The Brownstone Boys’ rental apartment entryway, before and after its Peel & Stick Wallpaper makeover. Featured design: Hand Painted Watercolor Chinoiserie – Blue by pattern_garden

Natural light is often prized in living spaces, but what do you do when you have spaces that don’t get any? Spoonflower Ambassadors Jordan & Barry of The Brownstone Boys share tips on how they turn hallways lacking windows into cheerful spaces that welcome guests, as well as you, into your home. See how they transform their own rental apartment hallway with both Peel and Stick Wallpaper and a few cozy design tips. See how it turned out below, along with learning our five favorite tips for brightening hallway spaces that receive little natural light. 

A man is installing wallpaper with a blue-and-white chinoiserie design on the walls of hallway.

Jordan & Barry: Do you have an interior hallway that natural light can’t reach? These spaces can seem dark but are actually great opportunities for some creative design. 

For example, we wanted to brighten up the front entry of our apartment for our tenant (and very good friend) Kimberly. We used Spoonflower’s Peel and Stick Wallpaper, which applied easily and is free from VOCs. The biggest bonus is that it’s rental friendly; there is no messy paste or glue, you just peel and stick! This is great because we will be changing her entry way door next.

We chose the pattern Hand Painted Watercolor Chinoiserie – Blue by pattern_garden because we loved how the blue color really pops in the space but still fits in to our historical home. It also reminds Kimberly of her family in Taiwan so we want her to always think of home when she walks in! We think it really turned this entryway into a bright and fun space. 

Image of the flooring of a hallway with a light tan wooden floor and a blue-and-white carpet runner.

1. Keep Your Floors Light

Avoid dark flooring, such as dark hardwoods, tile or carpeting. Instead, choose a light hardwood, like a maple. If you can’t change your flooring, adding a brightly colored runner down the hallway often does the trick! If you use a runner, experiment with your space to see if one long runner is best or if you should break up the hallway with two shorter ones. 

Two images have been combined into one image. On the left, a man inspects the wallapaper of a redecorated hallway with a blue-and-white chinoiserie design featuring wallpaper with a garden scene on both the walls and the ceiling. On the right, is a close up is focusing on the ceiling wallpaper.

2. Create Points of Interest

To draw attention away from the hallway’s lack of natural light, add wallpaper to both sides or to only one side to create an accent wall. If you’re feeling especially bold, we love to add wallpaper to ceilings too! To draw visitors into the space, choose a unique pattern or design your own. Bright wallpaper can make a space feel exciting and fun with an unexpected placement of a pop of color. Peel and Stick Wallpaper is an especially great choice for renters, as it can be removed easily. 

Image of a redecorated hallway with a blue-and-white chinoiserie design featuring wallpaper with a garden scene on both the walls and the ceiling. Three small pieces of art are hung together on the wall to the right. A small plant is to the right of the entrance to the hallway.

3. Make a Gallery Wall

A hallway can be a great opportunity to create a unique and fun gallery wall. In spaces where the goal is to create the illusion of light, it’s important to choose bright and colorful art that can lighten up the space. When choosing your art, think about the other colors in your home. What do you want to accent? The same concept applies for the frames. Pick matching frames to keep the area from becoming too busy and choose a material that echoes other parts of the home. 

Image of a redecorated hallway with a blue-and-white chinoiserie design featuring wallpaper with a garden scene on both the walls. A mirror with a rounded top has been placed to the right side of the entrance to the hallway along with a plant and a small light blue stool.

4. Add a Mirror

Not only will a mirror make the space feel bigger but it will also reflect light, which will help brighten up the space. There are so many different mirrors out there so choose one that you love and hang it at the end of the hallway. We love adding mirrors to spaces we design! 

Two images have been combined into one image. Close up of a small black table with a round soft white lamp to the left in a redecorated hallway with a blue-and-white chinoiserie design featuring wallpaper with a garden scene on both the walls. A small plant in a terracotta planter and a pink candle in a black stand are also on the table and a abstract black, white and brown painting is leaning against the wall. On the right, an image of a redecorated hallway with a blue-and-white chinoiserie design featuring wallpaper with a garden scene on both the walls. A small black table with a round soft white lamp is to the left.

5. Layer your Lighting

When choosing lighting for your space, add multiple sources of light. Don’t just depend on a single ceiling fixture. Try adding sconces, or if you have the space, a side table with a lamp on top. These additions will help bounce light around the hallway and keep the area from feeling dull and flat. However, avoid any lighting that hangs down into the space as this can make hallways feel smaller. 

Hallway Decorating Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best colors for a hallway? 
As the Brownstone Boys suggest here, one thing you want to do is keep your floors light. If you can’t change your flooring, add a light-colored runner in the space. 
What is the best lighting for a hallway?
Add multiple sources of light, such as sconces, to move the light through the space.  
What helps bring light into a dark hallway? 
Adding multiple sources of lighting, a mirror, a cheerful gallery wall, adding light flooring or a light-colored runner, these things can bring light into spaces where there is little!  

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