Make your entryway bench more welcoming by adding a few plants and plush pillows to it. You can also style it with cut-out signage, wall décor, and other farmhouse décor for a fuller and cozier look.
24 Ideas How to Decorate a Narrow Hallway
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Published: March 12, 2022
Updated: November 16, 2023
A compact hallway can be a tricky space to style. Most people would leave it empty, thinking that adding décor would make it feel cramped and dark. You’ll be excited to know that there are several ways to decorate a narrow hallway. Be it for practical, aesthetic, or combined purposes, you can give this often-ignored area more character that you can tie into the rest of your home’s interior.
A gallery wall, for example, can add a splash of color and give your hallway some personality. It doesn’t have to be filled with pictures either. You can opt for paintings, wall décor, or mirrors to brighten it up instead. When using frames for your gallery wall, you might want to consider using the same finishes and border design to minimize any visual overwhelm, since you’ll already be working with a restrictive space.
Hooks and racks, on the other hand, are your best bet if you want to add some functionality to this area. Aside from hanging bags, hats, and other items, these hooks are also great for seasonal décor. You can drape or adorn them with garlands, baskets, and any seasonal décor, depending on the occasion.
Lastly, installing beautiful lights in a narrow hallway will not only brighten up the space, they also add an eye-catching element compared to standard recessed lights.
02 of Garland Gallery
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Create a personal gallery feel by adorning the walls with family photos and cherished decorations. Complement this visual storytelling with a natural touch by adding a garland, infusing warmth and an organic element into the hallway. Interior designer Camila Lyons observes, “Decorations and family photos in the hallway create a personal gallery feel, while a garland adds a natural, warming element.”
03 of Spring Fling
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Updating your narrow hallway with foliage and flowers is a great way to usher in a new season. A few wreaths and baskets of florals, which you can replace regularly, can be combined with everyday décor to create a calming yet inviting entryway.
04 of Shelves with Farmhouse Decor
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Turn your hallway into a dreamy space to look at by decorating your shelves with vintage and farmhouse décor. This charming area is filled with books, busts, lanterns, and baskets that add texture and pops of colors to contrast against the white walls. The mirror and window frame on the wall bring an added dimension to the space.
05 of White Gallery Wall Frames and Console Table
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- westtexfarmhouse
06 of Hall of Frames
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A floor-to-ceiling gallery wall is a perfect way to display all of your family photos in a hallway. Combine small, medium, and large frames for an interesting composition. Opt for the frames with the same color and border design to give your arrangement a coherent look.
08 of Create a Destination
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Draw the eyes to the end of the hallway by creating a console vignette with a mirror, plant, and small pendant light. Leaving the walls empty save for some board and batten paneling is a great strategy— especially if you have a very narrow corridor.
09 of Frames above Board and Batten
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- chalovescafe
10 of Hallway Halloween
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How should you decorate a narrow hallway for Halloween? Take some inspiration from this one, which features some quirky skeleton hallway décor. The board and batten hooks serve as a hanging rack for this floral basket with a crow as well as the besoms. Meanwhile, the ceiling is also decorated with witch hats that tie up the entire look.
11 of Antique Mirror Gallery
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Moody and dramatic, this wall filled with antique mirrors is a dream to look at. The intricate carvings and various metal finish beautifully contrast against the dark wall while the mirrors themselves brighten and open up the space. The vintage crystal lights above add a romantic touch to the entire space.
12 of Black and White Hall
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Incorporating black frames with white borders brings a timeless touch to this hallway. The use of a clean, linear grid for the gallery wall also resonates with the door design, giving the space a visual coherence that is both elegant and serene.
13 of Coastal Corridor
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Combine function and style to decorate a semi-narrow hallway. This one features a gallery wall and vintage sconces on one wall, and a hallway bench topped with a mirror on the other. The ceiling is dressed with a beaded light while the floor showcases a combination of rug over carpet. Beige and black accent colors provide a stunning contrast to the shale gray walls, giving this space a calming coastal look.
15 of Gorgeous Gallery
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Hanging a set of paintings in a narrow hallway gives it a pop of color, especially if you have a neutral palette. The use of white borders, similar frames, and uniform grid patterns creates consistency and coherence. This is important especially if the artworks have variations in style and colorways.
16 of Transitional Touch
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Elegant and calming, this hallway of arches exudes a consistent aesthetic with its careful use of patterns. The walls are adorned with serene paintings in pale wood frames while the ceiling features vintage pendant lights. While the arches bring architectural framing for each area, the use of similar elements gives it a coherent look and guides the eye to the end of the hall.
17 of Vintage Cottage
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The combination of farmhouse-style signage, pastel florals, antique mirror, and foliage garlands creates a cheerful hallway that leads to the kitchen.
18 of Picture Perfect
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Family pictures give your hallway a personal touch that your loved ones will adore. Here, this compact corridor is styled with alternating framed photos with pictures on hanging panels. The rustic ceiling light is a great addition, lending a cozy, farmhouse vibe to the space.
19 of Festive Foyer
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Welcome friends and loved ones to your adorable abode for the holidays with a holiday-inspired hallway. This foyer features cheerful red and green Christmas décor, such as wreaths in various sizes and a Christmas chalkboard along with splashes of holiday colors.
20 of Combine Textures
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Decorate a narrow hallway with a combination of two and three-dimensional elements to give this space an interesting character. Here, the corridor wall is styled with raised wood letters, cut-out signage, and arrows along with a photo canvas. At the end of the hallway is a console table filled with Christmas and everyday décor.
21 of Curate Your Space Over Time
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Slow and steady styling of your hallway is a great way to stick within your budget and aesthetic. Instead of doing it all in one go, take the time to hunt for pieces that you like. This particular hallway only costs less than $200, which includes the board and batten wall, six wooden frames, wall sconce, and puck light.
22 of Let There Be Light
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Replace builder-grade bulbs and recessed lighting and opt for an interesting surface-mounted fixture in your hallway instead. This will not only brighten a narrow corridor, but it will also give the space an aesthetic character, especially if you don’t have a lot of décor in this area of your home.
24 of Functional Installations
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Hooks can easily turn a blank hallway into a practical space. This is a great choice for narrow areas near utility spaces such as laundry rooms and mudrooms. These black metal hooks not only provide the perfect amount of hanging space, but also lend a charming vintage vibe to the corridor.
