2 Paint Colors and $2,000 Make This Blank Space a “Happy Hallway”
The term “happy hallway,” for this particular makeover, was coined by the designer’s mom. Brittany Butler and Rachel Kwaw, the interior designers behind B. Noelle Design worked on this hallway transformation for Brittany’s house, a multigenerational home where Brittany, her husband, her kiddos, and her mom live.
Before, the hallway was “like a blank sheet of paper,” Brittany says, and a $2,000 transformation turned it into a total stunner — and as Brittany’s mom puts it, a happier place to be.
Two paint colors transformed the space.
The biggest change, Brittany says, was painting the hallway. The designers opted for Sherwin-Williams’ Honorable Blue for the ceiling and Sun Dried Tomato for the doors, in addition to the Natural White that was on the walls and closet from before. The paint process was fairly easy thanks to extensive prep and protection work — but they did have to repair some water damage in the wall.
The “after” is damage-free, and it feels and functions better. “The deep red doors hide all of the little fingerprints,” Brittany says. “We used enamel paint, so it’s a lot more durable than a traditional latex. We also used matte finish paint … The matte finish on the ceiling and on the walls absorbs so much of the light reflection, it almost feels like a Moleskine journal … Everyone should use matte finish paint!”
She also recommends taking your time sourcing paint samples so you can make sure you found just the right shade. “Three days of waiting for the sample is not going to hurt your timeline,” she says.
The hallway doors got a glow-up.
In addition to fresh paint, the hallway doors got new hardware. (The sleek new black handles are from Amazon.) “I learned that it’s actually very easy to change your door hinges,” Brittany says. “Just start with the top hinge, change it completely, and then move onto the bottom hinge. If you’re worried, you can put a wedge underneath the end of the door to keep it from swinging around while you’re doing it.”
Other new hardware in the hallway includes new outlet caps and covers, yellow pendant lights, and the gallery-style lighting on the shadow boxes in the hallway “to showcase the children’s art,” Brittany explains. “They are so excited and proud of these pieces. It is awesome to watch their faces light up talking about the pieces they created!”
The runner was budget-friendly.
Brittany and Rachel also made the large-scale abstract painting themselves, and they finished off the hallway design with plants, baskets, and a “surprisingly cost-friendly” striped runner. “It only ran $80 for an uninterrupted 22 feet,” Brittany says. “It’s washable because it’s a flatweave. We Scotch-Guarded it for extra protection with our superactive household, and it is holding up wonderfully!”
In the future, Brittany says she might add ceiling medallions to her light fixtures, but for now, she loves how all of the details work together. Here’s to her happy hallway.
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