Your property's hallway will likely be the entrance to your home, making its lighting so crucial if you want to make an excellent first impression on your guests. How you use lighting in your hallway sets the tone for the rest of your home, so we here at The Range have a few ideas and considerations you may want to keep in mind.
The temperature should be strongly considered when figuring out how to light your hallway. Ideally, a warmer temperature works nicely because it can make visitors feel more at ease and welcome. Look through our related article for more on how lighting affects someone's mood. To achieve a warmer temperature, you want to aim for around 2700k (kelvins). You also can't go wrong with purchasing a dimmer to vary the light levels once everything is set up. Of course, if that's your preference, there's nothing wrong with a colder temperature.
With the ideal temperature in mind, look at your hallway – is it wide or narrow?
If your hallway is on the broader side, consider installing an ample ceiling light, such as a chandelier or an oversized pendant. Chandeliers will give your hallway space a sense of grandeur, and they can stand out. With chandeliers, ensure the rest of your décor matches to maximise the overall aesthetic. Pendants, on the other hand, give your hallway a more modern, stylish flair. In addition, pendant lights are available in all shapes and sizes, with many dispersing light in differing ways. This latter aspect is definitely something to keep in mind as you want to ensure your light covers the entire hallway, minimising dark, unlit areas and corners - especially if you lack windows. Whichever ceiling light you ultimately go with, remember that it will become the focal point of your entire hallway, so if you have the space (and the height), make use of it and go big.
Any sized hallway can benefit from other lighting choices. Wall lights can illuminate your entire hallway, much like spotlights. These lights should ideally be spaced equally, creating a pathway from one area to another (a path upstairs is one idea people like to use). To some, lighting your hallway in such a way can make your space seem smaller because wall lights in particular project outwards; however, drawing your eyes down a hallway like this can also make it seem longer, strengthening that feeling of space.
Drawing attention to specific areas with lighting in your home is called accent lighting. So, if you have paintings in your hallway, using a desk or table lamp can make them stand out. Strip LED lighting is equally effective at pulling this off, as you can place them around your items to make them pop. Some LED strip lights also have the added benefit of colour-changing capabilities, so if you like using a variety of colours on your property, don’t be afraid to use your hallway to continue this trend. For more on strip lighting, check out our Home Decoration Ideas with LED strip lighting article.
Mixing and matching lighting from ambient (standard lighting) to accent throughout your hallway can lead to fantastic results, so you should definitely try it.
Should you want to add an extra layer of security to your home, think about using Smart lighting. Some smart lights can switch your lights on or off at will, even when you’re away from home. Moreover, you can set specific times for them to operate. Since your hallway is likely to be the entrance to your property, this is a brilliant idea if you’re concerned about unwanted guests.
You also might be wondering what type of bulbs you should use. If saving money is your aim, you can’t go wrong with LED bulbs. In addition to saving energy, they also have a long life. You can read through our related article for more on light bulb types.
We hope this has been useful for choosing how to set up your hallway lighting. Feel free to browse our entire Lighting Department if you have any ideas.
