How to Arrange a Hallway
One of the key goals when designing a hallway is to visually enlarge the space. To achieve this, colors play a major role. Beige, light gray, and various shades of white make great base tones for a hallway. Walls and floors in these colors will make the hallway feel more spacious.
Wall Finishing Options for the Hallway
Hallway walls should be light. However, the materials used also matter. Durability, resistance to damage, and ease of cleaning are essential. Hallway walls are exposed to frequent dirt, which is even more visible with light colors.
- Emulsion and textured paints
- Decorative plasters
- Velour, latex, and fiberglass wallpapers
- Wainscoting made from wood, panels, tiles, or stone
Emulsion paints vary in resistance depending on their composition. Not all are suitable for hallways, where frequent cleaning and scrubbing may be needed. More durable variants are recommended. The benefits of paint include affordability, high coverage, and a wide range of available colors.
Textured paints contain various fillers that create a three-dimensional effect, such as concrete or wood textures. Decorative plasters offer similar effects, though they are harder to apply. They allow for multicolored patterns and mosaic designs.
Wallpapers for the hallway, including modern photo wallpapers, must be damage-resistant. Paper and fabric wallpapers are unsuitable. Choose vinyl, latex, or fiberglass wallpapers instead.
Wainscoting involves decorating only the lower part of the wall. Traditionally done with paneling or tiles, and sometimes stone. Today, painted wainscoting is also popular — just make sure the paint used is durable and damage-resistant.
What to Put on the Walls in the Hallway – Inspirations
Even with all the theory, choosing the perfect wall finish for a hallway can still be difficult. Here are three proven ideas worth considering:
1. White Walls
Classic white walls painted with durable paint that helps maintain brightness over time. Depending on the desired effect, choose the right shade of white. We recommend warm, muted whites paired with wood-effect flooring.
Flooring in the hallway is more prone to damage than walls, so it must be durable and moisture-resistant. A great solution is fully waterproof vinyl flooring that realistically imitates natural wood. Light wood patterns like Hudson Oak or Nevada Oak from the Aqua Profi collection pair well with white hallway walls.
A well-designed wainscoting is a great compromise between the need for color and maintaining a sense of order and space. While dark, intense colors are not ideal, soft pastel tones like muted pink, peach, sage green, or delicate blue are excellent choices.
2. Brick Effect
An industrial-style hallway with a concrete floor or finishes resembling concrete, paired with an exposed brick wall. Just one brick accent wall will enhance the hallway’s aesthetics without overwhelming the space. It can also be achieved with wallpaper or decorative plaster. We suggest real brick tiles or whitewashed bricks in faded red or blush tones.
