by Alison Fernandes

Created on: December 16, 2011   Last Updated: December 17, 2011

Many new build, as well as older style, town houses have cramped, narrow hallways, designed to maximise the floor space allocated to rooms rather than to an area which is intended only for transit.  Decorating a long, narrow hallway attractively to minimise the inevitable corridor effect is an art form in itself, but with a little forethought you can achieve lovely results.

There are a number of different aspects which need to be considered and carefully planned.   

Light is an important factor in making your hallway attractive and welcoming.  A front door with a glass panel and a fanlight over will allow the maximum possible amount of natural light into the hall.  Careful use of artificial lighting can reduce any gloom.  Choose a pale coloured shade for your ceiling pendant – natural materials such as raffia are good, camouflaging the bulb while still allowing plenty of light into the surrounding space.  A small table or narrow free standing shelf unit with a table lamp at the far end of the hallway from the front door will provide a focal point which draws the eye to it and away from the length of the hall.

You should try to keep the decor simple and light.  Use muted, natural tones for the walls and if you intend to wallpaper, then choose a paper with an understated pattern - a vertical effect will help to create the illusion of more height to the hallway, seeming to bring the far end closer.  This can be accentuated by painting the far wall in a warmer colour, which will also help to reduce the feeling of coolness caused by the rest of the decor.  Use vinyl silk emulsion for the wall surfaces you are painting so that they will reflect any light.

For woodwork, there is no better colour than white to brighten and enliven painted architraves and doors.  Either satinwood or gloss paint, depending on your personal preference, will help reflect any light back into the hallway.   If the doors and frames are made of solid pine and in good condition, you might consider stripping them back to natural wood and then polishing or varnishing them to protect the surface.

Decorate the ceiling in a contrasting colour to make the hallway feel higher, again avoiding dark colours which would close in on you.  To contrast with the rest of the decor you could paper it with anaglypta.  There are some lovely designs available at your local DIY store and the embossed pattern breaks up the surface area

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