repaint your doors white. This will make the color scheme more cohesive, and it will modernize the look of your doors.
For added warmth, paint the trim with cream or light brown. This will add structure to your hallway and make it look effortlessly chic.
8. White & Terra Cotta
For a sunset effect, pair white paint with terra cotta accents. The key here is balance; try to keep terra cotta in strategic places so that it adds depth and a burst of color to the hallway.
White will no doubt brighten the interior, and terra cotta will inject warmth into it. For maximum effect, invest in warm lighting for a rustically inviting appeal.
If you want to tone down the vibrance of terra cotta, decorate the walls with hanging greens and dried flowers. However, if you want to highlight warmth, decorate the walls with gold-trimmed mirror accents. This will make your hallway look effortlessly elegant and wider at the same time.
9. Tan & White
Another classic color combination that you can't go wrong with is tan and white. Painting your hallways in this color will give them a rustic, modern farmhouse appeal that you can transform anytime you want.
This color combination is versatile enough to accommodate any aesthetic changes you may want to apply in the future, making it a timeless color scheme.
Invest in bright lights to give it an effortless glow so your hallways will look consistently brighter and bigger than it is.
10. Pure White with Accent Decors
If you want that clean, bright, and effortlessly elegant vibe, white paint will easily provide that. A downside of this is that it will show dirt and flaws easier, making it a high-maintenance design choice.
If you want to tone down the starkness of the interior, go with eggshell white or cream. However, the hallways can look plain and drab, so add accent decors along the walls.
For example, you can install light fixtures encased in gold-trimmed vessels. This decor will satisfy both aesthetics and function.
You can introduce a burst of color by decorating the walls with art photos, gold-trimmed mirrors, and indoor plants.
11. Light Mauve & Eggshell White
Light mauve is an excellent choice if you want your hallways to look effortlessly charming, even with minimal decor. Mauve paired with white, these colors will brighten your hallways and make them feel less cramped.
Pair the hallway color scheme with floral decorations for a soft and feminine flair.
Final Thoughts
Just like every part of the house, hallways also need to be taken care of.
Unfortunately, they are often under-utilized and ignored during a house remodel, but they can be just as aesthetically pleasing and functional if you make it so.