Hallway Lighting

Hallways are not mere passages in the house to move from one room to another. If lighted well and decorated creatively, it can become an extension of your beautiful interiors. Whether they are small or big, thin or wide, if hallways are lighted well, they give a very inviting and warm feel to the house. So if you are planning on improving your hallway, here are some useful home decorating ideas on the same, to help you out.

Lighting Ideas for a Hallway

There are two important things to keep in mind when going in for lighting a hallway. Firstly, the fixtures should be well placed, ideally one for every eight feet, so that the hallway is well-lit and absolutely safe for people using it. Secondly, the size of the fixtures should be such that it complements the space. The fixtures should not be too big or small, they should provide adequate lighting and look good at the same time. For small hallways, lighting fixtures should be small too. For spacious, large hallways, the fixtures should be big. Matching the fixtures with the hallway space adds to their visual appeal.

When it comes to hallway lighting, you can choose from ceiling, wall as well as table lighting, depending upon the size of the hallway, the distance between the floor and the ceiling and the look you want to create through it. Here are some tips:

• If you have a long hallway, track lights, which provide adequate lighting to the entire walkway would be ideal. Track lights, whose brightness can be increased or decreased, are a better option for you. With modern track lighting, you can direct the light in any direction - downward, at the wall, towards a dark corner or towards the door.
• For the narrow ones, wall sconces score over all other fixtures. With wall sconces, there is a wide variety available, to choose from. There are the modern ones such as those made from iron and the traditional ones made from crystal. When installing wall sconces, make sure that they are at least five and a half feet from the floor.
• Use a combination of downlights and uplights to give it a spacious feel.
• Recessed lighting, very commonly used for a commercial hallway, is now being used in homes to light hallways with low ceilings. Recessed lights can be used to highlight an artwork in the hallway or to make a small one appear bigger.
• Before finalizing the design, make sure that you have considered the decorative element as well. For instance, adding a beautiful chandelier or a pendant, to the front of the hallway, will lend it a unique look.
• If the hallway is broad, add a few ceiling fixtures, wall sconces, a table lamp and a few plants to it, to increase it's visual appeal.
• Add some mirrors to the hallway as they not only add to its beauty, but also reflect the light back, thus making it look spacious and well-lit. Mirrors can be added to the walls or even to the door panels to enhance the overall look of the hallway.
• For those special social gatherings at home, hang a few candelabras on the hallway ceilings or place them on a table and add colorful candles to them. The next time you have guests at your place, light these candles to give a magical touch to your interiors.

As can be seen, there are a number of things that you can do with your hallway, which would give interior decoration an all together different meaning! So plan it well, blend the lighting design to the decor of your house, be creative and at the same time don't overlook the practicalities, and you are sure to come up with a design your guests will talk about and admire forever!