Hallway Lighting: Giving a Passage Some Rhythm
A hallway is never a room you linger in, but it is often the first thing a visitor sees. Hallway lighting spaced badly produces a run of bright and dark patches that makes the space feel narrower; spaced well, it lengthens and organizes it.
The rule is about spacing more than output. Distribute light points every six to ten feet rather than installing one very strong source in the middle. Since hallway ceilings tend to be low and the passage narrow, a flush mount or a wall sconce is almost always a better fit than a pendant, which you will eventually walk into.
This is also where a motion sensor or a low-output night light earns its place, for trips through the house after dark. Look at our ceiling lights and our wall sconces.
