IMO, low light/no natural light spaces need darker, saturated colors. The over head lights are probably on most of the time you are in the hallway. Artificial light can murder lights/whites.

I suggest this blue…perfect with Great Plains, Dover White, Navajo White.

Montpelier AF-555.

I read on someone’s blog that if you paint one wall in a narrow hallway darker, it will give the space the appearance of being wider. Never tried it, but it does make sense as a darker color recedes.

The picture you have posted is lovely, indeed! And I am intrigued about the darker colors making the space look bigger. I'll consider this as I make my selection. However, the blue will NOT work. Here is why:

The stairwell I have is totally enclosed and not just barely 3 feet wide. It leads to what was once nothing but attic space. We have managed to make some fairly livable space on the 2nd floor--a bedroom, lots of closets, a bathroom, and a study. I should have more fully explained the dilemma: the stairwell landing consists of two separate spaces. The bigger space, the space you enter as you step off the stairwell, has a ceiling light so that this space does get artificial light. The second space does NOT have a ceiling light. From that space you can go left into my son's bedroom (Benjamin Moore Fairway Oaks) or you can go right into my daughter's bedroom (Benjamin Moore Gull Wing Gray). The color blue you have suggested will not work for that reason. Any other ideas??

This is your first floor; I have added B.M. Whitestone. I like the three together.

On the ene wall of the dark staircase hang a good sized mirror, hopfully it will reflect the overhead light on the landing.

Thank you again for your advice on colors. I love the combination of colors you have chosen. But I feel that again, I have not been very clear. The "landing" I am referring to is on the 1st floor. Unfortunately, in that dark niche outside the two bedrooms, I cannot hang anything because a thermostat was placed on that wall, and the A/C man just confirmed that it cannot be moved without a lot of work and expense. That is very unfortunate!! There is a "landing" on the 2nd floor too, along with a long hallway that connects bedroom to bathroom and study. In my opinion, the color of the stairwell will have to also be the color of the walls on this 2nd floor hall. Walls of study are BM 1077; walls of bathroom are SW Krypton; walls of bedroom are BM 1075. Please let me know if the colors you are showing are BM 1077 and SW Dover White. Those are colors I would like to stick with in my color scheme in general. I just believe I need to go lighter than BM 1077 on the walls of this hallway and on the 1st floor landing.

I just can’t picture the set up at all. Not your fault, as you keep explaining it to me. One last try: B.M.Lancaster Whitewash. It has a LRV of 74, which is great. If walls are in good condition do the paint in satin finish.