Dark hallway lighting ideas
6 Clever Ways To Brighten A Dull and Dark Hallway
L: Mylands, R: Carpetright
Hallways provide the first impression to your home, they are one of the most important transitional spaces, as well as being one of the most high traffic areas. If your hallway is particularly dark and dull, it can be tempting to neglect its renovation in favour of principal living areas, but it's easier than you think to transform your hallway into a welcoming haven packed with purpose.
For a bright entrance, move away from cumbersome furniture and dark colours, and instead, bring your space to life with large mirrors, a pop of colour, and smart storage.
It may feel like an often awkwardly-shaped corridor at times, but the hallway should still be treated as if it were a room. We speak to the experts to find out just how to brighten up a hallway, whatever the size.
1.
Opt for bright lighting
Lighting is perhaps one of the easiest ways to brighten up your hallway, and there are plenty of options out there. Wall sconces are winners in a narrow hallway, and if you require a lot of wall lights, you could place them above a row of artwork that runs the length of your hallway.
You can usually get away with a lot of ceiling spotlights without detracting from your design scheme, and in the same vein, you could hang a few matching pendant lights – delicate silhouettes would work best in a hallway, chunkier lights can break up the line of vision towards the rest of your home.
'The perfect lighting scheme can make all the difference when creating a welcoming atmosphere as you enter your home,' says Chris Jordan, Managing Director at Christopher Wray.
'Choose a wall mounted uplighter to cast a soft diffused light against the wall and ceiling. These are most effective when used in conjunction with a dimmer switch. If you have the space, add a floor lamp to brighten up dark corners and create a warm glow within your hallway.
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2. Choosing your paint colours
Fresh colours on your hallway walls can be truly transformative. 'Colour is a wonderful way to brighten up and to add dimension to a hallway,' says interior designer Joanna Wood. 'A vibrant shade of sage green or ochre – which has become incredibly popular recently – will breathe life into a hallway. You can never go wrong painting the space in a very simple bright white, too.'
Justyna Korczynska, Colour Expert at Crown Paints gives her expert tips for brightening a hallway with paint:
- Bring in areas of a pale colour that will reflect the available light – this could be in stripes or a series of checks or squares.
- Try using a metallic paint as a paint effect over a matt emulsion to add shine and reflection and bring a space to life.
- Tones of white will obviously be a suitable colour for a bright hallway and can look super stylish – especially if you think about painting woodwork something like a pale grey to give definition.
3. Be clever with flooring
If you're looking to completely redecorate your hallway space, start with the flooring. Whether you opt for hallway tiles, a soft carpet or marble stone, this can have a dramatic effect on your entrance.
'The choice of flooring for the hallway will also have a bearing on how light the space feels. Opting for a lighter scheme with large tiles or wooden planks will create the illusion of more space as well as visual impact,' says Joanna.
Always consider a glossy finish if you lay tiles or a laminate floor, anything sealed will make a high-traffic area a little more resilient, and effectively reflect light into a darker space.
4. Add mirrored features
There may be the temptation to keep a dark hallway minimally decorated in order to enhance the appearance of space, but mirrored features are worth the investment here.
Large wall or free standing floor mirrors, high-shine console tables, and even lacquered paint on sideboards, shelving, or a wooden staircase will be effective at bouncing the light around a darker hallway.
'You could buy lots of different shapes and sizes of mirrors, both old and new, then paint the frames the same colour as the wall and group together,' says Justyna.
5. Recruit light from adjacent rooms
If your hallway is totally devoid of natural light, consider your adjacent rooms. Fitting internal doors with a glass pane can help to stream light into a darker hallway.
'A door with clear or translucent glass is a fantastic way of flooding a hallway with light, and therefore making it seem larger and lighter,' says Joanna.
In adjacent rooms, keep your window treatments light and semi-sheer to ensure as much natural light as possible is entering your home.
6.
Don't ignore your radiators and woodwork
When painting, don't forget your radiators and woodwork. It's easy to forget these, but fresh paint has a wonderfully brightening effect.
'Don’t just think about the walls – putting a new coat of paint on woodwork including stair risers and spindles really helps to freshen and brighten a hallway,' says Justyna. 'Tones of white will obviously be a suitable colour for a bright hallway and can look super stylish – especially if you think about painting woodwork something like a pale grey to give definition.'
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13 Hallway Lighting Ideas that Work Even in Windowless Spaces
Ignite the Light
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Hallways often get overlooked. A passageway to more functional parts of the home, it can be easy to avoid adding style and function to large or small hallways alike in favor of a nearby bedroom or living room.
But a hallway can also set the tone, adding accent lighting that streams into dimly lit cozy rooms just around the corner. There are so many hallway lighting ideas to take advantage of, whether that’s a low-hanging chandelier for a hallway with high ceilings, or a stylish table lamp placed on a buffet for mood lighting. Take a look at these 13 options.
istockphoto.com
Second Floor Chandelier
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Draw the eye up with hallway lighting ideas like this second-floor chandelier that adds grandeur as you climb the stairs. The light will bounce off your hallway walls and ceiling to brighten up even dark floors.
Related: 6 Ways to Cure a Cave-Like Hallway
istockphoto.com
Slim Floor Lamp
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If you’re looking to avoid electrical work, a floor lamp is a great option for your hallway lighting ideas. A slim floor lamp like this gorgeous gold one (available on Amazon) can be easily tucked in a corner without taking up too much floor space.
amazon.com
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Double Pendant Lighting
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If you’re looking for hallway lighting ideas that bring maximum overhead lighting to a space, then try double pendant lights. The pendant lighting grouping will provide undeniable luxury to even the simplest of areas. If you have high ceilings, add even more luxury with low hanging lights.
istockphoto.com
Vanity Inspired Lighting
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For a dimly lit hallway, try using vanity lights on a wall. The look will provide moody vibes as you walk down the hallway. This vanity option (available on Etsy) features retro bulbs and unfinished brass that’s ideal for both a farmhouse feel and a modern look alike.
etsy.com
Tiffany Style Fixture
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Go beyond simply brightening up a space and consider hallway lighting ideas that take center stage. This handmade Tiffany ceiling light (available on Etsy) features stunning Wisteria stained glass that will add colorful vintage vibes to your hallway.
Related: 8 Common Lighting Mistakes Almost Everyone Makes
etsy.com
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Multipurpose Shelf Floor Lamp
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If you’re looking for hallway lighting ideas that allow you to store and display things with a space-saving design, try a shelf floor lamp. This modern standing accent light (available on Amazon) is great for a narrow hallway that can’t hold a buffet or other furniture to add a touch of style.
amazon.com
Recessed Lighting
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For curved, narrow hallway lighting ideas, avoid low hanging lighting, lights on the walls, or anything that closes the space down. Instead, try recessed lighting or ceiling lights, which will light the way and open the space up with its inconspicuous design.
istockphoto.com
A Series of Wall Lights
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For captivating hallway lighting ideas, consider installing multiple wall lights or sconces to set the scene.
This option (available at The Home Depot) combines industrial and rustic design for an edgy yet warm look.
homedepot.com
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A Mixture of Styles
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For spaces that offer style from the ground up with gorgeous floors and elegant furniture, consider hallway lighting ideas that accent your style, like this eclectic mixture of sconces and overhead foyer lighting. A mix-and-max approach will brighten up the hallway while adding even more decadent decor.
istockphoto.com
Stylish Table Lamp
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For moody hallway lighting, try accenting a buffet with a stylish table lamp that gives off just enough light to lead the way. The low lighting is ideal for ensuring the hallway isn’t too bright, which would take over the relaxing vibes of a nearby room.
Related: 16 Brilliant Lighting Ideas You Can DIY on a Dime
istockphoto.com
Spotlight Floor Lamp
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This functional and uniquely-modern spotlight floor lamp (available at IKEA) is an ideal choice for a wildly different hallway lighting idea.
It allows you to point the light exactly where you need it, whether that’s to illuminate the hallway or avoid too much light in one direction.
Related: 15 "Under $100" Lighting Solutions for Every Room
ikea.com
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Stylish Track Lighting
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A low-profile yet aesthetically pleasing option for hallway lighting is track lighting. This industrial-meets-traditional style (available on Overstock) doesn’t overwhelm the space while still offering the function of various track heads that individually direct and focus light where needed.
overstock.com
Hexagonal Touch Lights
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A techy option for your hallway lighting are these hexagonal touch lights (available on Amazon). The lights add style to your wall, while a sensor turns the lights on with the simple touch of your hand when you walk by.
amazon.com
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Hallway lighting: 8 ways to make a small dark hallway brighter with photo
In the pictures and photos, all the hallways are completely flooded with light, at least from the open front door. Their walls are not disfigured by a “lump of jackets”, and dirty shoes were removed from the frame for the duration of the filming. With the mind, we all understand this, but we are unpleasantly surprised at the reality of our own home: the cramped, dark (if not cluttered) native hallway. Once on the doorstep, we pay attention to all this negativity even more than to the recent renovation. How to fix the situation? - Proper lighting of a small hallway.
Yulia Sologubova/ Antresole
Now I'm not saying that the functional content of the hallway doesn't matter: it does.
Dozens of useful articles have been written about solving this Houzz problem in the hallway section. In this material, I will talk about something else - about the skill of managing attention and the ability to “redistribute” it with the help of lighting in a small hallway.
Recently in my practice there was a case - I was invited to an on-site consultation on the subject of a small corridor in a recently renovated apartment. I have identified several tricks - from constructive changes to small decorative touches that improve the lighting in a small hallway. Perhaps some of them will help in your case.
We analyze the correct lighting in the hallway - with a photo - and think about which lamps to choose and where to hang them.
Louis Angèle
1. Learn to use a mirror
The first thing that works to visually expand the hallway is a mirror (thanks, how new it is). But it's not just the fact of the mirror or its size, but how exactly to use it.
An example in the photo - they lined a fragment of the hallway with mirrors, made a mirrored frameless door to the bathroom and literally dissolved the wall in space. See how the interior has become "twice the size" of the nominal?
Let us now imagine that there are not enough lamps above this mirror (there is a mirror, but it is in the dusk). And that the reflective surface is not solid, but is repeatedly crushed by the frames of the closet doors. Mentally draw this wall with red rectangles: and the mirror will disappear - a closet will appear in the field of view.
Alexey Trofimov Photography
Another example in the photo - the mirror in this case acts as a wall covering and finishing material - not an object of decor. At the same time, a lot of useful things can be hidden behind it: access hatches to counters and a pair of built-in wardrobes with a push-to-open opening system. See how decorative mirrors continue functional (built-in closet façade) along the wall with a banquette.
This is not such a small hallway in the photo, you object. Good: mentally remove a meter of width - a seat and tables; table lamps are replaced with ceiling lamps on a long suspension. What changed? In the design of the hallway - nothing; but you can use this idea in your compact narrow hallway.
Mikhail Kalinin
The second point is what exactly your mirror reflects. Hanger mess? Congratulations, you now have it doubled. A wall with perky wallpaper opposite? Well, it is unlikely that space will magically “unfold” from this. Therefore, it is correct to put the question differently.
Where to hang a mirror in the hallway?
- Where the maximum light will fall on it. It can be a mirror in front of a glazed interior door, a mirror next to a table lamp, a mirror that reflects a chandelier. Please note that the hallway lighting from the photo works in tandem with the mirror, and not independently of it.
- Where a nice view will be reflected in the mirror. For example, a wall with a picture or decorative lighting in a small hallway (for example, a table lamp by a mirror on a chest of drawers).
- Where the mirror will reflect the perspective. In the photo example, the open door to the next room is reflected, the view of the window and the light from it. There was no window in the hallway - now there is: in the reflection.
- Where the mirror will multiply itself. A mirror in front of a mirror in a long corridor - wide, high, large, without interruptions - is a great option.
Tip: If the hallway is a small square, find a side where at least some light enters the room and place a mirror opposite this source. In extreme cases, the mirror will work in the same way with an artificial light source.
Chris Snook
Fact: As we can see, the reception with a spectacular reflection in the mirror is suitable for hallways of any size.
Irina Tatarnikova Decor
What to do if there is no place for a huge mirror or several?
We hang any (taking into account what was said earlier), but we work with the illumination of its surface. I will not tire of repeating: the compact mirror located in the hallway, although it will not make the space more airy, will reflect the light and thus add “volume”. An example in the photo - a mirror was lit with paired sconces, on the ceiling - two powerful lamps, and this is in a small hallway.
This is done not only in order to improve the insufficient lighting of the hallway in the apartment. But also to correct the situation when you are upset at the sight of your own reflection.
Read on the topic ...
My light, Mirror: How to organize the backlight by the mirror
Grandecor
2. Arrange “Light at the end of the tunnel”
in the narrow and oblong hallways.
A light in the end of a tunnel". This option is often there by itself, you just need to strengthen it. A dark corridor in almost any case leads to a room, and here we have several options. The first and most primitive is to leave the door from the corridor to this room open for most of the day. The second is to organize an arched opening without a door, or replace a solid canvas with a door with a glass insert.
Allison Lind Interiors
If a narrow hallway ends with a wall, place a light source and some catchy element like a painting on it. The lamp will play the role of a visual beacon, and the picture, especially a large one, will bring the wall closer - the corridor will seem less elongated.
In the example in the photo, the wallpaper ornament “directs the eye”, and the red chair serves as a focal point.
Zulufish
Another example in the photo is a mirror on the wall at the end of a narrow corridor.
Let's repeat the well-known tricks: a window and light from an opening in the neighborhood are reflected in the mirror. An excellent working technique, but now you will object to me about the “tunnel effect”.
Indeed, blogs often write about how it is undesirable to place mirrors on a short wall in a narrow corridor. This is true if you make a mirror surface from floor to ceiling, from wall to wall - then a narrow long corridor will become exactly twice as large. Why do we see a counterexample in the photo and the mirror works great for expanding the hallway? Because the designer has worked with what will be reflected in it.
VVDesign
3. Make niches
Oddly enough, niches in the wall are one way to improve the lighting in a small hallway. The thing is that such niches create light differences, which allows the lighting to look more voluminous and ultimately make the dark corridor lighter. Pay attention to how successfully this volume is emphasized in the photo due to light and shade from the wall lamps and ceiling lamps.
And again the same technique with the light of the sconce, multiplying in the mirror sheet.
onside l estudio de arquitectura
4. Add a light box
Instead of a mirror wall in a niche, a light box works great - the wall is covered with frosted glass, behind which sufficiently powerful lamps are mounted. Similar light windows are often arranged on the ceiling. It creates the effect of pouring light from the next room.
Natalia Preobrazhenskaya | Bureau "Uyutnaya Kvartira"
5. Become an ascetic in design
If you have a narrow corridor and a small hallway, then the best solution would be the most ascetic design: light floor, neutral walls. Lighting in a small hallway with technical light is one of my favorite options. Almost always looks neat and does not overload the compact space.
Tip: Don't be intimidated by the lack of decor, as empty walls and simple baseboards create a clean and tidy feel.
And so that the composition does not seem too bland, you can add a bright bench and a cool hanger.
HOLZMANIEREN
Let's start with the "extra" in the design of spaces - remove the "excess" from sight! So that the notorious lump of jackets does not an eyesore, a niche of one (one!) Square meter is enough. Yes, wet clothes dry faster in the air than in a closed closet. So a dressing room with hangers is exactly the same as an open hanger. Only storage in it is much more ordered.
You will have to look for a place for a micro dressing room in the hallway, but even in standard apartments it is often available. Or it can be organized due to a slight redevelopment (the closet “deepens” into the next room - there is a ledge on the other side, and the corridor has not become narrow). Look for options!
MORE ABOUT THE INTERIOR WITH PHOTO…
Project of the week: Wardrobe for a family of 1.
2 square meters
In a small and narrow hallway, more light is physically required. Therefore, at the repair stage, it is required to lay enough fixtures on the ceiling. But not only - you need lamps below: on the walls and near the mirror, shoe cabinet, at the front door; think about which lamps to choose to highlight the space and design of your hallway. I even met options when the plinth was illuminated around the perimeter: it is very convenient to navigate in the dark if you have a habit of looking into the refrigerator at night.
Tip: If the hallway is long and narrow, install the switches not only on the side of the front door, but also on the side of the exit to another room - then you will not have to go through the entire corridor to turn on the light.
Natalia Preobrazhenskaya | Uyutnaya Kvartira Bureau
7. Remove the wall
Yes, that's exactly what I wrote - in typical apartments, one of our frequent redevelopment decisions is to demolish the wall between the corridor and, as a rule, the living room.
Of course, in those houses where possible. For the entrance area, we leave the necessary minimum, in the vacated space we plan a dressing room and expand the living room space.
On the layout, one of such examples is the removal of the partition between the living room and the hallway, and the passage area was separated by zoning columns.
Ponizovkin Architectural Studio
The advantage of this solution is to create the illusion of spaciousness and openness, the minus is the risk that things from the hallway will start to "creep" into the living room. Therefore, it is necessary to clearly define the boundaries of the zones.
An interesting solution, a kind of half measure, is shown in the photo. Here they left only a half-height partition between the hallway and the living room: thus, zoning is clearly present, but the hallway is well lit and does not seem so cramped.
READ ON THE TOPIC…
Good question: Why do you and your apartment need internal windows
QT INTERIOR DESIGN
glass inserts.
Thus, part of the daylight from the adjacent room will penetrate directly into the hallway or corridor. On a bright sunny day, this is a great option for lighting the hallway. Imagine how much darker the hallway would be in this photo if the doors were deaf - the delicate shade of the walls would immediately be lost.
9. Add a transom where there was none
Of course, this solution is ideal for the hallway in a private house, where additional daylight can be let in through a stained glass insert in the front door or glass blocks on the sides of the door. This option is very common in American and European homes.
But in a typical apartment, we only have the opportunity to "borrow" the dim glow of a light bulb in the entrance. So we muster up the courage and cut the inner “window” between the hallway and the adjacent room: add a transom above the interior door. If several doors open into the hallway, we arrange transoms over each.
Of course, if such an option is constructively possible.
SEE ALSO… 543 more photos of transoms in the interior
ALLARTSDESIGN
Then the hallway will be illuminated not only by the light of its own lamps, but also, as in the photo, by lamps from the adjacent room.
READ ABOUT THE INTERIOR WITH PHOTOS…
Houzz tour: Sun and Scandinavian mood in 55 square meters
Beauparlant Design inc
The solution is highly dependent on style, but if desired, a glass partition between the room and the hallway can be added to any interior. It would be possible to agree on a partial dismantling.
SEE ALSO...
- White hallways - 457 more examples
- White corridors - 76 photos Victor Stefan
11. Color can be any, if it is white
To add some light to a small and dimly lit hallway, feel free to go ahead and paint all the wooden elements with glossy white paint.
By the same principle, choose the lightest boiserie wall panels as a finishing material: they will look more expressive than a plastered wall. And interesting hanging lamps and a laconic sticker will emphasize the fact that this color was not chosen by chance, but, on the contrary, is a design idea. I won't get tired of repeating about "a lot of light". With white walls paired, it is also economically beneficial - the light will be reflected from the walls, and not absorbed by them. And there are dozens of shades of white: you can always choose a pleasant one for you personally.
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Create a lamp on your own project or order from the manufacturer - lighting specialists on HouzziSee also ...
Another 647 Options for the hallway
Read on the topic ... Good question: What is the right way to paint a wall white?Lighting in the hallway - 65 photos of perfect design ideas
> Entrance hall > Hallway lighting - what options are in fashion now? 65 photos of new designs.
Lighting, in addition to its direct function, performs a number of other functions, such as: creating an atmosphere, visually increasing space, changing the geometry of a room, and so on.
This is an indispensable tool for designers. Even the most stylish and expensive design, with an unsuccessful lighting solution, can become useless.
The hallway is an integral part of any home. Its lighting design must be taken seriously. In this article we will consider various options for lighting in the hallway and consider this topic in more detail.
The above part of the house has two roles:
- This is the beginning of the house, it is the entrance hall that welcomes guests and residents of the city who cross the threshold of the house. This is the personification of the transition from the dynamic outside world to a calm and cozy homely atmosphere.
- In this part of the housing, the little one preens before going out, and also puts on shoes and puts on before going out, so the lighting in the hallway should be full.
This is especially necessary if the residents of the house prefer to apply makeup in this room.
When installing lighting fixtures, special attention must be paid to comfort so that they do not interfere with being in this part of the house. In an average apartment, the hallway is a very compact room.
Contents:
Lighting Features
If you're wondering how to make hallway lighting pleasant and rewarding, it's important to know a few secrets and rules.
Do not forget the fact that in most cases there is no natural (sunlight) in the hallway, so when designing lighting in a small hallway, you can use a large number of lamps for such a footage.
It is very important that the light in the room is soft and pleasant. Between the entrance and the vestibule there is a big difference in filling the light. With a sharp change in location, from dark to light, the human eye needs time to get used to and the more pleasant the lighting design, the more comfortable it will be.
A good lighting technique is one in which the light gently and smoothly passes into other rooms in the neighborhood. Such a transition is necessary so as not to destroy the integrity of the design and lighting design.
Lighting in a narrow hallway, which can act as a corridor, requires the installation of an additional lamp between the rooms.
Sometimes designers equip adjacent rooms with lamps, the light from which goes to the hallway.
To do this, you need to place lamps at the doors. To make the passage more spacious and bright for the rooms in the house that adjoin this part of the housing, it is better to choose glass doors. Thus, natural and artificial light will penetrate into the hallway.
We achieve maximum comfort and volume
For convenience, you can place special sensors in the hallway that react to heat and turn on only in the presence of people.
Also, a rheostat is often installed in the hallway, with which the light intensity can be easily adjusted. Do not forget that with the help of light you can easily increase the volume of the room and make it more spacious.
Suspended ceilings are now very popular. Lighting in the hallway with stretch ceilings looks more impressive due to the fact that the glossy surface of the ceiling reflects light
Design techniques
You can completely flood the room with light or concentrate on certain areas. For example, decorate the ceiling lighting in the hallway, near the mirror, hangers and so on.
Standard lighting patterns: perimeter and symmetrical.
Lighting fixtures can be of any size, but for a compact room it is better to choose small fixtures.
With a modern choice of goods, you can choose not only functional, but also stylish and beautiful lamps, sconces and more.
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