How to lighten a dark hallway with no natural light?

Author: Mr. Rigoberto Oberbrunner  |  Last update: Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Here are our top tips for decorating and brightening dark hallways.
  1. Paint the internal face of your door. A heavy wooden door will absorb light instead of reflecting it. ...
  2. Use light from adjoining rooms. ...
  3. Use mirrors to reflect light. ...
  4. Light colour schemes. ...
  5. Declutter. ...
  6. Skylights. ...
  7. The bannister and stairs. ...
  8. Embrace the darkness.

What is the best color for a hallway with no natural light?

Dark-coloured paint makes for a dark hallway. So, choose a shade that will help the space feel light and airy. A light grey like Rock Salt will lend your hallway a contemporary feel, like you might find in the reception of a boutique hotel. In fact, any kind of pale neutral would work well.

How to get natural light in a dark hallway?

Mirrors across from your natural light source will lighten up the space. Hanging them and/or art from a picture hanging raid (made from decorative molding) that conceals a strip of pin lights will add light and give an interesting effect. Good luck with whatever you do.

How to lighten a dark room with no natural light?

  • Place mirrors near light sources
  • Fairy lights, candles, and other ambient light sources
  • Pick lighter color or transparent furniture
  • Cover floors with large, bright area rug
  • Embrace white walls
  • Deep clean your windows
  • Opt for light beige/gray curtains
  • Pick...

How do you make a hallway look brighter?

For a bright entrance, move away from cumbersome furniture and dark colours, and instead, bring your space to life with large mirrors, layers of lighting and a smart approach to flooring. Lighting is one of the easiest ways to brighten up your hallway, and there are plenty of options out there.

How To Lighten A Dark Narrow Hallway - BEFORE & AFTERS

What is the best light for a dark hallway?

The best lighting for a dark hallway is lighting that effectively lights the space while maintaining flow by not overwhelming the design of the space. Fixtures such as wall sconces, flush mounts and recessed lighting are effective as they are smaller.

Will a mirror brighten a dark hallway?

Add a Mirror

Not only will a mirror make the space feel bigger but it will also reflect light, which will help brighten up the space. There are so many different mirrors out there so choose one that you love and hang it at the end of the hallway.

How do you fake natural light in a dark room?

How to lighten a dark room with no natural light
  1. Choose a neutral colour scheme. ...
  2. Select homely hues. ...
  3. Gloss your woodwork and furniture surfaces. ...
  4. Use mirrors. ...
  5. Choose subtle lighting fixtures. ...
  6. Hang lightweight curtains. ...
  7. Position furniture close to lighting fixtures. ...
  8. Shape windows as the focal points of the room.

How to mimic natural light?

To mimic natural daylight with artificial lighting, opt for bulbs with a Kelvin rating between 5000k and 6500k. This provides the crisp quality of natural daylight. Aim for bulbs with a higher lumen output for areas such as home offices. This will help you feel more productive and comfortable when working.

What color paint makes a hallway look bigger?

When researching how to make your hallway look bigger a recurring idea will always be to paint your walls in a light colour. Brighter colours will help reflect the light, making your space appear bigger. Steer clear of brash tones and opt for neutral ones that fall somewhere on the white spectrum.

What is the best natural light for a dark room?

  1. Make any and all windows focal points in each room. This one just requires a bit of rearranging to maximize any light you have. ...
  2. Keep your lamp shades simple. ...
  3. Stock up on mirrors. ...
  4. Avoid decorating with dark tones. ...
  5. Gloss up your surfaces. ...
  6. Pick bulbs that simulate sunlight. ...
  7. Add more lamps to the mix. ...
  8. Pile on the plants.

How to make a hallway look welcoming?

How do you make a hallway more welcoming?
  1. Paint the walls a light colour. A light colour on the walls will make the hallway feel bigger and brighter. ...
  2. Add lighting. A well-lit hallway is a welcoming hallway. ...
  3. Add plants. ...
  4. Use a statement rug. ...
  5. Create a gallery wall. ...
  6. Add a statement piece of artwork. ...
  7. Add storage.

What color brightens a dark hallway?

Painting your walls in bright, crisp hues like cream, primrose yellow or brilliant white will trick the eye into thinking the area is brighter and airier than it actually is. They'll also help to reflect the natural light that filters in throughout the day and enhance the artificial light during evening hours, too.

How to light up a dark hallway without electricity?

Use mirrors to reflect light

Just like painting the internal face of your front door, mirrors will reflect what light there is in your hallway. Place them strategically opposite light walls or in clusters to bounce light around the room.

What color mimics natural light?

Tunable-white and RGBW lights can simulate the color temperature of sunlight throughout the day, transitioning from neutral white (3500K) in the morning to daylight (5000K) midday and then warm white (2700K) as the day ends. This progression supports productivity and a healthy circadian rhythm.

How to brighten a dark room with no windows?

Add decorative lighting

Installing decorative lighting is a quick way to make your room brighter without windows. When working with lighting for your windowless room, it's important to layer different types of lighting. The lights used for layered lighting range from striking pendant lamps to dainty fairy lights.

How do you make natural light with artificial light?

To set up artificial lights so they look like natural light is very simple: Make sure your lighting set up is diffused behind curtains, like the sheers I linked above. This will mimic windows, thus resulting in a natural light look. Lower lights via your stand so they're close to the ground.

How to reflect light into a dark room?

6 quick and easy tips to add light to dark rooms:
  1. Mirror Mirror on the wall. Mirrors don't just reflect your appearance; they also bounce light back too. ...
  2. Re-expose your windows. ...
  3. Go Matt, not high-gloss. ...
  4. Use uplighters. ...
  5. Ditch the wall art. ...
  6. Decorate in white. ...
  7. 1 Comment.

How do you manipulate natural light?

By using a light-coloured or reflective surface, you can bounce light from the source back onto your photography scene or subject. The closer you are to the light source, or the larger your reflector, the more light you can bounce.

How to get sunlight in a dark room?

If you don't have enough wall space to fit another window in, you could always consider a sun room, conservatory, or an extension with roof windows. Because of their angle, roof windows are fantastic for letting in as much light as possible, so they're a great addition to any home in need of illumination.

What color is best for a hallway with no natural light?

Many people stick to white walls when decorating a dark hallway. While this approach will reflect light and open things up, it's not the most inspiring. A soft grey shade interspersed with a warming accent colour will help you maximise natural light, without compromising on character.

Where to place a mirror in a dark hallway?

'Placing your mirror on a wall adjacent to a window or glass door will trick the eye into thinking your space is larger and will also bounce light into all corners of your space,' explains Yvonne Keal, senior product manager at Hillarys.

What is the best lighting for a dark hallway?

Wall lights are an excellent addition to almost any hallway, but particularly if your hallway has a low ceiling. You can add wall lights at regular intervals to illuminate your entire hallway. Uplighters and upward facing sconce (wall) lights will bounce light towards the ceiling, which creates a soft, diffused look.

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