How to Choose Paint Colors for a Front Hall

Changing the color of a room's walls can completely alter the look and feel of a room. The front hall of the house is generally an overlooked spot when decorating. You should spend time trying to find the right shade of paint for the front hallway since it is the room that greets you when you arrive home. Choosing a color of paint is a matter of personal taste and preference, but there are some tips you should consider when buying new paint.

Choose a color of paint based on the size of the hall to downplay the negative aspects of the size. For instance, paint an area that is too small in light colors. The light colors will add more depth and brightness to the hall's look. For spaces that feel too large and cold, give them a coating of dark paint to make the areas appear smaller and more contained.

Paint an accent wall in a boring area. An accent wall is a brightly colored wall among neutral walls. For instance, instead of painting a whole room bright red, paint three of the walls a neutral color such as tan and paint the last wall red. This will make the red wall pop and adds a new and interesting dimension to the room.

Mimic the foliage, plants and nature that are outside of the front hallway. The front hallway connects the home to the outside world. You can choose to paint the hallway in a color that reflects the outside world, such as green for plants or light blue for the sky. Alternatively, paint the hallway the same color as the room it leads into to make it seem more connected to the rest of the home.

Paint a small section of a wall with your favorite colors to see what it will look like once the walls are painted completely. View the paint in different types of lighting since different lighting will alter the look of the color. The paint will look different during the day than it does at night under an incandescent bulb.

Pick a neutral shade--such as various shades of white, black or brown--if you can't decide on another color. These plain shades will complement the other walls in the house.