Should I Paint a Long, Narrow Hallway Light or Dark?

Using Light-Colored Paint

• Light colors generally give the illusion of added space and can make a narrow hallway seem wider than it is. While white is the lightest color, it can seem stark and cold. Instead of choosing a pure white, consider a white paint softened by undertones of warmer colors, such as peach or gold. If you like cooler colors, consider soft, pale green or a nearly white pink paint. A narrow hallway with bright lighting or good natural light from a window will still look wider painted with slightly darker, pastel colors. Pastel colors help brighten narrow hallways floored with dark wood or carpet.

Using Dark-Colored Paint

• If it's drama you're after, paint the walls in bold, dark colors like charcoal gray, deep orange or brick red. Paint baseboards and other trim stark white for contrast, if you like, or let the color cover every part of the hallway for continuity. Dark colors tend to enclose a space, however, unless you provide good lighting. Consider a row of spotlights or recessed lights on the ceiling, aimed at the walls. Large mirrors or framed artwork with attached gallery lights add impact and illumination to keep the dark walls from closing in on you.

Ceilings

• High ceilings can add to the tunnel-like atmosphere of a narrow hallway, while low ceilings can make you feel claustrophobic. If the ceilings are high and the hallway is painted with light colors, you can "lower" the ceiling by painting it a darker color than the walls. The ceiling may be painted just a few shades darker than the walls, or a different, darker hue altogether. If the hallway has a low ceiling, use a shade lighter than the color on the walls or paint the ceiling white.

Paint Types

• Matte, or flat, paint colors do not reflect light. Flat paints are fine in a long, narrow hallway with good lighting. If the hallway has little natural light or inadequate electric lights, semigloss or gloss paint may be a better choice. Not only are walls painted with semigloss and gloss paints easier to clean, the shiny surface of the paint bounces light around the hallway, making it appear larger and brighter.