My Long Dark Hallway Needed Some Lights.

Connie Chrisman Hatch
by Connie Chrisman Hatch
4 Materials
$50
3 Days
Medium

My hallway was very plain and dark. It needed some sprucing up.

On the other side of this blank wall is my closet.


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I did not get a before photo, but this is a window from an old storm door that I had laying around. I sprayed the back side of the windows with Rust-Oleum Frosted Glass so you could not see through them.

I added LED strip lighting on the back side of the wood framing. The lights come in different colors, but I chose white, and they have a sticky backing that adheres to the frame.

This is a closeup of the lights. There's an adapter that plugs into the end and this plugs into my timer. It's set to come on during the daytime only.

These are just L brackets that the window hangs on. It is out of the way so no one gets close enough to bump into it and possibly fall on them.

I added a lacy valance on the top and on the wall it went. Everyone that sees it thinks it's a real window. It brightens up the hall and makes me smile every time I walk by.


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  • KimofCoventry KimofCoventry on Oct 23, 2024

    This deserves all the likes. Fantastic! Love the big impact with something most of us can do without much trouble, for almost instant gratification. 👍️

  • Christine C Christine C on Feb 04, 2026

    How long does it take to complete this project?

    I have a hallway that is dark also one idea is I thought to diy some wall sconces and using battery operated motion sensor lights inside the wall sconces for cost effectiveness because at the end of my hallway is a bathroom

  • Judith Judith on Feb 18, 2026

    Why do you have white baseboards and natural wood doors and frames? 🧐

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  • Pollyyy Pollyyy on Jul 12, 2025

    I had the same issue with my hallway feeling too dark, so I looked into smart lighting, and Vivint’s options really helped brighten things up while adding convenience. If you're thinking of doing something similar, check out their service details here: https://vivint.pissedconsumer.com/customer-service.html — it gave me a good overview before deciding.

  • Msc197589250 Msc197589250 on Jan 27, 2026

    I would have painted the doors and trim white, especially if they are just inexpensive hollow core doors.

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