Lighting for a Hallway

Hallways can be the forgotten areas of the house in terms of decor, which includes lighting. However, hallway lighting can help support the decor styles of adjoining rooms as well as light up doors and shelves located within the hall area.

Practicalities

• Hallways that are very long, connect one side of the house to the other, or are exceptionally dark are good candidates for a two-switch setup. For example, in some houses a hallway connects two rooms that have separate entrances, with the hall being the connector. In cases like this, a two-switch setup is appropriate; no matter what door a person enters the space with, there's always a light switch within reach.

Coverage

• For hall spaces that don't get much natural light, having more than one fixture ensures that the hall is well illuminated. Installing track lighting or placing additional lights light floor lamps on each end of the hall offers extra lighting.

Styles

• Hallway lighting ideally should match the decor styles found in the hall. For example, if a homeowner chooses an Art Nouveau or Art Deco style of decor, light fixtures featuring futuristic jet and space-age designs provide lighting and match the surroundings.