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How To Decorate a Hallway | Little Greene

Green-grey wall with a staircase railing in the right-hand corner painted in a pale stone colour (Portland Stone - Light).

Decorating a Hallway

When decorating an entryway or hallway, it is important to create a scheme that flows from room to room.

These areas can often be narrow and lacking in natural light. With the use of colour, you can produce a scheme that brings warmth and light to a small space to ensure a welcoming entrance.

A narrow corridor with walls painted in dark grey (Baluster and Cool Arbour), and an off-white wall (Wood Ash) in the foreground.

Define hallway proportions with different shades

Use a lighter shade at the end of a narrow corridor alongside darker walls to draw the eye and create depth in a room.

For advice on how to make a dark hallway appear lighter with paint, see our article on Creating Space: “How to Make your Rooms Look Larger”.

Baluster is used with Cool Arbour in this neutral, spacious scheme that is perfectly complemented with natural wood furnishings for a look that is both simple and beautiful.

Wall (facing): Wood Ash

Walls (corridor): Baluster and Cool Arbour

Door frame and Baseboard: Wood Ash

Hallway Inspiration

Hallway decorated with Light Gold walls, grey radiator, an orange chair, a patterned rug, and a white side table and vase.

Bold and bright paint

Use strong yellow shades such as Light Gold in an all-over scheme to draw light into the space. This wraparound look will bring a sense of warmth and create a joyful, inherent brightness.

Paint your hallway furniture - chairs, tables or coat stands - to complement the warm colour scheme.

Wall: Light Gold

Radiator: Urbane Grey

Trim: Scree

Chair: Heat

Window Frame: White Lead

Hallway with a pale blue-green (Brighton) wall in the foreground and a bright red (Atomic Red) wall in the background.

Colour contrast corridor

Pair two bold colours that strongly contrast for a contemporary finish in your hallway and landing.

Atomic Red and Brighton are used for this spacious hallway to provide a real colour highlight that may be overwhelming if used in a more restful space.

Back Wall: Atomic Red

Front Wall: Brighton

Hallway with a grey green (Livid) painted door and doorframe with a contrasting pale pink (Confetti) wall.

A natural combination

Green and pink are a naturally beautiful colour pairing. The sweetness of Confetti on the walls is grounded by the use of this earthy green Livid on woodwork.

Wall: Confetti, Doorframe and Door: Livid

Inside Door Panelling: Gauze – Dark, Above Picture Rail: Lamp Black

Bottom of stairs with grey bird print wallpaper (Voliéres - French Grey) and a small table with yellow gingham tablecloth.

Bold pattern scheme

Create a scheme that flows from room to room by pairing a wallpaper design with a complementary paint colour.

Volières - French Grey pairs with the coordinating French Grey neutrals for this elegant hallway that has an element of contemporary drama.

Wallpaper: Volières - French Grey

Panelling: French Grey Pale

Wall: French Grey

Dado & Baseboard: French Grey

Hallway with various Portland Stone shades on the walls and ceiling, alongside a dark green (Dark Brunswick Green) cupboard.

Neutral traditional hallway

For a more traditional finish, keep walls soft and neutral and highlight architectural features and woodwork in a darker shade to provide a point of focus.

Pair shades from the Portland Stone family of neutrals and introduce Dark Brunswick Green on cabinetry to create connection with the outdoors.

Ceiling: Portland Stone– Pale

Upper Walls: Portland Stone – Light

Dado Rail, Door & Trim: Portland Stone

Cupboard: Dark Brunswick Green

Hallway with vibrant green (Citrine) on the walls, a white front door to the left and a side table with a plant and lamp.

How to paint a hallway

For areas like hallways that experience high-traffic and the wear and tear of every day family life, we recommend using our Intelligent Matt finish.

Intelligent Matt is a totally matte, yet completely washable alternative to traditional emulsion paints with a beautifully flat low sheen.

It is certified as child-safe and is fully washable, should any accidents occur. Marks can simply be wiped away with warm water to maintain a spotless first impression in your hallway.

Intelligent Matt is easy to apply and dry in 1-4 hours so you can complete your hallway decorating project efficiently and easily with minimum disruption.

Wall: Citrine

Hallway with the upper wall in pale neutral brown (Lute) and lower wall, dado rail and baseboard in dark grey (Pompeian Ash).

Painting bare plaster walls

Allow at least four weeks for new plaster to dry. Lightly wash the walls to remove any dust prior to application. All plaster walls require a mist primer coat by thinning Intelligent Matt Emulsion paint with a 5 to 25% addition of clean water.

Stir the paint thoroughly before use. Two full coats of Intelligent Matt Emulsion are recommended to achieve full depth of colour.

Recoat after four hours by applying a second coat of Intelligent Matt Emulsion. The substrate will be surface dry within one hour.

Painting previously painted walls

Ensure the surface is clean, dry and grease-free. Use sugar soap to remove all loose and flaking paintwork and rinse with clean water.

For a significant colour change, apply Little Greene Intelligent ASP (All Surface Primer) to the matching colour to ensure the depth of colour is retained.

Stir the paint thoroughly before use. Two full coats of Intelligent Matt Emulsion are recommended to achieve full depth of colour. Apply the first coat of paint evenly.

Recoat after four hours by applying a second coat of Intelligent Matt Emulsion. The substrate will be surface dry within one hour.

Ceiling & Arch: Slaked Lime

Upper Wall: Lute

Lower Wall: Pompeian Ash

Dado Rail & Baseboard: Pompeian Ash

Our paint can be applied using traditional brushes or rollers.

For hallways with high ceilings above the staircase, we recommend using a telescopic paint roller to reach the full length of the wall.

How much paint will I need to paint a hallway and landing?

To create a natural flow between spaces, use the same colour scheme when painting your hallway, stairs and landing.

Paint coverage varies according to the chosen finish, so make sure you calculate how much paint you will need after you have selected your finish.

We recommend Intelligent Matt Emulsion as the ideal hallway paint. Based on a single coat, you can expect an average coverage of 570 square feet per gallon of paint. We recommend a minimum of two coats when applying any of our paint finishes.

For more inspiration, browse our image gallery. If you’re struggling with selecting shades or concerned about colour combinations, Little Greene Colour Consultancy will help you decorate your home with confidence. Our professionally trained consultants will guide you through choosing the best colours, finishes and wallpapers to bring beauty and personality to your home décor.