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Best colors for entrance hall


The 10 Best Foyer Paint Colors for an Elegant Entryway

By

Ashley Knierim

Ashley Knierim

Ashley Knierim is a home decor expert and product reviewer of home products for The Spruce. Her design education began at a young age. She has over 10 years of writing and editing experience, formerly holding editorial positions at Time and AOL.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

Updated on 01/18/22

The Spruce / Christopher Lee Foto

Your home's foyer is the first space guests see when they enter your home, so it's important for setting the mood and tone for the rest of your residence. The transitional room can sometimes be an afterthought but is actually one of the most important design decisions you can make for your home. The best foyer paint colors depend on the size of your entryway and the tone you want to set. Keep in mind that neutrals like gray or beige are popular for foyers, but bright shades, moody hues, and subtle pale colors can also work well in the right setting.

Here are 10 of the best paint color ideas for your foyer.

the 15 best colors to use |

(Image credit: Future)

When painting our homes, it’s all too easy to forget the hallway; after all, it’s not as if we spend much time in this particular room. 

There are a range of hallway ideas out there, but painting the hallway is a great way to transform the space.

The hallway is the first space any guest sees in the home, as well as being an important connecting point between rooms. The hallway deserves some serious design attention, especially when it comes to clever color choices. Besides often being overlooked, they’re also cursed with limited light and no natural focal point, so you need some solid color know-how to transform them into artful spaces. 

As well as looking inviting in its own right, a hallway color scheme should set the tone for the rest of your home. Move it up on your decorating agenda: it’s a place to be bold and show your personality. Winning hallway paint ideas pay attention to the mood, size and natural light, so whether you go for something playful or serene, here are some hallway paint ideas to get you started.

Hallway paint ideas – 15 clever color and paint ideas for your home's entrance

Paint is a remarkable decorating medium. What could be easier – or more impactful than paint? Explore our top hallway paint ideas below for some beautiful inspiration for updating your hallway space.

1. Create a striking feature wall

(Image credit: Davide Lovatti / Future)

Using paint to create a striking feature wall is a great way to add drama and impact to your hallway space. No matter the size of your hallway, adding a splash of bright color to a wall adds personality and charm. In this hallway, the warming red-orange paint creates a cheerful, inviting atmosphere, with the rug perfectly coordinating with the paint color to elevate the scheme, a great example of red hallway ideas.

2. Embrace neutrals

(Image credit: Future)

For a calming, relaxed style, opt for a muted, neutral color palette, with shades of cream, grey and brown working well for neutral room ideas. These colors can coordinate with an array of accent colors, so are great if you would rather use brighter colors through accessories and furniture, allowing a subtle introduction to other colors used throughout the rest of the home.

3. Pick a pale pink

(Image credit: Matt Clayton Photography Limited)

Pink room ideas and decorating a pink room will always be guaranteed to lift spirits and create an inviting, welcoming space - perfect for hallway paint ideas. If your hallway is on the smaller side or lacks natural light, picking a light shade like pale pink will make the space feel bigger and brighter.

4. Paint the front door

(Image credit: Erin Little)

If you would rather your hallway were painted a more neutral color but still want to inject a pop of color, painting your front door is a great way to add character and charm to the space. Pick a contrasting color to the rest of your scheme for an impact, or opt for a tonal color for a more coordinated look. 

5. Use a warm yellow

(Image credit: Styling Claudia Bryant | Photo Polly Wreford )

In color theory, yellow is known for creating feelings of happiness and creativity, with yellow room ideas becoming increasingly popular for the modern home. When decorating with yellow, the color is the perfect choice for the hallway, as being greeted by this stimulating color creates a positive and welcoming mood, ideal for that first entry point into the home.  

Psychologist and wellbeing consultant Lee Chambers states, ‘entering a yellow hallway is likely to make you feel happy and vibrant…yellow is perfect in a hallway for creating a sunny welcome – and a creative burst as you leave’. See our yellow hallway ideas for more inspiration.

6. Create a harmonious color scheme 

(Image credit: James Merrell / Future)

When there are clear views from a hallway into neighboring rooms, think carefully about your choice of paint ideas to ensure that the eye is drawn naturally from one space to the next. Don’t think you have to stick to one hue: instead create a palette out of complementary hues, such as taupe, greige and off-white. One way of linking rooms is through common flooring, while using different papers or paint colors to create separation. Vice versa works too.

(Image credit: Paul Raeside / Future)

The design possibilities with paint are endless. And, thankfully, there is much to be said for decorating in a single color palette, especially when considering small hallway ideas.

'If introducing color in a hall, monogamy serves well and the bold choice of one hue for floor and wall treatments can be very powerful,' says interior designer Tara Bernerd .

Keeping the floor within the same color palette as the walls also helps to blend the room together – if nothing stands out, then your eye will flow around a space and in a narrow hallway this can be key to making it feel larger.

8. Be brave when it comes to color in the hall

(Image credit: Future)

Over the last few years, we have been led to believe that white walls are the only way to go. A plain and neutral base can indeed be a good starting point from which to build a decorating scheme, but if you ignore the spectrum of colors available in paint, you could be missing out. Many brands now produce paint, so tricky decisions are often already made for you when it comes to creating perfectly coordinated combinations. Be brave and find a color scheme that work for you.

Paint doesn't have to be pedestrian. Look for uplifting shades that make you feel good. Color should be able having fun, and the hallway is the perfect place to experiment with paint ideas that spark joy. 

9. Go for an all-grey hallway color scheme

(Image credit: Paul Raeside / Future)

Grey hallways offer infinite possibilities for making spaces feel airy and relaxing, refined, and timeless, or elegantly sophisticated, but its most redeeming quality is the feeling of calm it creates in any space,' says Farrow & Ball's color curator Joa Studholme.

Dark greys can work superbly in light starved halls to create drama on arrival and make all adjacent rooms look spacious and unapologetically bright.

Pale greys provide a softer alternative to whites, while deep dark greys are packed with drama allowing contrasting shades to pop against their bold backdrop. While the darker shades usually have the strongest appeal, when push comes to shove, having such a deep color on the walls may be too much of a commitment for some.

The key is to choose the right undertone for your space. 'With almost as many grey paint colors to choose from as off-whites, finding the perfect grey can be a minefield,' says Benjamin Moore director, Helen Shaw. 

10. Use paint to add interest to architectural features

(Image credit: James Merrell / Future)

Shun the default white for doors in favor of a more dramatic approach. Architectural details such as panelling, rails and coving provide a framework in which to explore color. 

Mouldings and architraves are easy to add to plain walls and can then be customised in a favorite color scheme. A bold shade always looks very smart – and works wonderfully when contrasted with brilliant white. 

11. Reach for the green paint

(Image credit: Simon Brown / Future)

Green hallway ideas promise to renew your connection to nature and is said to evoke feelings of balance and vibrancy. It comes to life with plenty of natural light but can also work in a dark or small hallway.  

'Green is incredibly versatile, and the breadth in shade and tone is huge,' says Megan Holloway, marketing manager at Sofa Workshop. 

You shouldn't be afraid to pair greens along the color spectrum – all colors complement green. However, choosing accent colors – whether that is the green or another color – needs to be done carefully to ensure there's harmony, which is what green is all about.

12. Paint wall panelling 

(Image credit: Brent Darby / Future)

Fitting wall panelling vertically will make a room feel taller, making it a great trick for small rooms, such as the hallway. Painting it in a pale color will further emphasize the room's proportions, and introduce architectural interest and intrigue. 

13. Decorate in an all-white color scheme

(Image credit: Alicia Taylor / Future)

Nothing surprising about this, but brilliant white paint has a transformative effect on interiors. For white hallway ideas, use it on walls and ceilings and it will make a star of every non-white piece of furniture – or soft furnishings.

White is a wholly selfless paint shade, providing all the light and energy while reflecting the attention elsewhere – and white decorating ideas are incredibly easy to switch up.

14. Paint your hallway in a tranquil shade of blue

(Image credit: Future)

Calm, cool and collected, decorating with blue is win-win: not only does it make a beautiful base for a hallway color scheme but it’s scientifically proven to be a subconsciously serene shade, making it the perfect choice for an entrance or foyer.

Most colors go well with blue, although introducing warmer shades, such as yellow, orange and red will add warmth to the scheme where it might otherwise be lacking. If in doubt, revisit the color wheel for inspiration for your blue hallway ideas.

15. Embrace a bold color scheme 

(Image credit: Future / Jake Curtis)

Being imaginative with color, a specialist finish or decorative effect is the perfect way to give your hallway individual style.

‘Current trends show a real shift towards brighter colors with a clean-cut finish,’ says Sue Kim, senior color designer at Valspar . ‘When choosing a paint color for an entrance, don’t forget to look beyond the walls – consider the ceiling, skirting, window frames and mouldings and how they can be brought into the scheme.’

If you really want to go bold, then consider embracing this year's biggest paint trend – color drenching. This trend involves choosing one color and painting it across multiple surfaces in one space. The result is bold and thoroughly modern, though its appeal extends beyond its daring aesthetic.

How do you pick a hallway color?

When picking a paint for your hallway it is worth noting that lighter colors will give the appearance of more space, while darker tones will bring the room in, although this can be good if it results in a cozier, more intimate feeling.

The same applies to wallpaper – a large motif will introduce a sense of drama, while a smaller design will be subtle and make the hallway appear more spacious.

Be sure to view the hallway as an integral part of your home, and as such try to make sure it’s in harmony with any rooms leading off it, as well as with the stairway, balustrades and landing (when visible). Don’t treat it as a one-off room: ensure any paint colors or wallpaper designs, even if they are different from those in the surrounding rooms, are in keeping.

(Image credit: Future)

 Should hallways be painted light or dark?  

Whether your hallway should be painted a light or dark color can depend on factors such as the size of the space and how much natural light the room receives. If your hallway is on the smaller size or quite dark, opting for a light paint color will make the room feel bigger and brighter.

Simon Morris, Marketing Manager at The Radiator Company states, 'hallways often have limited proportions but are some of the busiest places in our homes. We need the space to look great, but also ask a lot from them. A bit of thoughtful planning can help the space feel more elegant from a decorating standpoint'.

Ultimately, it is completely up to you what color you choose. The hallway is a great place to get creative and use colors and paint ideas that reflect the rest of the decorating scheme in your home, whether you opt for a light or dark color, the space should reflect your personality and thoughtfully welcome you into the home.

Jennifer is the Digital Editor at Homes & Gardens. Having worked in the interiors industry for a number of years, spanning many publications, she now hones her digital prowess on the 'best interiors website' in the world. Multi-skilled, Jennifer has worked in PR and marketing, and the occasional dabble in the social media, commercial and e-commerce space. Over the years, she has written about every area of the home, from compiling design houses from some of the best interior designers in the world to sourcing celebrity homes, reviewing appliances and even the odd news story or two.

tips and tricks for choosing colors

12/23/2019

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It is difficult to overestimate the role of color in the interior. It sets the style and mood, affects the overall perception of the living space. Especially important is the harmonious combination of shades in the corridor. The absence of windows, a small area, a specific layout make the color scheme the central character of the room. It is not enough to decorate the walls and ceiling in your favorite shades. It is also necessary to choose the color of the closet in the hallway, take care of combining the rest of the furniture and decor elements in order to visually expand the space, fill it with light, pleasant contrasts. nine0003

The corridor is perceived by many as a utility room, boring and of little interest. Meanwhile, the functionality of the hallway is much wider than just a place to store outerwear, outdoor accessories and shoes. Competent design turns the corridor into a visiting card of the whole house. The standard way to create coziness and harmony in a room is to choose a good color palette for surface finishing, combine shades with fittings, furniture and decor. The corridor is no exception to the general design rules. But there are some nuances that must be considered when choosing a color: nine0003

When choosing a future palette for decorating a corridor, it is worth remembering that color literally works wonders. It visually enlarges the space, emphasizes the advantages and carefully masks the shortcomings. But with the same ease, color can turn the hallway into a “well”, stretch an already long corridor, or significantly reduce the height of the ceilings. nine0003


Furniture and doors set the tone for the corridor

The color of the hallway largely depends on the carpentry elements (doors, skirting boards, arches, partitions), as well as existing or future furniture. Modern interiors are made according to the general rule: the shade of furniture and doors must match. Soft contrast is allowed, with a difference of no more than 2 tones. For example, walnut and Italian walnut, milk oak and bleached oak. The combination of dark doors, skirting boards, floors and white furniture looks interesting, in which the fittings match the carpentry details in color. nine0003

The interior of the hallway in a single tone creates the illusion of free space. A hidden storage area is carried out (a closet to match the shade of the walls or a wardrobe built into a niche), doors of the same color are installed and a plinth is mounted. In this case, a cabinet for shoes, a hanger, a bench, a wall mirror frame act as an accent in the room. They can be 2-3 tones lighter or darker than other surfaces.

In large hallways of the correct geometric shape, bright color schemes can be applied. Dark furniture and light walls are a traditional interior option. In a small, narrow and long corridor, it is worth limiting yourself to three close shades, one of which is the main one, and the other two are used as an accent. nine0003


Interior color

Color and style are inseparable concepts. Each design direction has its own characteristics that dictate the requirements for the palette. When deciding which color to choose for a closet in the hallway or finishing materials, you should first determine the style of the corridor. Using popular designs as an example, you can understand the general principle of color combinations:

Important: the style of the corridor should not be radically different from the rest of the rooms. To avoid color dissonance, it is necessary to consider "related" designs: classic and Provence, loft and minimalism. nine0003


Corridor color scheme: design tips

Structurally, the corridor cannot be a separate room of an apartment or house. The colors of furniture, finishing materials and decor are selected taking into account the overall concept of the interior. In addition, you should consider the influence of shades on the mood and atmosphere in the house. Beautiful, saturated gold, orange, red colors will bring only temporary visual pleasure. Literally in a month, inexplicable irritation, aggression or outbreaks of causeless fear will appear. If repairs in the corridor are done with a long-term perspective, it is better to refrain from exciting shades. This does not mean that bright, joyful colors are forbidden. With their help, you can place accents, emphasize the advantages of planning or the beauty of joinery. nine0003

When choosing a color scheme for the hallway, the color combination table, the advice of psychologists and designers, fashion interior trends, and personal preferences are taken as the basis. To understand the intricacies of a harmonious palette, a few recommendations from graphic designers will help:

All recommendations are based on classic design techniques. But creating an interior is always a creative process in which there is no place for restrictions and rules. One thing is important, how the owners and guests of the house or apartment will feel in the future space. Color will help create your dream home. Experiment with shades and enjoy an unusual result!

Choosing the color of the hallway and corridor: 55 photos, fashionable combinations

Rules for choosing colors

In order to form a more harmonious atmosphere in the room, several important parameters are taken into account:

What colors are suitable for the hallway?

Variants of colors used in interior design.

Photo of dark corridors in apartment

A dark palette allows you to give the room a certain shape and mood, as well as endow the interior with nobility and sophistication.

Finishing materials in dark colors provide an excellent backdrop for furniture items. Such a rich color scheme does not create dissonance in the room and emphasizes every object and accessory in the room, giving them a clearer look.

Dark walls make a great addition to a fusion, art deco or other eclectic style hallway, characterized by bright contrasts and a combination of incongruous. nine0003

The photo shows a large hallway in dark shades in the interior of the apartment.

It is believed that black shades make the atmosphere gloomy and visually reduce the room, so this color scheme would be extremely inappropriate for decorating a small hallway. However, a spacious corridor in black, combined with well-chosen furniture and proper lighting, will look very fashionable, expensive and elegant.

Dark tones are of inestimable beauty, originality and aesthetics. In the design of the corridor, the use of deep cobalt, dark blue, complex purple colors or mysterious indigo shades is relevant, which give the closed space a certain depth. nine0003

An expressive burgundy color scheme will add special aesthetics and sophistication to the atmosphere.

Hallways in light colors

One of the main advantages of a light color scheme is its ability to visually expand the spatial boundaries and make the room lighter and more comfortable.

This palette goes well with all shades. Against the background of a light wall covering, various decor and accent details look more advantageous. nine0003

The photo shows the design of the entrance hall with light walls covered with peach-colored paint.

Pastel colors fill the room with calm, cleanliness and freshness. The entrance hall in pale blue, lilac, pale green or ivory shades always has a well-groomed and pleasant appearance, and also has a warm and homely atmosphere.

By painting the walls in neutral beige or light gray, a small space will appear much larger and more spacious. nine0003

The photo shows the white and blue design of a small corridor in the apartment.

Brown corridor

Chocolate color in combination with wood texture will create a respectable corridor design. Brown is considered a classic choice for people with conservative tastes.

The most popular color solutions are coffee, cocoa or cinnamon shades, which have extraordinary softness and warmth. nine0003

The photo shows brown colors in the design of a spacious corridor.

Hallway in gray tones

The corridor in gray has a rich range, harmoniously combined with other tones. Thanks to such combinations, the interior will never be oppressive and faceless.

Gray is quite practical. Metallic, graphite, pearl colors or a shade of wet asphalt have a positive effect on the environment, contribute to relaxation and stress relief. nine0003

For decoration, it is better to use a lighter ash and smoky palette. Such a hallway in gray always looks airy, fresh and spacious.

The photo shows the interior of a modern hallway in gray tones.

Entrance hall in white

Snow-white coloring fills the corridor space with cleanliness, volume, comfort and gives dark furniture or decor extra brightness and attractiveness.

In the same way as outerwear and sometimes dirty or wet shoes are removed in the hallway, white decoration will quickly lose its impeccable appearance. Therefore, shades of ivory are suitable as an alternative. They look rich, harmonize well with other colors and add presentability to the interior.

The photo shows the design of the corridor, made in white.

Mint color in the interior of the hallway

If you choose the right companion colors for a delicate mint color scheme, you will be able to create a rather harmonious color composition that will match the dimensions and decor of the room. nine0003

The mint palette is effectively combined with white, gray, blue or gold tones. For modern design, an alliance with red will be appropriate.

Beige hallway

The coziest and warmest color that fits perfectly into the corridor space and creates a pleasant atmosphere in the room.

Beige walls go well with floor or ceiling cladding in discreet and natural shades of brown, white or gray. nine0003

The photo shows a corridor in shades of beige with white splashes.

Turquoise hallway

The turquoise interior is original and flashy. The natural shade of turquoise, which combines heavenly radiance and sea waves, gives the atmosphere an attractive charm and freshness. This color gives the hallway a discreet luxury, and thanks to different color duets it allows you to create an interesting visual effect in the room. nine0003

Hallway ideas in bright colors

The hallway in an apartment or house is a great place to create expressive touches and bold color experiments. Extraordinary tint solutions due to a short stay in the hallway will only positively affect the surrounding space and add to it a special tone and showiness.

For example, bright red tones will not leave anyone indifferent and will undoubtedly attract attention, orange ones will create an optimistic, positive and bright atmosphere in the corridor, and pink ones will simultaneously add richness, solidity and intimacy to the hallway. nine0003

Yellow, lemon or mustard colors have charming warmth and, thanks to their good combination with other color palettes, provide an opportunity to realize original design ideas and ideas.

The photo shows the interior of the corridor, decorated in red.

Style features of colors

In Provence-style interiors, color plays a decisive role. Pastel white, beige, cream and other muted and faded tones serve as the main range here. nine0003

A loft-style hallway characterized by neutral white, gray or brown colors. For a more interesting design, this palette is diluted with bright purple, red, green and other rich colors.

The photo shows a loft-style entrance hall in shades of brown, gray and white.

The classic hallway is distinguished by its light design, which combines white, cream, beige or light green colors. Snow-white, milky or almond wall cladding very harmoniously complements the classic direction. Light shades with the addition of gold or silver look really expensive and luxurious. nine0003

Color combinations in the interior

When designing a corridor, they follow the rule of 3 shades, when one color is used as the main one, and the other two as additional ones.

The best solution is a combination of similar shades. Beige-milky, gray-brown or turquoise-blue gamma is characterized by soft transitions and at the same time creates a very expressive interior. With such a combination, designers are advised to dilute the decor with small accents from a different spectrum.

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