Dealing with a Narrow Hallway

Many people find dealing with a narrow hallway to be a bit tricky, and don't really know how to appropriately decorate these areas. Which is pretty unfortunate, since these particular areas have a lot of potential that really shouldn't go to waste. In order to get the most out of your narrow hallways, and help spruce up the look of your home, simply follow these guidelines.

• Use the right color of paint. One of the biggest reasons that narrow hallways look, and generally feel fairly claustrophobic is because they have been painted the wrong color. Instead of going with darker colors and shades, you should use neutrals, pastels, or even bright colors. By lightening the colors in the hallway you will notice that there appears to be more light in the hallway, and therefore more room.
• Add a mirror. As long as you have room, you should hang a mirror at one end of the hallway. It really doesn't matter how tall the mirror is, as long as it is wide enough to leave only a couple of inches on each side of the frame. When you do hang the mirror make sure that you position it fairly near the ceiling (about three or four inches), and also place a plant of some sort in front of it. These two items will not only add extra light to the hallway, but also added depth and texture. All in all, the mirror will help create the illusion of a wider or larger hallway than it normally is.
• Create a gallery. Do not let the side walls of the hallway go to waste. Take the opportunity to add a bit of artwork to the hallway, creating an actual private gallery. This artwork can be professional artwork, something that you have done, pictures of your family, or some other type of decoration. When you hang them, make sure that they are hung around eye level. Generally speaking this means at your eye level, and six inches both above and below. To add a little touch of something extra, use frames that contrast with the color you painted your hallway.
• Furniture can be helpful. Despite the fact that narrow hallways often look...well, too narrow for furniture you should still consider placing a piece or two into the hallway. There are specially designed pieces of furniture made for narrow locations, such as hallways, that can add a bit of elegance to your area. Keep in mind that you will want to carefully measure the pieces to ensure that they will not block traffic, or make it too difficult to move around, before you purchase them.
• Everything in moderation. As with anything in life, when you are attempting to deal with a narrow hallway, you need to make sure that you do not go overboard. It is entirely too easy to go from creating a decorated area, to an area that is cluttered and claustrophobic. A good general rule of thumb is to keep it as simple as possible.

Keep in mind that these are only a few guidelines that you can use to get started on dealing with your narrow hallway. Feel free to experiment, to add other decorating elements, or to take those you don't like out. In the end, you are the one that will have to live with the way the hallway looks, and only you can decide whether you like it or not..