How to Make a Narrow Hallway Look Bigger | Make Your Home Look Bigger

Of all the house design challenges, the most common one is determining how to turn your dark, murky hallway into something pretty and pleasant looking. The lack of substantial space in your narrow hallway may make you feel your creative juices have dried up. If that’s your case, don’t worry; because we have listed down some wow-worthy ways on how to make a narrow hallway look bigger and perfect! Let’s get into it.

1. Install Mirrors

This is a no-brainer. To make any space look wider, mirrors are your best friend. Consider adding one large reflective surface on either side of the wall or multiple small ones to the hallway center to give a broadening effect to your space. There are some beautiful mirrors that you can put up in your hallway – no matter the type.

2. Light It Up

If you wisely plan your lighting, you can easily make your narrow hallway seem wider.

The trick is to spread the light around. Rather than just putting up one light in the center of your space, have multiple light sources around. This will help open up your hallway. Also, try placing wall lights in corners to enhance your hallway some more.

3. Pick the Right Wall Paint

Light paint colors can make your hallway feel open and bright. But this in no way means you are left with white only – in fact, you don’t even have to go with white (we know, it’s SO overdone). Any light, neutral tone will do. The best is one that gives off a slight sheen to reflect some much-needed light – just like we talked about earlier.

Some of the best paint colors, other than white, for a congested hallway, are creams, taupe, tan, and light blues and greens.

4. Choose the Trim Color Wisely, Too

Apart from your wall color, you should carefully choose a shade for your trim as well. Pick a color with tones that enhance your wall drastically, such as incorporating lavender as a complementary color for your cream-toned walls or going for pale gray with white for a calming effect.

Having a two-toned shade adds depth and layering to your corridor, making the space memorable nonetheless. If you want to know how to make a narrow hallway look bigger, two-tone walls are the way to go.

5. Hang Art Pieces On One Side

Adding artwork can make your walls seem closer together, and not to mention, your hallway bigger. A bold piece of artwork hanging on one of the sides of the wall can do wonders for your space, making it look much more spacious than it actually is.

Look for wide-sized art pieces that stretch well for visualizing your space into looking grand.

6. Add Molding

Maximize your minimal hallway by in-cooperating molding on the baseboard or the ceiling – or both – whatever you fancy.

This detail not only opens up your space a tad bit but defines it like never before. The best part is installing molding is known to be a quick DIY home project.

7. Place A Runner Rug

A long runner rug centered in your corridor can give an extra-big hallway look. The standard runner rug is 2-3 feet wide. But to make your hallway look wider, invest in runners that range from 6 – 14 feet long. Ideally, you should have 4 to 5 inches of side flooring visible to you after placing a runner rug.  

Covering the entire floor with a runner will overcrowd the space, so avoid doing that at all costs.

8. Do Not Bombard the Space with Furniture

Always opt for minimal furniture for your hallway. This will allow your visual space to flow naturally.

 However, if your hallway is super narrow, try doing without any furniture, except for only essentials – such as a surface to accommodate keys and mail. Ideally, you should invest in tall furniture to keep your corridor looking bigger.

9.  Add Windows

If there’s anything definite that can breathe life (and space) into your tight hallway, it’s the windows. Windows also serve the added purpose of letting in natural air and sunlight, making the hallway your favorite spot to chill out.

Either install one large window on one of the walls or have a handful of small windows on each wall.

10. Incorporate Stripes

An awesome trick to make your hallway seem longer and wider is using wallpaper with horizontal stripes. This will create the optical illusion of your corridor seem larger than it actually is.

Carefully choose the color of your stripes. They should match the overall décor and design of your hallway. Going for pastel stripes to complement a white-toned corridor or warm greys for a cooler toned hallway is a lovely way to uplift your space.

11. Keep Your Space Neat

When messy enough, your hallway can easily start looking congested. So, try keeping your space clean at all times. Avoid placing unnecessary items in your hallway.

Your goal for your hallway should be to achieve a minimalist design and décor.

Knowing how to make a narrow hallway look bigger is a great way to make the most of limited space, especially if you’re on a budget. With these 11 tips and tricks, we assure you that your hallway will look magnificent in every sense of the word!