Image Credit: Kathryn Hayden Photography

These Are the 15 Smartest Hallway Decorating Ideas We’ve Ever Seen

by KELSEY MULVEY

Image Credit: Alix McIntosh photography

To help realize your hallway’s potential, here are the smartest hallway decorating ideas ever. You’re bound to find an idea here that can work for your space.

Image Credit: Margaret Wright

Make a statement with mirrors

Want to fake your way to a more spacious hallway? All you need is a reflective surface. It will make your space feel lighter and larger. 

Image Credit: Melanie Rieders

Repeat your light fixtures

If you want to give a slim entry some pizazz, choose your light fixtures with care. A sconce can give your place plenty of personality. 

Image Credit: Jacqueline Marque

Style with shiplap

“Adding shiplap to the walls is a cool way to make the hallway feel like an extension of the design of the house,” says designer Michelle Gerson.

Image Credit: Catherine & Michael Frawley

Pick out a pendant

Wow visitors by adding a single statement pendant to your foyer, like this rattan pendant that lends a cool, coastal edge.

Image Credit: Kate Keesee

Add accessories

If you have a few extra hats and bags, borrow some “style” from your closet by hanging a few pieces in your entry. It will add some texture to your walls!

Image Credit: Jessica Isaac

Wow with wallpaper

Whether it's a bold look or a subtle design, “wallpaper is a great way to add big impact in a small space such without overwhelming it." — Elizabeth Rees

Image Credit: Minette Hand

Keep your console clear

“This will allow light to pass through and keep your hallway feeling open and accessible while still giving you a spot to drop keys." — Alessandra Wood

Image Credit: Kathryn Hayden Photography

Get a gallery wall

Turn your unassuming hall into a museum-worthy masterpiece by creating a gallery wall. It’s a fun way to set the tone when you enter.

Image Credit: Jacqueline Marque

Round up some rugs

Give your hallway appeal underfoot with a great rug. Varying patterns can offer visual interest, but a similar color palette will keep it cohesive.

Image Credit: Lula Poggi

Prioritize pops of color

“Painting the ceiling is a fun way to add dimension into a hallway,” says designer Ginny Macdonald. “It will draw the eye up and elongate the space.” 

Image Credit: Alix McIntosh photography

Try the tonal treatment

Turn up the volume on a small hallway with your favorite, energetic hue applied everywhere but the floor. 

Image Credit: Lula Poggi

Layer in a storage ladder

If the mere thought of drilling holes into your wall makes you nervous, lean a ladder-like shelving unit against your wall instead. 

Image Credit: Kelly Johnson

Style out a shelfie

Have a hallway with charming nooks or niches? Put those built-ins to good use by creating a shelfie brimming with personality. 

Image Credit: Liz Calka

Fill it with foliage

“Plant Doctor” Hilton Carter’s abode features over 200 plants—including a hallway with a propagation wall. Embrace your green thumb and try it, too!

Image Credit: Lula Poggi

Embrace an accent wall

Adding an accent wall might one of the oldest tricks in the design book; however, it’s a still a solid way to spruce up your hallway or entryway.