Good hallway paint colors
10 Best Hallway Paint Colors
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 08/30/21
The Spruce / Christopher Lee Foto
Often neglected and forgotten about during a home renovation, your hallways aren't technically a room, but they should be just as important as your living space or kitchen when it comes to decorating. A home that truly flows and feels complete is one with well-decorated hallways and a cohesive look from top to bottom. Whether you want a crisp, white hallway or you want to experiment with elongating colors such as deep navy blue, there's a hallway paint color for you.
While your hallway may feel like an afterthought, putting effort into its look and feel will help your home become more cohesive and finished, and tie together a well-decorated space. These paint color ideas will help you achieve that.
Overview
- Color Family: Various
- Complementary Colors: Various
- Pairs Well With: Various
- Mood: Calming, elegant, cozy
- Where to Use: Hallways
Below, you'll find the the 10 best hallway paint colors.
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01 of 10
The Spruce
Your hallways should blend nicely into the rest of your home's rooms, but that doesn't mean you have to maintain the same color scheme throughout the house. Even if you go bolder in the bedrooms or kitchen, a neutral paint color can be a calming choice for your hallways and a great way to tie the rest of the home together. Farrow & Ball's Stony Ground is a classic color with light red undertones that give it warmth. It resembles a soft beige and looks beautiful with white trim.
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02 of 10
The Spruce
White paint has long been used to brighten up a space and help a small room feel larger. If your hallways are lacking in natural light (as many are), Kilz Ultra Bright White is a great choice. This bright white is free of any undertones and appears crisp and clean. It also lightens the mood of any dreary hallway, but works well behind framed artwork or portraits on a stairway hall, too.
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03 of 10
The Spruce
We love The Spruce Best Home's Lilac Sand for a hallway because it's bright enough to open up the space, but with a hint of color. This dusty taupe has a slight purple and lilac undertone and is a great choice for a modern farmhouse feel. It pairs well with whites or grays and looks wonderful against whitewashed wood.
Tip
Fix any problem areas (like holes or cracks) on the walls before you begin painting. Your hardware or paint store will direct you to the best products for this job.
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04 of 10
The Spruce
The best hallway colors provide a sense of calm and tranquility as your surroundings transition from day to night and night to day. Benjamin Moore's Windy Sky is a pale blue with cool undertones that almost reads neutral in certain light. It adds just enough color to create visual interest, but not so much that it will feel overwhelming in your hallway.
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05 of 10
The Spruce
There's just something about a rich green paint that makes any space feel homey and down to earth. Sherwin-Williams' Evergreen Fog is a cool medium green that feels muted and modern. It appears nearly gray in certain lights or at certain times of the day and is a great choice for a sophisticated home that needs a little pigment.
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06 of 10
The Spruce
It's a common misconception that only bright whites can help a space feel larger. In fact, sometimes a dark color can appear to push walls out and elongate a room. The Spruce Best Home's Cosmic Sapphire is a lovely deep navy blue that's perfect for modern homes and can pack a major punch in a hallway. We love it for stairway hallways, especially those that connect to a foyer. Overall, it's a great color for adding a lot of personality and depth.
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07 of 10
The Spruce
Gray paint is a classic neutral that works beautifully in any hallway. Farrow & Ball's Elephant's Breath is a warm gray with hints of purple and magenta. It can give a cozy feeling to a spacious hallway that needs a little warmth and is a lovely choice for outside a bedroom.
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08 of 10
The Spruce
Though Benjamin Moore's Opal is only barely pink, it provides a delightful luminescence that opens up a hallway and gives off just enough color to create texture. It's a great choice for ceilings, and can even be painted floor-to-ceiling for a widening effect in a narrow hallway to create the illusion of more space.
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09 of 10
The Spruce
Coral has become a very popular color in home decor and we think it works just as well in a hallway as it does in a bedroom or a living room. Clare's Pop paint is a playful, peachy coral that brightens up any space and is a fun choice for a hallway. Use this color in either a wider hallway or a narrow one—it works to both elongate while adding depth.
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10 of 10
The Spruce
Purple is an incredibly calming color—and when you scurry from your bedroom to the bathroom in the morning, a peaceful-feeling color is a pleasant way to welcome the day. Magnolia's Vintage Collection is a lovely lavender hue with hints of gray. It works beautifully in any hallway and looks great next to white or light wood frames.
Designers Share the 15 Best Hallway Colors
Tom Ferguson
Just a guess, but the word you'd use to describe your hallway probably isn't one of these: striking, dramatic, gorgeous, warm, intimate, exciting. But it could be! It's all about knowing what hallway color you should choose as your backdrop. Keep reading to get inspired by fifteen beautifully decorated hallways along with designer tips and paint color suggestions to transform all your transitional spaces.
Farrow & Ball
1 of 15
Brown
"I always think it's a mistake to try to make an interior room look brighter with white," says interior designer Tom Stringer. "I'd rather make it dark and interesting." His go-to dark color is Benjamin Moore's Van Buren Brown HC-70, which resembles semisweet chocolate chips. "It doesn't feel dark to me, just intimate and enveloping," he says.
Shop a similar shade below:
BUY NOW Farrow & Ball Tanner's Brown, $110
Anson Smart
2 of 15
Baby Blue
Designer Darren Henault has a probing question for the world: "Why do people treat hallways as a lonely, pathetic passageway?" His cure is adding seating, "even if nobody's actually going to sit. " This makes it feel comfortable and inviting. In this space designed by Arent & Pyke, the soft blue accent color softens everything up while the striped barrel chair brings in a modern touch.
Shop a similar shade below:
BUY NOW PPG Zero Blue Ice Age Paint, $19
Farrow & Ball
3 of 15
Bright Yellow
"Usually, hallways don't get much sun, so I like yellow—a color that emanates warmth and light," shares designed Marshall Watson. "It won't take on that gray pallor that white and beige or tan can acquire when there's no window around," He explains. Then consider hanging a series of black and white photographs, as repetition works well in a corridor, he suggests.
Shop a similar shade below:
BUY NOW Farrow & Ball Babouche 223, $110
Tom Ferguson
4 of 15
Black Blue
"I like black in a small hallway. Clients think you're crazy at first, but it's very romantic," Elizabeth Brauer tells us. "Do sconces or a chandelier on dimmers, because you don't want bright light flooding the walls." In this hallway designed by Arent & Pyke, the deep shade of navy still has a lively spirit to it.
Shop a similar shade below:
BUY NOW Farrow & Ball Black Blue 95, $110
STEPHEN KENT JOHNSON
5 of 15
Brown Gray
Kim Alexandruik's motto is to "go for impact." She encourages you to consider the hallway a playing field for bold accents, like unusual seating and colorful artwork that may be harder to integrate into other rooms. Her color of choice is a "putty-colored gray, with a hint of pink and lavender. Not too light, so it doesn't go vapid," says Aleandruik. Use this hallway designed by Mally Skok as inspiration.
Shop a similar shade below:
BUY NOW Farrow & Ball Elephant's Breath 229, $110
Jonny Valiant
6 of 15
High-Gloss Green
"To reduce that long tunnel effect, you have to dematerialize the walls," says designed Maureen Footer. She suggests lacquering them to reflect light and get that shimmery glow. These high-gloss green walls in a hallway designed by Christina Murphy are such a fun surprise.
Shop a similar shade below:
BUY NOW Behr High-Gloss Sparking Apple, $33
Anson Smart
7 of 15
Beige
"A hallway should be the reverse of what's happening around it," says designer Birch Coffey. In this home designed by Arent & Pyke, the front door is painted a lively orangey-red color, so the entry hall softens things up with a muted pewter. Coffey likes Benjamin Moore's Revere Pewter HC-172. "This seagull gray doesn't scream for attention, yet it has presence. Light, yet deep enough to look sharp with a contrasting trim," says the designer.
Shop a similar shade below:
BUY NOW Farrow & Ball Wevet, $110
Francesco Lagnese
8 of 15
Hot Pink
Intense, eye-catching, and adventurous, we're loving the neon pink walls in this townhouse designed by Jonathan Berger. Use it in a foyer for a warm, welcoming, impossible-to-forget entrance, or to embolden a lackluster hallway.
Shop a similar shade below:
BUY NOW Benjamin Moore Peony, $43
Felix Forest
9 of 15
Light Gray
"Remember those boutique hotels with hallways so dark they made you feel like a mole? I think the drama should come from your art, and the paint should be fresh and light," says designed Betsy Brown. A nice in between neutral is a gorgeous backdrop for sculptural mirrors and unique lighting, as seen in this hallway by Arent & Pyke.
Shop a similar shade below:
BUY NOW Benjamin Moore Classic Gray 0C-23, $43
Blush Pink
10 of 15
Blush Pink
A light, delicate pink that provides just a touch of oomph looks surprisingly good when paired with more modern, streamlined, geometric pieces. It also works brilliantly in playful, eccentric spaces, like this one designed by 2LG Studio. The pink color makes it feel open and bright while the elaborate, saturated blue runner grounds it.
Shop a similar shade below:
BUY NOW Farrow & Ball Middleton Pink, $110
Matthew Williams
11 of 15
Deep Aqua
"Hallways without windows can and should be mysterious," asserts Susan Zises Green. She recommends trying a a deep blue with a lot of green that's wet and languid, like this glossy transitional space designed by Studio DB. Green also suggests carrying it up the ceiling to make it feel like a cocoon.
Shop a similar shade below:
BUY NOW Benjamin Moore Naples Blue 2057-30, $43
Sara Tramp
12 of 15
All White
Sometimes white really is the best option. "I like to use white in a space that has no natural light," shares Lisa Jackson. Her favorite is Farrow & Ball's All White 2005 because "it's not too blue, not too pink, not too yellow. " She also says "there should always be a focal point at the end of a hall—a console table, a fabulous chair..." In this one designed by Jess Bunge of Emily Henderson Design, our attention is drawn to the minimalist mirror.
Shop a similar shade below:
BUY NOW Farrow & Ball All White, $110
Tom Ferguson
13 of 15
Dark Gray
People are often afraid of dark colors. But it's just paint, bottom line. Try it. You'll like it," Sue Burgess reminds us. Her favorite dark paint color is Benjamin Moore's Taupe 2110-10, which is a rich chocolate-y brown. You could also opt for a moody gray hue like this one used by Arent & Pyke. It's sullen and serious yet exciting and fresh. Plus, it pairs beautifully with a ton of color schemes.
Shop a similar shade below:
BUY NOW Farrow & Ball Manor House Gray, $110
Dustin Askland
14 of 15
Mint Green
You can embrace color without going too over-the-top, as proven by this cheerful little hallway designed by Elizabeth Architecture and Design. Pale mint green is a lovely option to give a narrow passageway some fresh energy.
Shop a similar shade below:
BUY NOW Behr Light Mint Paint, $32
Hecker Guthrie
15 of 15
Cream
"There's just something about white that feels very pure and fresh and doesn't compete with the rooms off the hallway," Alex Papachristidis tells us. The designer usually opts for Benjamin Moore Cloud White 967, using different finishes for the wall and trims to create subtle contrast. The soft white in this hallway designed by Hecker Guthrie allows us to focus on the striking blue carpet in the room ahead.
Shop a similar shade below:
BUY NOW Behr Vermont Cream Paint, $35
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What color to paint the corridor in your apartment
Repair calculator
Contents:
What to consider when choosing the color of the hallway
The combination of style and color in the design of the corridor
Any apartment begins with the hallway. Shoe shelves, a wardrobe for outerwear, a key holder are placed here, so the main thing in the interior of the corridor is functionality. But it is also important that every room in the apartment is cozy, and the interior is in harmony with the configuration of the room. nine0003
What to consider when choosing the color of the hallway
When choosing the color for the walls in the corridor, designers recommend considering the following factors:
- square and room configuration;
- ceiling height;
- design style;
- illumination.
The larger and more spacious the corridor, the warmer the shades should be. But even in a large hallway, the choice of color for the walls determines the lighting. If there is a lot of light, then it is allowed to use the most daring shades: turquoise, blue, purple, green, etc. If the area of \u200b\u200bthe room is small, dark colors are not recommended. Visually, they will reduce the space. The walls of long narrow corridors are best painted in light colors. To decorate a small space with insufficient lighting, shades are used: white, blue, gray, beige. nine0003
The combination of style and color in the design of the corridor
The classic style uses natural materials or imitating them, made from synthetics. Natural stone, wood, tiles of natural shades give the room a noble look. Strictness and elegance are the basis of the classic design. This style will never go out of style. Many designers recommend using paint with a matte finish. To decorate the corridor in a classic style, use muted shades of the following colors:
- violet;
- white;
- brown;
- grey;
- burgundy;
- beige;
- olive.
Classics do not use bright colors that contrast with the interior. Muted tones create a feeling of peace, comfort, warmth. Stucco molding or carving can become an addition to a monophonic design. The walls are decorated with mirrors, sconces, paintings or panels. Accessories should also be light colors. It is permissible to use small decorative elements, decorated with golden or silver inserts. nine0003
Other decoration styles also welcome the use of warm and light colors to decorate the walls in the corridor. Hi-tech style is characterized by minimalism and asceticism, so the walls are painted with all shades of white and gray. The emphasis in this design is on well-thought-out lighting. The room becomes light and airy. There is a complete sense of freedom here.
Bright details, dark colors are used when decorating the Art Nouveau corridor. Smooth lines of decorative elements, prevailing natural shades in the interior can be diluted with bright contrasting colors. Experienced craftsmen recommend using lilac, dark pink, all shades of blue and purple for painting walls. nine0003
If the ceilings in the house are low, it is better to leave the walls white or paint them in a light gray tone. The corridor with a high ceiling is suitable for decoration in any style. The main thing to remember is that if the hallway is narrow, it is better not to overdo it with dark tones.
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What color to paint the corridor in the apartment: our advice (+38 photos)
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hallway. They strive to make this room functional and forget that convenience can be combined with stylish design. Even the most modest hallway can be turned into a work of art with the right design. So, what color to paint the corridor in the apartment? nine0003
The role of color
Color is a key design element of a room. The selected shades depend on the style, lighting, area and purpose of the room. There are no strict rules in choosing colors for the hallway; full scope for creativity is limited only by the designer's imagination. The only thing that is recommended to be taken into account is that the interiors of the corridor and other rooms should be in harmony.
The walls in the hallway can be painted in any color: bright, pastel, saturated and muted - only white is recommended to be avoided. Classic light brown and beige shades are suitable for those who want to create, above all, a practical corridor. Light gray walls will visually enlarge the room, besides, this color is easy to combine with brighter tones. nine0003
It is desirable to combine no more than three colors in any room, otherwise colorful walls will "overload" interior . Before you paint the corridor, you need to think about whether the existing furniture will fit into such an interior. If it is possible to purchase a new one, then maintain a single style. Classical furniture is unlikely to fit into a red or black corridor, and minimalist furniture in pink.
Important note! The furniture should be darker than the walls, but not too gloomy. Black should always be balanced with lighter shades. nine0003
Choosing the color for a narrow hallway
A narrow corridor seems inconvenient to many. Place cabinets only along the walls, which, by the way, are constantly getting dirty. Pasted wallpapers often tear because bags and outerwear hit them, so the best option is to paint the walls.
A narrow corridor imposes certain restrictions on the selection of colors. The main rule is not to overload the corridor with an abundance of flowers.
It is important to make a narrow corridor well lit, not only with lamps. nine0003
White would be a great solution, but its disadvantage is impracticality. This does not mean that it cannot be used in the hallway at all. A snow-white finish on a burgundy or dark blue background will look very impressive. If you do not want such experiments, it is recommended to choose light and delicate tones. Pay attention to the cold color scheme, which will help create a feeling of airiness in the interior.
Avoid monotony, it will tire you. You can create a smooth transition from a light shade to a darker one throughout the corridor. Another solution is to create an interesting wall texture, such as plastering before painting. nine0003
Decoration for a small hallway
Small spaces require a particularly careful design approach. What color to paint the room? It is not advised to make the walls in such hallways plain. For visual expansion, it is recommended to use horizontal stripes. Vertical lines will correct low ceilings, visually lifting them. The pattern does not always have to be straight lines, a pattern directed horizontally or vertically is sufficient.
The color scheme in a small hallway should not be too dark. Best painted in light cinnamon and beige shades with white and milky finishes. An interesting solution would be white-brown stripes-teeth. A white horizontal strip on the wall under the ceiling will visually lift it. Mirrors and metallic finishes can also be used to expand the space. nine0003
Small rooms are very capricious in terms of design. The emphasis should be on functionality, but avoid exaggerated minimalism.
Natural materials look good in a small apartment. Light wood finishes create a warm and inviting atmosphere, and if properly installed, will last for years.
Decorating with natural materials
Wood-paneled walls in the hallway are still rare, but this bold solution looks very advantageous in corridors of any type. What effect can such walls create? Thanks to the variety of shades and the natural structure of wood, you can create a unique interior. nine0003
Wood not only decorates, but also helps solve several problems. You won't have to level the walls, as the panels will hide any small irregularities. The room will not need to be insulated, which is especially important in hallways with a draft.
Natural materials look great in the right light. Wood needs warm, diffused light, while stone needs bright, direct rays.
An equally interesting material is stone. Of course, if you cover all the walls with it, it will look gloomy, but certain areas will be in harmony with the interior. It is better to choose the type of stone depending on what color you have chosen for painting the rest of the wall. nine0003
It is important to consider the style of the room. In classic and country style, wood will be appropriate, and modern , retro and minimalism gravitate more towards stone. If your interior is in high-tech style, then it is better not to use such a finish.
Illumination
Illumination is used to zone rooms or create accents on certain details. A place with mandatory enhanced lighting - next to the mirror. You can experiment with other corridor zones.
Colored lighting in a hallway with plain walls will create a completely different mood. And the color of the lamp can be easily changed if desired.
The color of the light source also plays an important role. Green is best used in a seating area, golden or pinkish in front of a mirror. Cold tones visually expand the space. Movable lighting devices will create an interesting effect in any functional area.
Before choosing which color to paint the corridor, you need to take into account all the functional features so that the color scheme improves the appearance of the hallway. A good hallway interior is very important because it sets the mood when you enter the house.