How to Decorate a Hallway

Rev up a hallway with clever decorating. Here are some ideas to get you started. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Visually widen a hallway by painting the walls on the narrow ends a deeper color than the long side walls.

2

Furnish the hallway if it's wide enough; a narrow bookcase or console table will often fit in a hallway without being an obstacle to the heavy traffic in the space.

3

Accessorize a hallway with pictures that are intended for up-close viewing. These can be photographs or detailed paintings or prints.

4

Install picture ledges (about 3 to 4 feet from the floor is a good height). Switch pictures in and out to keep the look interesting.

5

Consider painting doors and moldings the same light color as the walls to add a sense of spaciousness and reduce the chopped-up appearance that sometimes comes when you have light walls and dark doorways.

6

Use a minimal window treatment, or none at all, if you have natural light coming into the hallway.

7

Add artificial lighting for safety and to banish the dreary, closed-in feeling. Or consider a skylight.

8

Make a hallway seem cozier by painting the ceiling in a medium to dark paint.

9

Use an area rug (or rugs) only if there's no tripping hazard.

10

Maximize the hallway's function by providing a place to drop off shoes, coats and the like. This is especially important in a back hall where folks arrive home from school and work.