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Hallways are important transitional spaces in your home. Because hallways can be long and narrow in shape, these areas tend to be dark. Beyond that, hallway lighting options may seem limited. The truth is there are a number of light fittings for hallways that you can consider.
Below, we will look at hallway wall lighting ideas, from hallway downlights to hallway wall lights and everything in between.
Advice on How To Light a Hallway
The first thing you will need to do is choose the Indoor LED lighting that you want to use in the hallway, including hall wall lights and downlights in hallway. Since hallways can often tend to only be wide enough for only one person to walk at a time, saving space is important.
Corridor Ceiling Lights
Pendant lighting is one way to save space. Hanging a pendant light or two overhead can shine ambient light down into the area without taking up space as lamps would. You can also use them to make a statement in this area of your home. This tends to be best for hallways with high ceilings. Otherwise, you could make the space feel claustrophobic. If this is the case, choose fittings that do not project too far down, and some fittings may offer adjustable options.
Corridor Wall Lights
If you want to avoid overhead pendant lights, a hallway wall light is a great alternative. These lights can be strewn along the length of the wall of the hallway, lighting a path for you to follow. This type of light tends to be best for wider hallways, as most of them are surface mounted and will jut out a bit.
Corridor Track Lights
If you want to accent artwork or other features in the hallway, track lighting is a good way to go. You can mount it on the ceiling and face the fittings toward the areas you want to draw attention to. In so doing, you can create a unique gallery feel in your hallway to make your home feel special.
Light Placement
Below are some guidelines for placing your Interior LED wall lights and others in the hallway:
- Place a light at either end of the hallway to draw the eye down the space.
- Put a light every eight feet or so. If you have dimmer, smaller lights, they should be placed with greater frequency.
- Place sconces high up on the wall to make the hallway feel larger and more open.
- Look for any dark spots by standing at the end of the hallway and go back in and brighten any shadowy areas.
Ways To Light and Brighten a Dark Hallway
- DARK HALLWAYS CAN EASILY FEEL CRAMPED AND CLAUSTROPHOBIC. There are a few things you can do to help brighten up these areas with lights for dark hallways and prevent these feelings.
- CHOOSE BRIGHTER LIGHTS. Naturally, the best way to illuminate a hallway is to have brighter lights. Choose lights with a higher lumen count to accomplish this task.
- OPT FOR METALLIC HALLWAY WALL LIGHTING. Light will reflect off the metal, which can scatter the illumination and make it seem brighter in the space.
- TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NATURAL LIGHT. If you have nearby windows or glass doors, do not use thick draperies. By allowing natural light to flood the space, you can eliminate dark shadows and help brighten it up from end to end.
- CONSIDER A MIRROR. By using mirrors as a companion to wall lights, hallway areas can enjoy a greater wash of light.
- LIGHTEN UP THE COLOURS. Choose paint colours that are brighter and softer to give the appearance of a brighter room.
Things To Avoid When Lighting a Hallway
Below are some things to keep in mind when considering ceiling and wall lights for hallway:
- MODERN INTERIOR WALL LIGHTING SHOULD BE USED IN MODERN AREAS. If the rest of your decor is traditional, modern lighting might clash with other fittings.
- DON’T GO TOO BRIGHT. Having glaring, blindingly bright lights for your pendants overhead can be uncomfortable. Choose the appropriate lumen level and colour temperature that your unique hallway needs.
- DON’T RELY ON JUST ONE LIGHT SOURCE. When possible, wall lighting should be used with ceiling lights to create a layered effect.
- DON’T FORGET HALL WALL LIGHTS UK If you are building a home from the ground up and installing lights for the first time, pay attention to hallway wall lights UK codes and regulations you need to follow.
- DON’T NEGLECT DIMMERS. Light dimmers can make the hallway feel brighter when you need it to be and gentler on the eyes when it is not a top priority for traffic. This will allow you to adjust the light level according to your needs day and night.
- DON’T USE TRADITIONAL BULBS. Choosing LED wall lighting and LED home lighting, in general, can save you a lot of time, energy and maintenance. You can even choose the colour temperature and brightness of LED lights in a way that you cannot with halogen.
How LED Wall Lights Can Enhance a Hallway
Wall lights can bring plenty of illumination and style to a hallway, making it a more unique place in the home. With wall lights, you can place them high or low to create the kind of ambience and atmosphere that you prefer.
Wall lights are unique and versatile, allowing you to get creative with their appearance. You can use them for decoration as much as you can for illumination. This is especially true where wall washing lights are concerned.
Indoor wall lights with a wall-washing effect will shine their light back onto the wall, “washing” it with illumination. This can add visual intrigue and make the space look artistic.
You can also use wall lights as spotlights to highlight different features such as artwork, plants or architectural oddities.
Placing a wall light at either end of the hallway can also give it a definite starting and ending point. Peppering lights throughout the hallway will help you avoid any dark spots that your pendant or recessed ceiling lights might not be able to reach.
Why Use LED Wall Lighting
LED lights have long been lauded for their many benefits. You can reap these benefits by using LED lights in your hallway. Some of these include:
- ENERGY SAVING LIGHTING. LED lights naturally use less energy than traditional lights. LEDs use most of their energy as illumination, whereas halogen bulbs, for example, turn most of their energy into heat. Not only are LED bulbs better for the environment, but they can lower your energy bill costs.
- LONGER LIFE. The minimum lifespan for most LED lights starts at 20,000 hours. Compare this to the 1,000 or so hours that you can traditionally get out of a halogen bulb and the benefit becomes clear.
- BRIGHTNESS LEVELS. LED lights feature illumination that is measured in lumens. The higher the lumen count, the brighter it will be. You can use the lumens to choose brighter or dimmer lights according to the needs of your hallway.
- COLOUR TEMPERATURE. With LED lights, you are able to choose between warm and cool colour temperatures, affording you greater customization options.
What Is LED Colour Temperature and What Is Best for a Hallway?
As mentioned, LED colour temperature indicates the “warmth” or “coolness” of a light, and they are measured in degrees Kelvin. The lower the Kelvin rating, the warmer the light will be. On the other hand, the higher the Kelvin rating, the cooler, bluer light you can expect.
Most often, people tend to use warm lights for their homes. Warm lights are easier on the eyes and more inviting, while cool lights tend to be better for lighting retail and commercial areas.
For a hallway, it is recommended that you use warmer lights as well. Warmer lights will illuminate the hallway without making it feel cold and glaring.
In this particular area of the home, it is recommended that you stay within the 3000k to 3300k colour temperature range for best results.
Ideas on Colour Schemes for Hallways
When it comes to the colour of the hallway, it all comes down to preference, just like any other room in the house. Even so, there are a few colour schemes that stand out from the rest when choosing your hallway colours.
- NEUTRAL COLOURS. If you want a relaxed and calming style, sticking with neutral and earth tones will do the trick. Grey, brown and creams are good colours for this.
- PALE PINK. A pale pink hallway will create a more cheerful look while also making darker hallways seem brighter and bigger.
- WARM YELLOWS. Choosing this hue will create a stimulating and uplifting space, which is especially good when used in entry hallways.
- OPULENT DARK TONES. Create a luxurious feeling in the hallway by using dark hues like deep reds, teals, blues and greys. This is best used in hallways that do not struggle with being too dark.
- EARTHY GREEN. Bring a bit of nature into your home with light green hues. This colour can refresh the space and give it a more open feeling.
Ideas for Lighting a Corridor Hallway
Below are a few additional tips on lighting your hallway:
- USE FLOOR LIGHTING. By including plinth lights along the floorboards, you can bring illumination from the top down. This will also add a nice warm glow that can be used as a nightlight in the middle of the night.
- USE INDIRECT LIGHT. Illumination coming from floorboards or beneath shelves can brighten a space without it being glaringly in your eyes. This can also add modern flair and enhance the overall appeal of your hallway.
- TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LAMPS. In wider hallways, you can place table lamps on any occasional or side table you may have in there. You can also install tall floor lamps at either end for a similarly decorative and illuminating effect.
- USE LIGHTS FROM OTHER ROOMS. If you have lights in adjacent rooms that are bright enough, you can use mirrors to reflect some of that light into the hallway.
- USE SKYLIGHTS. If your home allows it, installing some skylights can bring in ample natural light. This will not only make your hallway better lit, but it will give the space a sense of openness and airiness.
- ADD LIGHTS TO THE BANISTERS. If there is a staircase at one end of the hall, you can light up the banisters or even the stairs as another source of indirect supplemental lighting.
Ideas for Hallway Lights
Add some detail in your hallways with the LWA440 2 Watt LED Up and Down Wall Light. This wall light is tall and thin, with a light head at the top that shines illumination back onto the wall. Light also escapes the bottom of the post to wash below the fitting. It is available in either black or white and shines 140 lumens of 3000k warm white light.
Using the Leon 8 Watt 250mm Wide Brushed Silver LED Wall Light, you can add supplemental lighting to darker areas in the hall. The light also works well over occasional or side tables. It boasts a sleek rectangular shape with a brushed silver finish that works well in any modern space.
If you want to add contemporary flair to your hallway, the LWA378 5 Watt White Interior LED Wall Light is a great way to do it. The hallway light has a unique appearance that looks like a sheet of paper folded asymmetrically. It shines light up onto the wall for an artistic effect. The white hue makes it well suited for placement in any colour hallway.
The flat shape of the LWA438 12 Watt LED Interior Wall Uplighter Fitting makes it an artistic choice. It offers 1000 lumens of 3000k warm white light, which shines up onto the wall above, washing it with illumination. The uplighter is available in white or black to suit the mood of any hallway.
Bring visual intrigue into your hallway with the LWA241 6 Watt Black LED Wall Light. Whether you place it at either end or use it over a table, it adds pleasant modern detail to the space. The unique design creates a trio of post lights with diffusers at either end that wash 430 lumens of 3000k warm white light onto the wall.
Spice up the hallway with the decorative power of the LWA457 5 Watt Decorative White Interior LED Wall Light. This artistic light has an abstract shape finished in a crisp white and complete with a small black eye in the centre. From this central point shines 430 lumens of 3000k warm white light, providing artistic flair and subtle illumination in equal measure.
