The 8 Best Paint Colors for a Dark Hallway
POPULAR COLORS FOR DARK HALLWAYS & STAIRCASES
If there’s one space in a home that has the potential to be dismal, it’s the hallway. Most hallways are narrow and gloomy, leaving little room for visual interest and excitement—the same goes for staircases.
And we WILL get to the visual interest and excitement…another day (links at the end of this blog post). Today, we’re talking about paint colors for a dark hallway (or staircase) because if your walls aren’t the right color, there’s no visual interest that will save you. But before I introduce the actual colors, let’s talk about some meat n’ potatoes stuff.
LRV & DARK HALLWAYS & STAIRCASES
LRV matters a lot in dark rooms – including staircases and hallways.
Why?
With many hallways and stairs having very little natural light, paint colors need to work overtime, reflecting or absorbing whatever light they can.
They can’t do their job if you don’t give them light to reflect.
Every paint color has an LRV number, which refers to how much light it reflects or absorbs. Trust me, this little number could save your life and your marriage, so if you don’t know much about it, I suggest you read Paint Colors and LRV: The Ultimate Guide You Need to Read.
Now, there are lighter and brighter colors than the ones listed below, in other words, WHITES, but I don’t want to bore you to death with various versions of those (I’ll let this post do that). And I’m not going to lie and say that these colors will BLOW YOUR MIND with personality – they won’t. However, they might be a happy medium between a white paint color with a high LRV (that might ultimately bore the hecka-doody out of you) and shades too intense and heavy to toss down a typical stairwell or hallway.
This dreary staircase doesn’t make ME want to see what’s at the bottom…
LIGHT FIXTURES & HALLWAYS
Unless you have a row of pot lights, there shouldn’t be any fixtures in your hallway that hold only one bulb. ONE STINKIN’ BULB, what do you expect it to do – work miracles? Seriously, if you have only one fixture, it should hold three – 60w bulbs. If you have two fixtures, they should each hold at least two – 60w bulbs (but the more, the merrier, as you can always reduce the wattage if you find it too much). However, if your hallway has three+ fixtures, one bulb will do (as shown below).
If you don’t have enough light, no paint color will save you—don’t expect your paint to be a miracle worker.
One of the best ways to get adequate lighting is with a flush-mount or semi-flush-mount light fixture. There are more exciting lights, but sometimes a simple flush mount does the trick for cost and availability!
So, before spending money on paint, spend SMART money on lighting first.
CONTRAST IN A DARK HALLWAY – TRIM & PAINT COLOR
This is a trickier one. Some of you have white (or off-white trim), whereas others have wood trim, which slightly changes things.
Why?
Damn you for making me think beyond the reach of my wine glass…
A DARK HALLWAY WITH WHITE TRIM & DOORS
Whereas staircases usually have less vertical trim, hallways with multiple doorways can have A LOT of trim. White trim with a light paint color is low contrast. This keeps things not only brighter but also bigger looking (wider). A brighter shade of white with a medium or dark paint color creates a high-contrast palette, which can make a space look busier and smaller (but sometimes more interesting).
While we’re not looking at dark colors, we are looking at colors that contrast with traditional white trim.
There’s no natural light in this next dark hallway, and the interior lights are off (I’m so observant, I know). Notice how the light, warm gray walls and creamy off-white trim weigh the space down. At the very least, I would paint the trim a brighter shade of white (matching what’s on the spindles) and maybe even add some wall sconces (you can get battery-operated ones on Amazon)…
A DARK HALLWAY WITH WOOD TRIM & DOORS
Medium or dark wood trim (or a dark paint color) with a light paint color is HIGH contrast. Now, your space will look brighter via the wall color; however, the contrast between the trim and the walls can make your space feel more cluttered and small. So it’s not that your space will look darker; you just aren’t getting the full-bodied effect of white trim/light walls.
Could you paint your walls a light-medium tone to blend in more with your dark trim to lower the contrast?
As this would lower the contrast level, you could make things look more simple and seamless. However, it won’t make your hallway look any ‘brighter.’ But if you can supplement with MORE than adequate lighting and decor (e.g., a mirror to reflect light), you can make up for a less-than-bright paint color and perhaps find a happy medium.
If you want to know more about paint colors for wood trim, check out this blog post: The Best Paint Colors for Dark Wood Trim.
But for the rest of you, let’s move along!
Remember, what’s boring to me and boring to you could be different things. You could be looking for wild and wonderful, and these colors AREN’T that.
These colors are geared towards the average home and average homeowner who wants to brighten up their dark hallway or stairs with a VERSATILE, flexible paint color.
Why does versatility matter?
Like entryways, hallways are transition areas with many rooms attached. If your hallway is painted a unique color, you’ll have a much harder time coordinating the adjoining rooms and creating a color palette that flows.
If you want a more unique color or want me to curate the best color options for you and your home, check out my Online Paint Color Consulting – I’d love to help!
LET THE COLOR GAMES…BEGIN!
1. BENJAMIN MOORE WINDS BREATH OC-24 / 981
Winds Breath is a beautiful, subtle neutral. Thanks to its blend, it doesn’t commit to a particular color and can politely nod at beige, tan, and cream, with a decent touch of gray to calm it all down.
Will it look dingy in a super-dark hallway or stairwell? YUP, but any color will. That’s where you need enough lighting, and I would probably stick to 3000K in your bulbs. As for a trim color that goes with Winds Breath, I’d lean into bright whites like Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace and Sherwin Williams Extra White.
Does Winds Breath look good with wood trim?
It depends. The combo isn’t so hot if the trim has a ton of red-pink. However, for the ‘average wood trim,’ Winds Breath can be gorgeous.
My FULL Color Review of Benjamin Moore Winds Breath
2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ALABASTER SW 7008
Okay, I lied; I AM going to bore you with white…but just one glorious shade of it. This is because Alabaster isn’t a typical white. With its LRV of 82, Alabaster is a SOFT white that borders on the off-white/cream world. If you have brighter white trim, Alabaster offers brightness with a touch of warmth and softness that can be gorgeous and add personality and life to a dark, narrow, or small hallway.
FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Alabaster
Here’s another shot of Alabaster in a slightly darker back hallway/mudroom…LOVE IT…
Sherwin Williams 3 Best Warm White Paint Colors
I ONLY use photos from my Online Paint Color Consulting clients (or my own photos), so I don’t always have the EXACT example I need. I do my best to show you REAL HOMES with REAL BUDGETS. Thank you for sending your photos in!
3. BENJAMIN MOORE EDGECOMB GRAY HC-173…LIGHTENED
I love Edgecomb Gray (also known as Baby Fawn), whether it’s for walls, trims, cabinets, or exteriors. However, for dark hallways and staircases, in particular, Edgecomb Gray is BEST when it’s lightened by either 25% or 50%. This way, you get similar bones but a lighter look (with AMAZING flexibility for your color palette). Being a color that bridges the gap between gray and beige and with minimal undertone, Edgecomb Gray is one of the more popular neutrals in today’s color market and will continue to be a top choice going into 2024.
Let’s look at a few spaces with regular and lightened versions of Edgecomb Gray in action…
This first entryway and hallway show Edgecomb Gray 50% lighter, with what is likely Benjamin Moore White Dove on the trim and door (I’d love to see this door painted a gorgeous, darker accent color)…
This next entryway is Edgecomb Gray mixed 25% lighter, with Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze on the front door and board and batten/hook wall…
Again, it’s 25% lighter on the walls in this hallway and super dark transition area…
Lastly (below), here’s Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray 75% lighter in my OWN home…
The only natural light is from the transom window above the door and ambient lighting from adjoining rooms.
Usually, I don’t recommend lightening a color 75% unless it’s for your trims or ceiling (and it doesn’t always work). However, I love being a guinea pig in our home and adjusting colors to see what they do. This way, I can learn more and better advise YOU about your home!
FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray
4. SHERWIN WILLIAMS AESTHETIC WHITE SW 7035
Beige gets a bad rap thanks to the Tuscan trend from the early 2000s.
But beige has come a long way, baby.
Aesthetic White is one of my favorite shades of beige. Rather than being rich and golden-warm, Aesthetic White has a dusting of gray to calm it down. While a brighter, more colorful beige (coming up shortly) is better for a dark hallway with bad lighting, if you improve your lighting, Aesthetic White is an awesome approach to a modern beige look.
Here’s Aesthetic White in a narrow hallway with beige carpet and orange-toned wood trim…
And here it is in a moody, Spanish-style entryway with a beautiful brick arch…
FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White
Paint sampling just got a lot easier (and more affordable, too!)
Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE here!
5. SHERWIN WILLIAMS CREAMY SW 7012
If you like the idea of a creamy white like Alabaster but want a wink more depth, check out Sherwin Williams Creamy. This is an off-white shade of cream without much yellow, making it more appealing than some of the stronger shades. Creamy has a subtle freshness without a huge commitment to color.
Will stronger, more yellow-based creams make your hallway look brighter?
Yup, as long as they’re a similar depth to Creamy or lighter (heavier creams won’t work as well). However, these creams aren’t always as popular because of their increased chroma (color). When choosing a color, it’s often about finding a happy medium between those that lighten your space that are also colors you can LIVE IN and love!
In this next photo (our old home), notice how Creamy is significantly lighter and brighter on the well-lit walls but doesn’t fall too flat down the hallway (which had no lights on when this photo was taken)…
The Best Creamy White & Off-White Paint Colors
Here’s a full shot of the hallway with its dark accent color at the end (I love playing with pops of color, as they’re GREAT for adding personality to a boring space like a hallway)…
Creamy isn’t EXCITING by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s simple and bright and reflects the light given quite nicely. In the above photo, you can see how it looks more or less like a white hallway; it’s just not as stark or harsh as Creamy offers a passive warmth and subtle contrast with the trim.
FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Creamy
WANT A CREAM THAT’S A BIT DARKER?
- Benjamin Moore Navajo White is a bit darker and warmer/creamier than Creamy.
- Sherwin Williams Casa Blanca is a slightly more cheerful but still muted approach to cream with more color and depth than Creamy.
Why suggest these other paint colors?
Comparison is the most important part of choosing your best paint color (and researching on ma blog). Remember, what suits one home won’t necessarily suit another; grab several versions of the type of color you like and COMPARE COMPARE COMPARE!
6. SHERWIN WILLIAMS DIVINE WHITE 6105
If your home was built in the early 2000s or has many beige finishes, you might like Divine White, a more modern, off-white beige. While I personally love the more muted look of Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White and Benjamin Moore Maritime White, Divine White has a bit less gray and is a bit more colorful for those dark hallways and entryways.
Divine White is an off-white shade of beige. Whereas colors like Aesthetic White and Winds Breath are more muted and neutral, Divine White has a reasonable degree of color while still parking itself in the neutral world. With the right lighting, Divine White gives off a soft, inviting, warm glow.
My FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Divine White
Those are my FAVES, but these can be tweaked (undertones/depth/temperature) to suit particular finishes/flooring/etc.
If the above colors leave you a little bored, I have a few more options, but they come with three conditions…
1. The more colorful your hallway, the more it can limit your color choices in adjoining rooms. Why? Colors can be more challenging to integrate into a full palette—neutrals can be easier. This said, if you have a home full of colorful rooms and walls, cool beans.
2. If you have a neutral home, it can be odd if your hallway is one of the few colorful areas. It’s more common to have the hallway neutral and the attached rooms a more colorful shade (or a neutral).
3. While these colors can help a dark hallway (even more than previously suggested), you still must improve your lighting.
So, for those who are more colorful, let’s get this party started…
How the Kelvin’s of Light Bulbs Affect Paint Colors
7. BENJAMIN MOORE PALLADIAN BLUE HC-144
Palladian Blue is a popular blue-green from Benjamin Moore’s Historical Collection. It’s a beauty, especially in a dark hallway.
The Best Blue-Green Paint Colors
Palladian Blue is great for a coastal, beachy, spa-vibe, but again, consider how it flows into its attached rooms, as hallways often have a LOT of rooms to humor!
8. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ANTIQUE WHITE 6119
While it’s not as cheerful as Palladian Blue, Antique White is popular. It’s also an interesting choice for those who prefer a neutral hallway but want a bit of color/depth.
Antique White is more about giving your dark hallway a bit of warmth and personality rather than brightening it.
It also depends on how it partners with your trim color. Antique White is reasonably flexible and enjoys several shades of white, including Sherwin Williams Pure White (above and below) and Alabaster for a softer contrast.
A few more colors didn’t make the list, but were darn close. One important point about using a lot of these colors is that they do their best work when partnered with a brighter, cleaner shade of white. This creates a clear contrast between walls and trims/doors.
- Sherwin Williams Eider White (purple undertone)
- Benjamin Moore Swept Away (blue-green)
- Sherwin Williams Casa Blanca (gorgeous shade of cream)
- Benjamin Moore American White (purple undertone)
- Benjamin Moore Bunny Gray (a cooler shade of gray-violet-blue)
WHAT SHEEN OR PAINT FINISH IS BEST FOR A DARK HALLWAY OR STAIRCASE?
This is a tough one. The shinier a paint finish is, the more light it reflects. However, shiny walls aren’t desirable in the average home—even a moderate sheen can be off-putting, especially if you have textured walls.
This next hallway has no natural light and suits a shiny(er) finish as the walls are covered in moldings, usually painted in a satin finish. I’d take it down a notch if it were my home (I bet it’s semi-gloss or even high gloss)…
Personally, I’m going to worry more about the color I choose and the quality of my light fixtures and less about my paint finish. Sure, I know the sheen will bounce more light, but it doesn’t always LOOK as good, which kind of kills the point.
Sooooo, long story short (as usual), I would use a washable matte finish on my walls or an eggshell sheen at most.
READ MORE
Ideas to Make a Dark Hallway Less Boring!
The Best White Paint Colors for a Long Dark Hallway
The Best LIGHT Paint Colors for a DARK ROOM
The 10 Best Off-White Paint Colors
The Ultimate Guide to Paint Colors & Undertones
LET ME PICK YOUR PAINT COLORS FOR YOU!
ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2019, UPDATED IN 2024
Hi Kylie,
Love all of your info on brightening a dark space. Thinking about painting much of our home SW Creamy but not sure on trim color. I know you used BM White Dove but my painter only uses SW. Is there a SW match to White Dove or something close that would work?? Love reading your blog. Thanks for your help!
Thank you Melissa! Try SW Alabaster. It’s got a wink more depth than White Dove, but equally as pretty. And if they add 4 ounces of white to the gallon, it will clean it up just a stitch AND improve the coverage too 🙂
Hey! I’m just wondering what the name and make of the flooring is and where you got it for the room you painted with the edgecombe paint colour. We recently moved into a house and I believe we have the same flooring and I can’t seem to find it anywhere.
Hi Jessica, unfortunately it was several years ago now! I know it was from a local supplier (Nanaimo) called Motion Carpets, but that won’t be any help to you!
Hi Kylie,
Love your style! Can you tell me where you purchased the herringbone carpet used to cover the stair treads? Looks great with the white risers and Edgecomb Gray wall. Thanks!
Hi Pam, that was at a local store called Wingren Carpets – it was a few years ago though so I’m not sure if they carry it anymore!
Hi Kylie
I am thinking of using grey owl paint throughout my main floor kitchen ,dining room and family room it’s all open concept my floor is a medium gray throughout, is that too much gray ? also what shade of white would you suggest to use for the trim from the Benjamin Moore fan deck .
Thanks so much !!!
What type of paint finish would you recommend using, egg shell, semi gloss or flat for a dimly lit hallway? I’m going to try using the Edgecomb Gray in my hallway and stairway but not sure of the shine factor.
I find that eggshell can be a nice happy medium, reflecting a bit of light, without being too glossy – which can be an awkward look when light does hit it!
Can you tell me the type of flooring you have throughout your house. Can you tell me manufacturer or name. I’d love to have that in my house.
Hi Yvonnda, thank you! It’s Goodfellow flooring, the ‘Stone’ colour – we LOOOVE it. http://www.goodfellowinc.com/en/produit/riverside-heights/
What an interesting website. I love it! I’m painting my whole house and having so much fun playing with colors. I’m going out today for more samples. Yay! Thank goodness I live less than 10 minutes from Ace Hardware. My house is less than 2 years old, but I am killing the dreadful contractor’s colors and ghastly paint job they did. (Not smooth! Paint left in the toilets, carpets, etc.) I’m hoping a light gray (like gray owl) will pick up a bit of a blue tone in my bedroom. My new current buff-tone paint picks up some pink and orange tones at night. Angels of mercy defend us! 😮 It’s so wonderfully neutral in the day. (Excuse me while I dry my tears and move on…) I’ve chosen White Dove for my trim, thanks to you. Way beautiful! I have a crazy question for you. Do I need to be using soft white light bulbs or something else to enhance my colors? Just curious. Thought I’d ask before I cause a tsunami of color disasters. If I have another disappointment, I will have to purchase your professional assistance. Thanks for your wonderful website and knowledge-sharing.
What brand is the herringbone carpet on the stairs?
Hi Nadine, sorry, that was many years ago and I don’t have the records any more!
I love creamy! It’s the perfect color for me. Can you share the trim and ceiling paint color? Also, I’ve recently started loving the darker muddy trim and white wall look. Do you have a contrasting color that you think would pair well with creamy?
I love creamy! It’s the perfect color for me. Can you share the trim and ceiling paint color? Also, I’ve recently started loving the darker muddy trim and white wall look. Do you have a contrasting color that you think would pair well with creamy?
We used SW Creamy on the walls of a very large great room that faces true east & west. The ceiling is dark wood with scissor beams & floor medium wood with subtle gray tones. Trim is SW Simply White. We wanted white walls but actual “whites” weren’t working in a 100+ yr old house. The Creamy is just right! Everyone comments on how much they love the “fresh white walls”! Looks great in lower daylight well as night time. Only tried it after reading your site so “thank you very much”!
Thank you for your website. It contains so much good content. I learned a lot by reading your articles/color reviews and watching your videos. I have been using your content to pick colors for my house for many years now. Every time, the effect of the paint color is just as you described. Nice colors make a big difference in a house and in the lives of people’s living in the house!. Thanks again!
Hi Kylie,
what a lovely website full of good content. Although I learned a lot by going through your colour reviews I’m still rather at a loss with our dark north and east facing hallway. It has wainscoting in Farrow and Ball’s Skimming stone which looks warm and welcoming throughout the day but I don’t get along with the perfect white for walls, cabinetry, doors and trim. Farrow and Ball’s colour shemes don’t work at all because they either read too blue or yellow or come out drab and dull. We’d like to stay with the Skimming Stone wainscoting because it also matches the ‘Panna Cotta’ white Terrazzo floor very niceley but we definetly need to paint the rest of the room with a white from a different paint company. We can order Benjamin Moore paints from Germany but unfortunately no Sherin Williams ( we’re based in Austria at the moment). Do you have an advice for a matching white from BM’s range that will brighten up the room yet picks up the soft and elegant stoney tones of the wainscoting. Will White Dove or similar whites work? Kind regards, Gabriele
Stairwells:
Hi Kylie, Love this post.
I have some general stairwell questions:
(1) Where do you stop? To me, the stairwell, in our case, becomes the main paint color. It off ramps to either a floor of doors or to the open living areas. (Our stairwell is 4 stories.).
(2) About moulding – we have chair rail, picture moulding, crown moulding, (door frames and doors) that all connect from our stairs to each floor. Are there hard and fast best practices: Same color as wall, same sheen….same color, different sheen…complementing color to wall.
(3) Carpeted stairs – how does that factor in?
Hey Terrie! While it depends on the home, I would say that the more visually and openly attached your staircase is to the adjoining spaces, the more likely it should be the same color. It’s different when a staircase is more enclosed or even blocked off by a door. Now for the MOLDINGS, it depends on what you like! If you’re painting with whites and off-whites, you might do your trims and walls the same color, but shift the sheen from wall to trim finish (usually matte or eggshell and then satin on trims/doors). On the other hand, some like to see contrast between their walls and trims.
As far as carpet goes, it definitely calls some color shots and can get you started as to whether you need grays, beiges, whites, etc…
🙂
Keeping Track: Is there a great way to keep track of all those colors, base choices, sheens? I only have an account with Sherwin Williams (Not at Lowe’s) so that I can buy touch up paint in the future. I have taken to stapling paint swatches to index cards (low tech). I wondered what others do. One of the biggest gifts I wish I had (besides the electrical box being labeled) is a full list of paint colors (exact specs) to tidy up the walls until we could repaint.
What color are the doors in the photo of your home with 75% SW Edgecomb grey? The combo is gorgeous!
Would you recommend it with Edgecomb at 50% also?
Looking for a stairway and hallway, but the hallway has doors galore and is about 10 ft long, so I’m not sure how dark I can go with all the doors, or wonder if I should stick with white.
Thanks!
Thank you! My doors are BM Revere Pewter, 25% darker, and YES, definitely with Edgecomb 50%!
Subtle nuances (in color, taste, texture, fashion) is my love language, so I am thoroughly enjoying all of your posts!! I have quite the dilemma in our new home: we are turning the basement den (does have natural light, but it’s into still a basement on land with several trees) into my teen daughters bedroom/suite. I let her choose the color scheme, furniture, light fixtures, etc. She is going for something in the “clean/vanilla/soft girl aesthetic” lol. here’s where it gets tricky: walls are currently dark gray painted 70s wood paneling, there’s a white washed fireplace, she chose 2 large gold sputnik style chandeliers w/short drop (8.5′ ceilings in basement rooms), white vanity with white shelf columns on each side, creamy beige/ivory bed and boucle couch, and her overall color scheme for art and decor is soft pastel pink, baby blue & whites/creams/beige. any metal trim is gold, night stands & coffee table are kind of a light neutral oak. she said “will you please paint the walls like a white or something pretty light and natural?” sure…easy… NOT!! I need something that works with her color scheme choices, is light and bright, but also won’t make the “cream” bed and couch look drab, dingy or almost yellowish. the furniture is pretty and light, but some of the “whites” I’ve sampled make them look either darker/drab OR make them look a bit too yellowish. also, the floor is a pale gray carpet (will buy large area rugs for now after deciding wall color, but flooring will be changed soon, so not too concerned with that). I’ve never had such a difficult time choosing paint Lol! Im really trying to make the new environment feel like home for her, so any advise at all is greatly appreciated!!
Oh gosh, Kelly, it’s just SO hard to say without seeing the space, as I’d just be throwing ideas at the wall, literally! I mean, you can try SW Alabaster or Greek Villa as places to start??>?