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Help! Picking a paint color for hallway

6 years ago

We are undergoing a renovation of our apartment and I need help picking a color for our hallway. We originally had Boothbay Gray chosen but I’ve recently been inspired by some dark and moody hallways (such as Jcrew’s Jenna Lyons hallway below). I‘m a bit nervous to go so bold but would like to try to get out of my comfort zone.

the rest of the apartment will be painted in light colors, all Ben Moore:

great room- Oxford white

daughters room- whitewater bay

sons room- lily white

master- Stonington gray


the hallway is at the center of the apartment and all of the bedrooms are off of it, so the doors will open into each bedroom. I would like to paint the base moulding, trim, doors, walls and ceiling in the same color but use different sheens to create some subtle contrast.


This is our hallway:




Floors will be



I was looking at:

knoxville green

Kitty gray

black pepper


will have a brass light fixture on the ceiling


thoughts?? Ideas??


thanks in advance!!




Comments (16)

  • 6 years ago

    I love moody decor! I say go for it. Paint is easy enough to change if the color does not work out. That being said, from what I was able to find on Google, none of the paint colors you mentioned are nearly as dramatic as the one you posted above.

  • 6 years ago

    I’m thinking it’s bc the one above is Farrow and Ball, their pigmentation is richer I think? But it’s also 3x the price!!

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    If you want the color above, I think you can do a better color match than the three colors you have posted. Even if it is a different brand than F&B.

    On the other hand, the photo above looks nothing like the color on F&B's website for card room green.

    The photo on the right came from the F&B website.


    I don't think the colors you have selected are going to give the same level of drama as with the photo you posted.



  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    I would go definitely go dark and deep in that hallway. I like the expansive feeling as one moves from a dark hall to a lighter room as well as the drama. I also like dark walls for their ability to set off art. That said, perhaps consider a more distinct and colorful shade than the ones mentioned? Typically, i get a clue from a rug (or runner) or the art I plan to feature. In BM, I would choose among the Aura Color Stories palette...because I want the paint to react with the light. (which is what is going on with the FB paint in your pic....which I would guess to be Inchyra Blue)

    edit to add: hope your daughter enjoys Whitewater Bay as much as I do :-)

    ARLinNYC thanked hollybar
  • 6 years ago

    So incredibly refreshing to read about a family in an apartment. Too many posts on here are all about big or even small suburban homes. Wonderful to see someone living the good life in an apartment.


    I would get a small sample pot from Farrow and Ball and test it out on your wall to see what it looks like in the actual like you have. I had Benjamin Moore color match a Farrow and Ball color for me and it turned out well. I love that you are going to paint all of the trim and walls the same color. I think that is such a stunning look. Because the space is so small, I would not worry too much about doing different sheens. I think all of the angles and trim will have the light hitting it so differently than the walls that the trim and wall color will have a bit of a different feel to them just because of the shadows and light.

    ARLinNYC thanked Kendrah
  • 6 years ago

    So I found a different article that says Jenna Lyons used FB Inchyra Blue...and the BM match is Knoxville green according to https://www.colorsbykellyhaller.com/farrow-ball-colors-matched-to-benjamin-moore


    but do you think it’s too green given the colors chosen for the other rooms? Should I go with something more charcoal? I just want to still have that richness to it if that makes sense

  • 6 years ago



    ARLinNYC thanked ilikefriday
  • 6 years ago



  • 6 years ago

    Can’t wait to see what you pick! Also nice to see a “normal size” apartment get a re-do. This is my NYC world and what I know, so it’s nice to follow a similar dilemma.

    ARLinNYC thanked Gcubed
  • 6 years ago

    Interesting! Narragansett green does look like a close pick! I will go pick up a swatch tomorrow. Thanks!


    and yes we are in NYC also! :)

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    I find Farrow and Ball paints well worth the extra money. No one can really match the pigment and the depth of color they deliver (believe me I've tried). In the overall scheme of things, paint is not very expensive (even Farrow & Ball). As one poster said, do not go with a matte finish, but their eggshell finish for durability.

    ARLinNYC thanked Design Girl
  • 6 years ago

    With the light floors, I dont think you will achieve the same effect? Not a pro...

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Her floors are light in this photo when the lights are turned on ‍



  • 6 years ago

    Also I was planning to do matte black hardware on the doors but obviously brass will go nicer in the hallway. Is it weird to only do brass doorknobs in the hallway and black everywhere else (ie on the other sides of the doors inside the bedrooms and living room)?

  • 6 years ago

    How about asking Ms Lyons on her social media pages? No idea how hands-on she'll have been in choosing colour schemes, but maybe her designer would chime in with an answer.


    It is highly likely to have been an F&B colour, simply because of the cache - I've seen it often - in which case it's either Hague Blue or Stiffkey (pronounced stookie) Blue.


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