Hallway Design Ideas

The hallway is an often overlooked space that only serves as a useful route from one room to the next. But if you ignore them, you are missing out on a great opportunity to experiment and design hallways with character and drama.

Before you begin, look around and evaluate the room. Are there special structural elements such as chair rails or molded parts? Is the room getting a lot of natural light or do you need to add a light fixture? Could the ground use a runner? Once you have a feel for your space, here are some ideas for decorating hallways that are worth lingering in:

Create depth

If your hallway has a chair track, add dimension by painting a light color at the top (to make the space feel more open) and a darker color or wallpaper at the bottom.

Make a gallery wall pop

If you want to hang a gallery wall in the hallway, paint the walls (including the moldings and chair track) and ceiling the same color so your photos and artwork will pop in a really dramatic way.

Show art (temporarily)

For a true gallery experience, add picture rails, ledges, or floating shelves to the hallway walls so you can frequently swap the artwork on display.

Light it up

Another way to add to the drama is to keep the space art-free and put a number of sconces on the walls instead.

Pick a fun runner

The runner offers the opportunity to bring bright colors and playful patterns into the room. So don’t hold back. Since the hallways are usually high-traffic areas, choose one with a tight, low-pile fabric.

Add storage

If you have a relatively wide hallway, use it as storage for items like floating consoles, low bookcases, or built-in units. Make sure you keep 30 inches of space around furniture so you can move around freely.

Top picture via Flex Inredning