Long, narrow passages are not the easiest to design, but are often a necessary evil. So this post on passage decor ideas today. I hope it makes life easier for all those who requested this post and for the many others who didn’t. I am also quite sure this will be helpful to myself, when I come across the next long passage I have to deal with.
Passage Decor Ideas
Many apartments are designed with a passage leading off from the living area into the bedrooms. The passage helps separate the bedrooms from the more public area, giving them privacy. But this long, narrow passages can be a design nightmare.
So let’s try to change the nightmare into a sweet dream today. We’ll go through some passage decor ideas that will help turn these passages from eyesores to show stoppers!
1 – Patterned Flooring
What you see most of in a narrow passage, is it’s never ending length of floor. Highlighting this brings attention away from the narrow width and uses the length of the floor to advantage.
Do you remember how we used this simple striped pattern in this entryway to create an impact?
Mosaic patterns look fabulous over long lengths.
I love how they can wrap around various architectural elements and still look beautiful.
A subtle pattern against dark walls can create a completely different vibe.
Source (I could only trace this pic to Pinterest. Any help to credit the rightful owner will be welcome)
2 – Long Runners
What if you’re stuck with a long passage where you can’t, or don’t want to change the flooring. Rugs work in pretty much the same way.
In the most minimalist of settings, a long runner along the passage brings focus to its length.
Just as with the flooring, you can choose to add colour and pattern to the length using rugs.
3 – Highlight Length Along The Walls
Just as with the flooring, you can also use the walls to focus on the length of the passage.
See how the black skirting highlights the length of this passage.
Add a simple wainscoting to the walls by painting the lower half a different colour.
You can make the wainscoting more elaborate by adding panels.
Or even use a white wainscoting on a white wall. It looks elegant and can make the space look lighter.
While a wooden wainscoting will add warmth.
4 – Experiment With Wall Finishes
Just using different colours can add a lot of drama to your passageway. The blue doors against the burgundy walls of this passage are a great example.
A vertical shiplap on this passage wall helps focus on the height of the passage instead of just its length.
Paneling on the wall, even white on white, helps add character to the otherwise monotonous length.
You can use textures such as brick or cement.
Love how this passage uses a brick texture on one side with a vertically striated textured plaster on the opposite.
Mirror panels work like magic to visually increase the width of the passage, as you saw in the passage of our mid-century modern home.
5 – Use Arches
Arches always look beautiful, even at just one end of the passage.
Use colours to bring the arch to life.
You could put your arch at both ends of the passage.
Or use a row of arches along the entire passageway.
I absolutely love the visual impact of these alternate arches and can’t wait to try this out myself.
6 – Use Rafters
Rafters, at regular intervals along the ceiling of a long passage, look striking.
Don’t you love the contrast of these black rafters against the white ceiling?
Wooden rafters on a wooden ceiling work well too, and help the place look warmer.
However, wood on wood can make the ceiling look lower and heavier. I would use this only if the ceiling is high enough.
7 – Artwork
The endless, blank walls of long passages are a good place to display your artwork, as you saw in this passage leading to the bedrooms in our mid century modern home.
It’s also a great place to display personal and family photographs.
You can use simple frames to highlight the artwork.
Or use the frames themselves to be as much a part of the passage decor.
Gallery walls work well too, and give you flexibility to add more frames later on. Click here to read more on creating stunning gallery walls.
Source (I could only trace this pic to Pinterest. Any help to credit the rightful owner will be welcome)
8 – Add Furniture
This may not be possible if your passage is just too narrow. But if possible, furniture can help create a focal point to a long passage.
You might be able to fit in a slender console, above which you could place a mirror…
… artwork, or create a gallery wall.
A quirky bench can be all the passage decor your passage needs.
Vases and potted plants always make any space look nicer.
9 – Highlight With Lights
A row of lights along a long passage is again a great way to use it’s length to your advantage.
Pendants of all sorts are more eye-catching with a multiplier effect.
I love how the shadows of these take care of the wall decor of this passage too.
A row of lights along the passage wall can be just as compelling.
Floors, walls, ceiling, decor and lighting.. we’ve looked at all the aspects of passage decor and how we can use them to our advantage.
Instead of shying away from the length of the passage, see how you can make it your hero and you’ll most likely have a stunning passage.
Remember to write in with questions, comments and any design dilemmas you are struggling with and would like me to write about.
Until next time,
