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21 Best Hallway Paint Colors Designers Love

Decorated hallway with white arched walls next to staircase

The Spruce / Christopher Lee Foto

Often neglected and forgotten about during a home renovation, your hallways aren't technically a room, but they should be just as important as your living space or kitchen when it comes to decorating. A home that truly flows and feels complete is one with well-decorated hallways and a cohesive look from top to bottom. Whether you want a crisp, white hallway or you want to experiment with elongating colors such as deep navy blue, there's a hallway paint color for you.

While your hallway may feel like an afterthought, putting effort into its look and feel will help your home become more cohesive and finished, and tie together a well-decorated space. Plus, even narrow and dark hallways, entryways, and staircase hallways can feel open and light with the right paint colors. Whether you chose a vibrant pop of color to make a small, dark hallway stand out or go light and bright, there are countless modern ideas to refresh your space or unique ideas for a more personalized look.

Overview

  • Color Family: Various
  • Complementary Colors: Various
  • Pairs Well With: Various
  • Mood: Calming, elegant, cozy
  • Where to Use: Hallways

Below, you'll find the the 23 best hallway paint colors.

  • 01 of 21

    Farrow & Ball Stony Ground

    Farrow & Ball Stony Ground paint swatch

    The Spruce

    Your hallways should blend nicely into the rest of your home's rooms, but that doesn't mean you have to maintain the same color scheme throughout the house. Even if you go bolder in the bedrooms or kitchen, a neutral paint color can be a calming choice for your hallways and a great way to tie the rest of the home together. Farrow & Ball's Stony Ground is a classic color with light red undertones that give it warmth. It resembles a soft beige and looks beautiful with white trim.

  • 02 of 21

    Benjamin Moore Simply White

    Benjamin Moore Simply White

    The Spruce

    If you have a low light space, then Benjamin Moore Simply White is one of the best shades of white that you can choose. This crisp white has just a touch of yellow in it, giving it a soft creamy tone that can brighten dark rooms. It'll look clean and bright, even in a small, dimly lit hallway.

  • 03 of 21

    Sherwin-Williams Alabaster

    Sherwin-Williams Alabaster paint swatch

    The Spruce

    For a hallway with lots of natural light where you want to keep it airy, but don't want to do stark white, Sherwin-Williams Alabaster is a soft, cozy off-white. Because of its subtle warm undertones, this color is best with wood floors and crisp white accents. Try it in a spacious hallway with lots of windows.

  • 04 of 21

    Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray

    Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray

    The Spruce

    For a cozy neutral, look to Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray. This warm, inviting gray leans more beige, giving the shade a welcoming, approachable feel. It has a hint of yellow, meaning it looks best with warm wood tone floors. In a hallway with lower light, it retains its light feeling.

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  • 05 of 21

    Benjamin Moore Pale Oak

    Benjamin Moore Pale Oak

    The Spruce

    If you have wood floors with gray undertones, then Benjamin Moore Pale Oak is a light neutral that will bring out a light warmth in them. This white oak-inspired color is somewhere between white, ivory, and pale gray, and it has a versatility that looks good in low light or lots of natural light.

  • 06 of 21

    Sherwin-Williams Accessible Beige

    Sherwin-Williams accessible beige swatch

    The Spruce

    Sherwin-Williams Accessible Beige is one of their all-time best-selling colors. This warm beige has just enough gray in it to keep it from feeling dated or too yellow. Its beige tones come out in natural light, while gray comes forward when there is lower light. You can use Accessible Beige in nearly any hallway, and it'll work in that space.

  • 07 of 21

    Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist

    Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist 1549

    The Spruce

    Just like the misty days that inspired its name, Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist feels like a romantic cloudy gray day with a hint of sun peeking through. This beautiful gray looks lovely in a small hallway that gets little natural light, adding an airy, ethereal quality.

  • 08 of 21

    Kilz Ultra Bright White

    Kilz Ultra Bright White Paint Swatch

    The Spruce

    White paint has long been used to brighten up a space and help a small room feel larger. If your hallways are lacking in natural light (as many are), Kilz Ultra Bright White is a great choice. This bright white is free of any undertones and appears crisp and clean. It also lightens the mood of any dreary hallway, but works well behind framed artwork or portraits on a stairway hall, too.

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  • 09 of 21

    Benjamin Moore Pink Bliss

    Benjamin Moore Pink Bliss

    The Spruce

    Add an unexpected moment to a hallway, whether it's a small, narrow space with a gallery wall full of silhouettes and photographs or a grand entryway with a black and white checkerboard marble floor. Benjamin Moore Pink Bliss is light enough that it won't overwhelm a hallway with pink paint, but instead adds a soft blush touch.

  • 10 of 21

    Sherwin-Williams Half-Caff

    Sherwin-Williams Half Caff

    The Spruce

    This rich coffee brown is absolutely stunning in a long, narrow hallway, where it envelopes you like a warm cup of joe. Try it with crisp white trim and a few intentionally placed black and white photographs for contrast. This dark color does best in lower light, where it leans into its cozy feel.

  • 11 of 21

    Farrow & Ball Off-Black

    Farrow + Ball Off Black Swatch

    The Spruce

    Farrow & Ball Off-Black is a classic color that's beloved by designers for its slightly warm, soft take on black walls. In a hallway that is already dark and narrow, it will create even more drama. Pair it with bold art and a runner that makes into a statement. This is one design choice where you want to lean in on statement pieces.

  • 12 of 21

    Benjamin Moore Windy Sky

    Benjamin Moore Windy Sky paint swatch

    The Spruce

    The best hallway colors provide a sense of calm and tranquility as your surroundings transition from day to night and night to day. Benjamin Moore's Windy Sky is a pale baby blue hue with cool undertones that almost reads neutral in certain light. It adds just enough color to create visual interest, but not so much that it will feel overwhelming in your hallway.

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  • 13 of 21

    Benjamin Moore White Dove

    Benjamin Moore White Dove

    The Spruce

    Benjamin Moore White Dove has one of the most enthusiastic followings of all creamy whites. It has a subtle warm tone that makes it welcoming and versatile, and you can use it in nearly every space. While it can work in low light, it looks its brightest and creamiest when its in a space with lots of sunshine.

  • 14 of 21

    Sherwin-Williams Evergreen Fog

    Sherwin-Williams Evergreen Fog paint swatch

    The Spruce

    There's just something about a rich green paint that makes any space feel homey and down to earth. Sherwin-Williams' Evergreen Fog is a cool medium green that feels muted and modern. It appears nearly gray in certain lights or at certain times of the day and is a great choice for a sophisticated home that needs a little pigment.

  • 15 of 21

    Benjamin Moore Amarillo

    Benjamin Moore Amarillo

    The Spruce

    If you're going to go yellow, just go all in. Benjamin Moore Amarillo is the sunniest of bright yellows — a true primary color. In a hallway full of natural light, it comes alive, shining brilliantly and creating the most cheerful space to greet you every time you walk through a door.

  • 16 of 21

    Farrow & Ball Elephant's Breath

    Farrow & Ball in Elephant's Breath

    The Spruce

    Gray paint is a classic neutral that works beautifully in any hallway. Farrow & Ball's Elephant's Breath is a warm gray with hints of purple and magenta. It can give a cozy feeling to a spacious hallway that needs a little warmth and is a lovely choice for outside a bedroom.

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  • 17 of 21

    Benjamin Moore Opal

    Benjamin Moore Opal swatch

    The Spruce

    Though Benjamin Moore's Opal is only barely pink, it provides a delightful luminescence that opens up a hallway and gives off just enough color to create texture. It's a great choice for ceilings, and can even be painted floor-to-ceiling for a widening effect in a narrow hallway to create the illusion of more space.

  • 18 of 21

    Clare Pop

    Clare paint swatch in Pop

    The Spruce

    Coral has become a very popular color in home decor and we think it works just as well in a hallway as it does in a bedroom or a living room. Clare's Pop paint is a playful, peachy coral that brightens up any space and is a fun choice for a hallway. Use this color in either a wider hallway or a narrow one—it works to both elongate while adding depth.

  • 19 of 21

    Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter

    Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter

    The Spruce

    If beige is too warm for you, but gray is too cool, then greige paint in the hallway could be just the answer. This perfectly balanced color is right in the middle, and it works in both spaces large and small. Try Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter for a versatile neutral greige.

  • 20 of 21

    Magnolia Vintage Collection

    Magnolia Vintage Collection paint swatch

    The Spruce

    Purple is an incredibly calming color—and when you scurry from your bedroom to the bathroom in the morning, a peaceful-feeling color is a pleasant way to welcome the day. Magnolia's Vintage Collection is a lovely lavender hue with hints of gray. It works beautifully in any hallway and looks great next to white or light wood frames.

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  • 21 of 21

    Behr Graphic Charcoal

    Behr Graphic Gray

    The Spruce

    For something a bit softer than black, try Behr Graphic Charcoal. This dark gray gives a long, narrow hallway a bold personality, particularly when it's paired with dramatic, modern hallway lighting.

FAQ
  • What is the most welcoming hallway color?

    You could choose a friendly bright yellow or a warm blush pink for a welcoming hallway color, or you could go with a perfectly neutral cream or ivory.

  • What color should you paint a small hallway?

    While bright neutrals are always a good choice for making a hallway seem light and airy, you can also lean into bold and dark in a small space. Try dark brown, moody sage green, or even black.

  • What colors brighten hallways?

    Light colors typically are the best option to brighten a hallway. Look for a crisp, clean color. Simply White from Benjamin Moore is a go-to for many designers.