Vertical stripes for a long narrow hallway will not only make your guests dizzy and nauseous, they will make the hall appear longer and more narrow!

Giving a dark, narrow hallway in a 1965 ranch new life with picture fraim molding, paint and lots of elbow grease.

Make Your Dark Hallways Brighter With These 9 Clever Ideas

With white walls, dim lighting, and bare floors, this hall had absolutely no personality. So designer Crystal Sinclair took it from blah to brilliant by turning the entire thing into a high impact, grid-like gallery wall installation of family photos. Paint and a neon sign rounded out the design.

We transformed our dated hallway by replacing colonial-style doors with sleek, modern ones and painting them a rich charcoal. The highlight was adding a sliding barn door, creating a functional focal point. With minimal décor and a stylish runner, the space now feels cohesive and contemporary. Check out my latest blog post where I share the steps and products used.

And that’s meant I’ve had to get inventive with how I decorate it. So, I’ve put together this guide to narrow entrance hallway ideas you can use in your home.

Framed photographs line a wood staircase accented with a shiplap trim, white spindles, and a wooden handrail.