‘The colours that we decorate our hallway with should make us excited to be back’ – 16 hallway colour ideas to help you create a welcoming entryway

One of the most common mistakes when decorating a home is overlooking the design of the hallway. As we don’t spend too long in our entryways at any one time, it’s easy to neglect this space. But that really shouldn’t be the case as your entryway is like the preview trailer of your home – so why not make it something special with some stylish hallway colour ideas?

You don’t need a whole lot more than colour to turn your entryway into a standout hallway idea, whether that’s with the help of hallway paint ideas, wallpaper or colourful accessories.

‘Your hallway is often the first impression of your home, not just for visitors but also when you return from a busy day’s work, so it’s important to choose the right colour scheme,’ says Kathryn Lloyd, Crown colour specialist.

Hallway colour schemes for a welcoming space

‘After a long day at work or time away from home, it’s your hallway that welcomes you back with open arms,’ says Marianne Shillingford, creative director and colour expert at Dulux. ‘Therefore, the colours that we decorate our hallway with should make us excited to be back, feeling uplifting and comforting in equal measure. Our hallways are often the first spaces guests see when they visit – so they should set the tone for the rest of the home.’

And these are the best colour schemes to achieve that with.

1. Make it cohesive with the rest of your home

As Marianne at Dulux already mentioned, the colour scheme of your hallway should be in harmony with the rest of your home. Because the entryway doesn’t exist in a vacuum, but rather it’s part of one whole that is your home.

‘The colours that you use in your hallway should feel cohesive with other rooms in the home, especially those downstairs. The best way to do this is to blend the colours that make your living room its most cosy (maybe greens or blues), or your kitchen its most tasteful (like yellows or pinks), into your hallway scheme, for seamless consistency and all-round homely vibes,’ Marianne explains.

Paul Hodgetts, director of colour at Rust-Oleum, agrees, ‘Hallways act as a connector, so think about how the colour will flow into the rooms leading off it. Opt for hues that harmonize with adjacent spaces to ensure a seamless transition rather than a jarring contrast. The result is a hallway that feels both welcoming and integrated into the wider design story of your home.’

2. Give colour capping a go

Colour capping is a recent paint trend taking over our homes. But its principle of combining multiple tones of the same colour is not just a passing fad, but rather a timeless look that works especially well in small spaces.

‘Light tones are a great option if you want to open up a narrow or compact space, visually enlarging the hallway thanks to their reflective properties. If you have the space to play with darker tones, these can be beneficial in instantly giving a home personality and impact, welcoming you and your guests with an enveloping embrace of colour,’ Marianne says.

She continues, ‘To balance light and cosiness, why not try the colour capping trend? This involves using light and dark tones of one colour, with the lighter used on the walls and darker used on the ceilings to draw the eye upwards and make hallways feel more interesting and less overlooked.’

3. Go for soft blues and greens

In the spirit of coming home to a soothing and calming space, the best shades you can go for to instantly relax you as you walk through the door are soft blues and greens.

‘Light blues and greens remain popular hallway choices as they instantly evoke a sense of calm and serenity, while also creating a subtle connection to nature. These shades can help establish a welcoming, uplifting atmosphere the moment you step inside, making them ideal for busy households that want the hallway to feel like a breath of fresh air,’ Paul at Rust-Oleum says.

Iona Graham, brand and marketing controller at Graham & Brown, agrees, ‘Calming shades of green or blue can offer serenity. Our Serene Sage, Rhapsody and City Skyline paint colours are popular choices and would work well for this.’

4. Create a wow factor with warm, bold shades

On the other hand, if you’re going for a vibrant space that will welcome your guests with open, warm arms, then bold shades with warm undertones are the way to go.

‘Brighter shades can be a great way to make your home feel more welcoming,’ says Michael Rolland, paint expert and managing director of The Paint Shed. ‘Consider slightly bolder shades like blushes or reds as a backdrop for a gallery wall of family photos.’

Kathryn at Crown continues, 'Soft hued pinks, like Powdered Clay, and rich earthy oranges like Crimson Fox are an ideal choice, as they create feelings of warmth and calm. Powdered Clay is also available in Crown’s Easyclean range, which is stain repellent and wipe-clean, making it perfect for high-traffic hallways.'

5. Mimic the effect of sunlight in a dark hallway

If you’re looking to lighten a dark hallway or you have an entryway that doesn’t receive a whole lot of natural light, then opting for pale yellow or off-white shades can bring the optical illusion of sunlight into the space.

‘In hallways without natural light, opt for lighter tones to enhance the illusion of space and prevent a claustrophobic feel in your home. Pale yellows and warm whites are great choices for mimicking the effect of sunlight, making the hallway feel brighter and more cheerful,’ Michael at The Paint Shed says.

Lucy Steele, paint and interiors expert at V&CO, adds, ‘A refined yellow will create a warm, holiday-like ambiance that lends itself to all seasons, while reflecting any natural light that exists in the space.’

6. Go bright and cheerful with bright yellow

What could be warmer and more welcoming than a sunshine yellow hallway? It’s fun, it’s cheerful and it will certainly be remembered by your guests long after they leave.

‘Try a warm and welcoming yellow like Honey Nut or Golden Sands. Yellow is the ultimate mood-boosting colour and will greet you and your guests into your home like a ray of sunshine,’ says Marianne Shillingford, Dulux’s creative director and colour expert.

If bright yellow is too much for you, the butter yellow colour trend is not only applicable to kitchens, but can also be brought into any other room of the house, the hallway included.

7. Use a combination of dark and light colours to guide the eye

As already mentioned, you can use strategically positioned colours and paint ideas to guide or trick the eye into thinking your hallway is bigger, wider, higher…or anything else you want it to be.

‘Use layers of lighter and darker contrasting tones to draw the eye through the space and highlight different features,’ advises Marianne. ‘Dark tones make walls look closer and pale tones make them look further away.'

'You can use this trick to alter the perception of a space. For example, to make a long narrow corridor look shorter and wider, paint a deep impactful colour on the wall at the end of the corridor and much paler colours either side and on the ceiling.’

8. Bring the outside in with organic shades

The biophilic design trend of bringing the great outdoors in has been going strong for the past couple of years with no signs of slowing down. And we can’t think of a better place to incorporate this look into than the hallway, the space living on the border between the outdoors and the inside, separating your home from the outside world.

‘Using nature inspired colours in a hallway immediately connects us to the great outdoors and makes spaces feel less hemmed in,’ notes colour expert Marianne. ‘Try a lush organic green such as Bamboo Stem with a soft white like White Cotton for your skirting, doors and ceiling to make the journey from the outside inwards fresh and seamless. The addition of white to frame colour will also keep the hallway looking sharp with crisp lines and edges.’

9. Envelope the space with colour drenching

Put the white paint away and go for one wrap-around colour for woodwork, walls and even the ceiling. This will draw attention away from the edges and make the space feel larger.

‘Depending on what kind of look and feel you want to create in the space you can go with either dark or light colours. If you have woodwork or panelling in the hallway, colour drenching both the wall and the woodwork in a hallway can create a cocooning effect that streamlines the overall visual effect creating a calming balance,' Iona at Graham & Brown says.

10. Create a pink palace

It's safe to say that soft pinks are top of our radars for an on-trend update. Shades like Farrow & Ball's Sulking Room Pink and similar alternatives make a great choice for a hallway as it's light enough to feel like a neutral, while still adding a playful taste that hints as to what's to follow.

'For those seeking warmth and softness, gentle pinks are equally effective. They bring a cosy, inviting quality to the space and naturally promote a sense of positivity. Soft pinks also pair beautifully with neutral tones, think warm whites, light greys, or natural woods, making them versatile enough to use in both contemporary and traditional homes. Together, these softer hues not only set the tone for the hallway but also help shape the overall mood of the home,' Paul at Rust-Oleum says.

11. Pick a pastel combination

Stuck between two (or more) shades? Don't worry about making a decision, just go for both! There are so many colours that pair perfectly together, particularly pastel tones that will give you a sugary sweet greeting every time you arrive home.

'Light colours work wonders in making hallways look bigger, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to stick to neutrals. For the colour lovers with small hallways amongst us, pastel tones like Pressed Petal or Mineral Mist can open up hallways just as much as an old reliable neutral, while injecting a touch of playfulness you’ll be raring to return home to,' Marianne at Dulux says.

12. Create a calming aura with sage green

A hallway forms the entrance and exit between indoors and outdoors, so connecting the two areas through colour will help to make it a seamless transition. Green is not only an on-trend choice but it also exudes a calming aura - essential for busy mornings spent rushing in and out of the house.

'Hallways are the first space that greets us when we come home, and they can set the tone for the rest of our day. That's why it's important to create a hallway that is both welcoming and calming,' says Michael.

'One way to do this is to use shades of green to create a seamless transition from the outside in.'

13. Maintain a pared-back all-white look

Keep things simple with some timeless white hallway ideas. Give all walls and woodwork a fresh lick of the best white paint for a look that's clean, modern and bright. Alternatively, you can opt for a warmer and softer shade of off-white.

'Light creams and off-whites on hallway walls make for a bright, airy and welcoming entrance to the home. These lighter colours can be particularly useful in narrow dark hallways where the paint will bounce off any available light making the space feel bigger,' says Caroline Thornborough, design director at eco paint brand Thorndown.

14. Be bold with colour combinations

To make that 'wow' first impression the key is to be brave with colour combinations and even pattern. As this stunning hallway proves, an accent pop of sunshine yellow looks striking when paired with black.

To keep the look focused try using the accent colours purely on woodwork within the hallway, keeping the main mains in a neutral shade.

A patterned floor works well for combining a paint colour scheme, plus a patterned hallway flooring idea is ideal as it shows up less dirt than a block colour solution.

15. Take an accent colour to waist height

An ideal way to use colour in a hallway is to use a heavier accent colour on the lower portion of the wall leaving the top in a bright white. Balancing the use of colours helps to prevent the space from feeling overwhelmed by the stronger of the two colours. It will also lighten a dark hallway by drawing the eye upwards.

'For those looking to get creative, painting a half wall in your chosen shade is a brilliant technique for injecting colour and personality into hallways without it being overwhelming. Using a light neutral on the top half of the wall creates an open and inviting feel, as it helps to maximise natural light,' Kathryn at Crown says.

Painting along the hallway but only to waist level frames the space, breaking up a solid corridor of wall. By doing so you're creating a trompe-l'œil effect that can give a different perspective, making the space feel bigger and the ceilings higher.

16. Showcase the stairs

An imaginative staircase idea can do wonders to transform a hallway in an instant. Liven up a white hallway with the addition of an accent colour painted on the stairs.

Less is so much more with this modern approach to a hallway colour scheme. Go for any colour you love, painting it on staircase risers and drawing attention to them with brilliant white treads and backdrop.

Top picks

FAQs

Should a hallway be darker or lighter than the living room?

There is not necessarily a right and wrong answer to whether a hallway should be darker or lighter than the living room. But each way will produce a different effect so it all depends on your preference and priorities.

‘Having a darker hallway than the living room will make the living room feel more spacious,’ says Marianne Shillingford, Dulux’s creative director and colour expert. ‘My personal preference would be to have a lighter hallway than living room, as a living room is for getting cosy and watching your favourite Netflix series. Whereas you want to come home and feel free – having a brighter and lighter colour will do that. Plus, it will feel more welcoming for your friends and family when they come over.’

What colours are best for a narrow hallway?

A narrow hallway is not uncommon in the UK so it’s not surprising that many look for ways to make a hallway look wider and bigger. So this is how to make a narrow hallway look wider with paint and colour tricks.

‘If the hallway is small and narrow, then bright colours such as white, cream, or pale grey will maximise light and openness,’ says Anjelica Delfino, paint and interiors expert from Valspar Paint.

Marianne Shillingford at Dulux agrees, ‘The key to painting a narrow hallway is to enhance as much of the room’s natural light as possible, and one easy way to do this is with light-reflecting paint colours. Use bright, crisp colours like Fine Cream, Wild Primrose or Brilliant White to trick the eye into thinking the area is brighter and more airy than it actually is.’

What colours brighten a hallway?

Chelsea Clark from I Love Wallpaper comments that many households opt for a neutral colour palette as this ensures often dark and narrow spaces feel light and airy. ‘For those wanting to add a little personality, injecting light and mid-tone shades of pink, blue, yellow and green will instantly add an uplifting and mood-boosting feel to any space,’ she says.

So no more neglecting the hallway – it’s a space filled with colourful potential!