It is always disappointing to see how hallways are so much neglected with regards to proper lighting in most houses. Though a great sum of money is put in for the purchase and fixture of lights throughout the remaining house, not much care is taken for the hallways. To start off it would be sensible to take a look on the hallway surfaces. The kind of finishing on the wall, and the type of the flooring would help you decide on a lot of things.
If dark colors are used on various surfaces, the ceiling can be repainted with the lighter colors. The former would absorb light and the later would reflect. Hardwood flooring might get cumbersome to change, so light color rugs would be a perfect solution in such a case.
As you are set on to making the lighting arrangements in the hallway you would be surprised to know that the windows in hallways aren’t really as useful as they seem to be. They could actually cause a lot of problem. The problem part of it comes in roll when the glaring effect that the light coming from the windows casts in the interiors of the hallways. To top up this ill-effect, a light colored flooring or rug would make the glare worse by reflection. Also it leaves a deep contrast between the dim lights of the hallways and the strong lights flooding in through the windows. Thus it is very much necessary that the windows are provided with appropriate drapes or blinds and the light from the window is synchronized with the light in the remaining hallway.
The biggest problem in rearranging the electrical parts of a hallway is the fact that their walls have lesser number of electrical sources than the remaining parts of the house. So any kind of rearrangement would mean physical damage to the walls of your hallways. Now this really would need a second thought and you should proceed only if you feel it is worth it. The article proceeds with the assumption that you are comfortable with this part of the reconstruction.
One of the best and the most effective ways of illuminating your dearest hallway would be wall sconces. The specialty about these sconces is the fact that they have a very aristocratic appealing dim look. It is always safe to place a sconce around 10 feet through the hallway. The dimmer in the sconces can be adjusted as and when required and will ensure that you travel safely through the hall without departing from the effect it is intended to cast. A good tip here would be to choose a sconce with a style similar to the chandelier at the entrance or in the foyer.
Another good option is the concept of track lighting which brings in an impressive modern look to the hallway. The best of these would be a halogen track lighting. This when placed eight foot high, will enhance look of the artwork and cast proper focus on it. A spotlight that is wavy looking can cause a hallway to appear shorter than it really is. If the height where the lighting is placed is suitably high, then the effect on the decorations would be greatly enhanced and the hallways would appear quite open relatively. Towards the end of the hallway, walls should necessarily be illuminated.
Luminaries of the recessed ceiling or the surface-mounted kind give a perfect finish to the hallway areas. Let the length of the hallways decide the amount of stuff you want to put up through!
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