What color would look nice in my hallway?

Question

The boyfriend will not let me paint the doors or trim. He likes the wood.

Amy Toole · Answer

I think something to match the carpet would be great, I LOVE that color!!

TD · Answer

Or, paint the side walls a lighter shade of the door color and paint the end wall the carpet color.

Donna Byram · Answer

I think Sherwin Williams SW 6211 Rainwashed would look pretty in your hall. It would brighten it up and would go great with your carpeting too. This is lady used it in her home and I think it's such a pretty color and looks so fresh and clean. http://www.frommyfrontporchtoyours.com/2014/06/french-farmhouse-bedroom-transformation.html

Sue D · Answer

If you don't stay with the boyfriend- the doors are probably hollow and the house might be early to mid 60's . In our house replaced the doors with 6 panel doors and painted white. Our walls are a light beige. Light blue could be good.

Karen Shurette · Answer

I think a soft gray with white base and door trim. Then paint the doors a satin black. Ideally it would look really great with a beefed up floor trim and new paneled doors.

Tammy Shockley · Answer

We put up a chair rail, painted the top kaki and the bottom red. We also painted the doors and trim.

Linda · Answer

Dump the boyfriend and paint it whatever color you want!  Something light either something in the white or perhaps white with a tinge of the carpet color in it.  Definitely the trim and doors painted white to lighten up this dark hallway.

Teresa · Answer

I would deffinatly go with a cooler light color be cause your hallway looks so dark

PattyV · Answer

I have a hallway similar to yours and it's been a thorn in my side. I've painted it three times and still not satisfied. Whatever you decide, stay light because I did a deep red once and I felt like I was drowning. Good luck, I'd like to see what you come up with, maybe it would help me!

Liliana Wells · Answer

In addition to the paint, it would be nice to make the walls into a pictue gallery. Look at this for ideas http://livingrichonless.com/tipsforhangingpictures.

Bonnie Bassett · Answer

My roommate just painted our livingroom with a very very pale green it is almost white with just a tint of green looks really nice and great for a dark area I like the tint rather than just going all white or off white

Roberta Eagleston · Answer

Get rid of the dark carpet and install wood flooring.  Light color paint.  Both will lighten the hallway.  Paint color depends on the other room that goes off of hallway.

Theresa · Answer

I nice light yellow would brighten it up but, if aren't going to replace the carpets I would do as someone suggested and go for a lighter color of the carpet. My hall is very similar right down to the doors and we replaced our doors and it brightened the hall way so much...good luck, please keep us informed.

Debbie · Answer

I would paint it a very light gray with slightly darker gray vertical stripes.

Linda B · Answer

If it were mine, I would NOT paint the end wall a dark color.  It would make it look like a dark tunnel and even more short and closed in.  If you want to paint it, do a winter white.  I never like to paint pretty wood.  Wood is beautiful.  I would get different ceiling light fixtures to give it more light and look more up to date.  I do love your carpet color.  I have a Teal in my living room, master bedroom and down the stairs to the family room.  I used to have a hallway like this and I put family pictures on it and it looked great.  Gold & Creams are warm with greens.  In my guest bathroom, I painted dark/bright green behind the gold framed mirror and it's gorgeous with the wood cupboards, etc.  If you paint the end wall a color, I would match it to the carpet and keep the mirror if it has a gold frame.  Glass makes things look bigger too.  Too many colors in a small place will look cluttered.  Hope this helps  :-)  Have fun with your project!

Dfinch · Answer

I think a very, very pale peach.....really a warm white with just a hint of peach. Should work with the doors and carpet.

Kristina Cowan · Answer

Along with color, mirrors could brighten up that hall, just something decorative or I've seen antique windows with panes turned into mirrors. Let the light in! :)

Nancy Gramm · Answer

You've got some good suggestions…well, all except the 'lose the boyfriend' one! My hub's like your BF--hates painting wood--but I kinda wanna keep him. I like Donna's Rainwashed suggestion, except IMHO it needs more of a blue tint. SW 6756 Crystal Clear is a good one. Or 6750 Waterfall. According to the Color Visualizer, the latter works well with teal and white and taupe and red.

Susan · Answer

I wall papered the far wall in my' tunnel' hallway. U could use fabric  and liquid starch- -that way could change pattern and color!

Cheryl Watters · Answer

See if he will go with whitewash paint. Whitewash allows the wood texures to show through,did that with my horrible pine kitchen cupboards, couldnt afford to redo in wood and hate fake woods and melamine. The whole kitchen is bright and light now. my husband was so sceptical at first but loves it now.

Marion Nesbitt · Answer

Don't know about budget. Think you need to address the tunnel effect . I'd replace a couple of doors with French doors that have 12 panes. You can stain them to match the others. On the panes, you could use those sheets which don't stop light, but provide privacy. Or that glass spray that makes them look frosted. This would allow more light into the hall if closed. The glass panes would add visual interest and help expand the space.. ( I did this in my downstairs half-bath.) I like the colour of your carpet, but I think it closes in the space. I'd wainscot to add interest. I'd go light above, and darker below. And wallpaper is being revived - there are thousands of patterns. Maybe group some pictures above the wainscoting.

Shari Veater · Answer

What color is the carpet? A nice light blue or gray would go with it, maybe a updated ceiling light too? Alot of men like the natural wood look :)

Kristina Cowan · Answer

I see what you mean, great insight! 
I just shared the sponge idea after my mom and I used it in a bathroom and it ended up really nice! I can imagine seeing your work, it would look awesome! :) thanks for the tips!

Michele Eures · Answer

I think you will have to paint the trim and replace the doors to bring it out of the 70's era. We painted ours (although it was a 90's house) and got 6-panel doors in white and it made a huge difference in the whole house.

Jan · Answer

I think if you removed the mirror at the end of the hall, it would help you lose the tunnel effect.  Make it a portrait wall instead.  As for a wall colour, I think a light grey would work well to tone down the wood tone.  Try Coventry grey or stonington grey by Benjamin Moore.

Pam Bolton · Answer

Several suggestions to help with the tunnel effect in your hallway.
1.  Paint walls a warm white such as BM Grand Teton or White Dove.  A warm white doesn't have a blue or grey undertone.
2.  Paint the ceiling a soft, pale blue such as 25% BM Palladiam Blue.
3.  Clean and wax your existing doors and baseboards.
4.  Paint your doorbell cover white.
5.  Clean your lightfixtures and replace bulbs with 60 watt Edison bulbs for added light and ceiling interest.
6.  More $$ and time, but adding board and batten 3/4 up the walls would breakup up the dark tunnel effect.  This would require painting the doors and woodwork, however.
7.  Add a gallery wall of pictures on the left side of the hall with glass in the frames to bounce around the light.
8.  Add a painted piece of furniture at the end of the hall.  Your mirror is a goid idea, but the wrong shape.  Try a round or sunburst mirror over the painted chest.
Good luck and please let us know what you decide.

Therese C · Answer

Going with the color of the carpet and the fact the hallway doesn't have much natural lighting, I would go with a very subtle grey color (Dove Grey) for the side walls, Arctic White for the ceiling and end wall. Add some black and white framed prints along the walls, and update the light fixtures. See my posts and you will see a very simple and inexpensive light cover alternative. Best of luck! (post pics when done)

Veronica Fischer · Answer

Taupe or a silver/gray

Reta Green · Answer

i would put a mirror at end of hallway,after painting walls a pretty pastel.might even paint behind the mirror a tiny bit darker pastel then the walls. then add some art work or family photo gallery to one wall.

Yvonne · Answer

I like Reta's ides of the mirror at the end of the hall. As far as the paint goes, you should paint the doors out the same color as the walls when your boyfriend is at work....sorry oopsy

What color would look nice in my hallway?

Suggested Project Book

Jazz Up Your Bathroom With These 30 Stylish Additions

Other

More

What color would look nice in my hallway?

Suggested Project Book

Related Discussions