The corridor is the first thing that guests and owners see when entering the apartment, so its renovation plays a big role in the design of the entire home. Considering the small area, the lack of natural light and the complexity of arranging the ceiling part, a suspended ceiling in the hallway with lamps is an excellent solution for this situation.
Glossy ceiling in the hallway with a lighting group above the doorway
Advantages and disadvantages of a stretch ceiling with lighting in the hallway
Installing a stretch ceiling in a Khrushchev-era building, or in any other type of housing, has a number of advantages, many of which are visible not only as a result of the event, but also during installation of the device:
- There is no need for lengthy preparation of the room and leveling of the original surface. The design of a suspended ceiling in the hallway does not require the preparation of a rough version of the top of the room: stripping, plaster and putty. The tension coating system will hide all defects of the previous surface.
- Minimum time for installation. Without the need to wait for finishing materials to dry, time costs are greatly reduced. Installation begins immediately with the installation of the tension system; it takes only a few hours in a small room.
- Variability of design and decoration. Thanks to the variety of tensioning devices, you can visually expand or brighten the room if necessary, while maintaining the individuality of the interior.
- Availability and ease of care. Cloths treated with a special antistatic solution allow you to clean very rarely. It is enough to brush away dust or cobwebs from the ceiling a couple of times a year so that it always looks like new.
- Protection from possible flooding. The ability of suspended ceilings to withstand huge amounts of water protects against leaks from above.
- Integrity of design. Typically, narrow and small-sized corridors allow you to install the canvas in one roll, which eliminates the need for joints and seams.
- Long service time. Manufacturers provide a minimum 10-year warranty on the suspended ceiling, but, as a rule, the period during which the suspended ceiling pleases the owner with its beauty and functionality is calculated in tens of years.
- Competent and convenient lighting of a room without windows. In most cases, the hallway does not have windows, which is why lighting plays an important role in arranging the room. Therefore, the suspended ceiling in the corridor with light bulbs acts as built-in lighting equipment.
When choosing lighting, it is worth considering the location of the furniture and the shape of the room.
Despite all the advantages of suspended covering, it has some features that many users consider to be disadvantages:
- high cost of material and installation;
- the need to call specialists or have certain professional skills when installing tension structures;
- the danger of accidental mechanical damage to the ceiling section by long objects when bringing them into or out of the apartment (for example, skis, baguettes).
Basic finishing methods
Despite the fact that the choice of finishing materials in construction stores is very wide, you only have to choose from three main types of design:
- Suspended covering
- Drywall
- Tension fabric
Each of the methods presented above has its own unique features, which will ultimately affect both the visual perception of this part of the apartment and the overall renovation budget. Therefore, you should consider all the nuances of each of the presented types of floor design separately.
Types of suspended ceilings for a corridor in an apartment
For the corridor, it is permissible to use any of the possible ceiling coverings. When choosing the type of construction, it is necessary to take into account the properties and characteristics of each type of material in the hallway:
- Matte. One of the easiest materials to install in the hallway, which is perfect for the classic design of the entire home. A matte stretch ceiling, especially white, resembles a perfectly leveled whitewashed surface.
- Glossy. In addition to beauty, such a canvas gives the entire room additional space and lighting due to the reflection in the mirror surface of the entire room. This arrangement makes the hallway taller and brighter.
- Satin. This material combines matte finish and the ability to reflect a glossy surface. A satin stretch ceiling in a narrow high corridor is a good opportunity to give the room a proportional look.
Hanging system
In this case, a lot depends on the material that will be used to create the external coating. Even simple plastic panels mounted across a long room will give a feeling of greater width due to the transverse pattern.
Suspended ceilings in narrow hallways may look different. You can assemble a composition with a box located along the walls or divide the plane with transverse volumes. Several identical lamps installed at an equal distance from each other will also effectively delimit the space.
Installation will take from three to four hours to one day, and all work can be done independently. This method can be classified as the most budget-friendly type of repair. If you use plastic panels, the repairs will be very cheap. However, as in the case of gypsum plasterboard, the height of the walls can be significantly reduced.
Which stretch ceiling is better to choose for the hallway
The choice of a beautiful stretch ceiling in the hallway depends on the layout of the apartment and the preferences of the owner. A competent choice of design, fabric and lighting can change the corridor beyond recognition and make it a functional and attractive room. For ceilings up to 250 cm, an additional reduction of the wall by 2-4 cm when installing a tensile structure will make the upper part of the room even lower, but a glossy coating can solve this issue. The film, having reflective properties, affects the perception of space, so gloss is chosen when the ceiling is low in the corridor. Also, lighting around the perimeter of the ceiling makes the perception of the low covering comfortable.
Visual increase in space thanks to edge lighting
Advice! For “Stalin” buildings, where the height of the ceilings can be unreasonably elongated, it is better to choose a matte finish and lighting that is directed from top to bottom, for example, from the walls or the side directions of the ceiling - this will significantly lower the excessively high hallway.
To achieve an increase in volume and space, rotating lamps are installed on the glossy stretch ceiling in the corridor, which, reflected on the walls, create a feeling of additional space.
Owners of large corridors do not need to artificially increase the area, so it is possible to install a two-level stretch ceiling in the hallway as in the photo, which can be composite or made with a combination of different materials and directions of lighting fixtures.
Multi-textured composite ceiling composition in a large hallway
Stretch ceilings in the hallway with photo printing look organic in spacious rooms.
Photo printing on the ceiling can change the corridor beyond recognition
In narrow spaces, this choice of arranging the top of the room can oversaturate an already limited environment.
Options and ideas: what you can choose
When independently choosing the design of a stretch ceiling for the living room, you need to focus on a whole range of parameters.
Their correct accounting and selection will help you stylishly and beautifully decorate the ceiling of your own home, taking into account the possibilities of combining color and texture solutions and creating an original finish in the room.
Rules for the placement of lamps on a suspended ceiling in the corridor
Correctly chosen lighting arrangement and the lamps themselves are an important part of the design and functionality of suspended ceilings in the hallway. The main parameter that will guarantee the safety and long-term functionality of any corridor lighting structure is the power of the light bulbs. For halogen lamps this figure should not exceed 35 W, and for fluorescent or simple lamps - 50 W. The use of such lighting fixtures eliminates the danger of melting the coating and makes it possible to combine and match lamps in the hallway to highlight the main factors and hide the undesirable aspects of the room.
Advice! When buying lighting fixtures, it is better to take a couple of more bulbs, so that when they burn out, you don’t have to bother yourself looking for exactly the same model in stores.
When choosing a lamp yourself, it is better to pay attention to the small dimensions of the model. Large decorative devices may not fit into the socket or ceiling space. If there is a need to use light bulbs that consume power up to 30 W, then you need to understand that you will have to install a transformer distribution box to regulate the voltage. One of the main factors that will significantly reduce the time and costs when replacing light bulbs when they burn out is the installation of external lamps in the suspended ceiling of the corridor. An important role is played by the color of the body of the lamps in the corridor, especially on a white matte or satin finish: white lamps will seamlessly fit into the suspended ceiling, and gold or silver decoration will become a bright individual element of the design.
Spotlights with color design on a matte ceiling in the hallway
The stretch ceiling in a long corridor, as in the photo, is equipped with lampshades, the direction of light of which can be adjusted to expand the visual perception of the room.
When changing the lighting direction, lamps transform the arrangement of the entire room
The main rule that must be observed when arranging a large hallway is comfortable diffused light. It will help to avoid unpleasant sensations when returning from the dimly lit entrance to the brightly lit corridor. To do this, place soft lighting on a matte, satin ceiling or a lamp in the center of the room with the ability to adjust the light intensity with a rheostat.
floating ceiling
Functional and beautiful design will make the room interesting. It seems that it is simply floating in the air without any fastenings. This effect is achieved thanks to the empty space between the wall and the ceiling, where the LED strip is mounted. Thanks to the use of such systems, the room becomes cozy and comfortable.
Lighting options in a corridor with a suspended ceiling
Depending on the size of the hallway, different lighting options are chosen. The size, height, location of load-bearing walls and the interior of the corridor affect the need for one or another lighting.
Stretch ceiling in the hallway with spotlights
Spotlights create bright illumination and do not require complex installation. Due to their compactness, spotlights can create any composition taking into account the location of furniture in the corridor, for example, going around and highlighting wardrobes.
Location of spotlights taking into account room zoning
Rotating devices for suspended ceilings in a small corridor can illuminate the necessary areas and visually enlarge the space due to the direction of light on the walls.
Rotating spotlight for illuminating a separate area at the request of the owner
The placement of the lighting is done in the form of different geometric shapes, for example, in a square corridor, the suspended ceiling is decorated with lamps in the shape of a square or rectangle of the required size.
Spot lighting in the shape of a square illuminates the central part of the hallway
Floating stretch ceiling in the hallway
A glowing or floating ceiling in the hallway, thanks to the placement of wires with LEDs under the frame, creates the impression that the entire structure is suspended in space.
The effect of a tension combination floating in the air in the hallway
During installation of the floating structure, the wires are laid in bulb-channels, and the lamps are closed in thermal rings to protect the coating. For such a ceiling in the hallway, choose a translucent film that not only transmits light well, but also easily diffuses it. This combination is optimal for high walls - with a low landing, the structure will absorb the already missing space.
Stretch ceiling with chandelier in the hallway
A chandelier built into a suspended ceiling must correspond to the dimensions of the room and be proportional to the shape of the corridor. A ceiling plate located in the center of the room is suitable for large spaces, but will require additional lighting on the walls or along the perimeter of the ceiling.
A large ceiling chandelier is ideal for a large square hallway
Important! When choosing a ceiling “plate”, it is better to choose compositions without a wide metal base, which, when heated, can melt the canvas.
Chandeliers with horns pointing upward are not recommended by craftsmen to be used in the corridor unless absolutely necessary due to the likelihood of strong heating of the stretch ceiling. If you maintain a distance of 30 cm between the light bulb and the film and take energy-saving or LED elements, then you can install such lamps without any hindrance.
Corridor chandelier on a glossy ceiling in the hallway
Stretch ceiling with spots in the hallway
Spots that emit a directed stream of light create original light lines in the stretch ceiling in the corridor. They are good for small entrance groups because they intelligently expand the visual perception of space.
Spots in the tension system are located along the entire length of the hallway
Thanks to the variety of spots for suspended ceilings, you can transform the hallway as in the photo.
Decorative spots look like a combination of small chandeliers in the hallway
Ideal lighting for the hallway
The hallway should always remain bright so that you can get a good look at yourself in the mirror before going outside. Therefore, it is worth taking care not only of ceiling lamps, but also of a sconce or a small floor lamp.
Basic tips for selecting lighting for tension coverings remain unchanged:
- it is necessary to avoid too voluminous lamps located close to the surface of the canvas;
- Spots are considered the optimal lighting option; they can be framed in metal frames and located directly in the slots in the tension covering;
- instead of incandescent lamps, it is better to opt for energy-saving lamps;
- however, if for some reason this is not possible, select a lamp with special reflectors; we must not forget that suspended ceilings do not like temperature changes, and they must be carefully protected from this.
It is better to place lighting fixtures around the entire perimeter of the room. Then the light from them will be uniform and will not distort the idea of the interior.
In addition, you need to think about the location of the lamps when illuminating a pattern on the ceiling, especially a three-dimensional one. You'll want to maintain this effect, so all parts of the design should be lit to the same degree.
Design options for suspended ceilings in the hallway
The variability of shades and textures of canvases, spotlights, and design ideas provide variety in the design of suspended ceilings in the hallway, which can be selected from the photos of finished interiors.
The glossy black surface looks mysterious and magical in entrance areas.
Spots along the perimeter of black suspended gloss in the corridor
Black gloss with hidden lighting around the perimeter is a good option for contrasting white walls of a small room.
Hidden lighting around the perimeter visually expands the room
When choosing dark stretch ceilings in the hallway, in addition to black, stick to rich colors: brown, lilac, red, blue.
Red gloss with backlight in a white corridor
Blue hanging surface to match the interior of the hallway
White stretch ceilings, whether shiny or fabric, can become the basis for any hallway design. In addition, they make the room fresh and bring more air into it.
White matte finish with soft spot lighting
Canvases with 3D printing or applied patterns enliven the unsightly space of the hallway and bring warmth and liveliness. For calm rooms, choose a pattern in pastel colors, an implicit ornament, or a floating, diffuse pattern.
Low-contrast photo printing in a narrow corridor
On a glossy surface, even a contrasting pattern in dark colors does not narrow the space of the hallway and looks harmonious in a suitable interior.
Photo printing of volumetric drops in the hallway
Large entrance groups allow you to create two-color tension compositions, combine materials or play with the shape of the canvases, forming figured structures.
Combination of drywall and tension fabric
Asymmetrical composition using matte and glossy finishes
Despite the preconception that narrow corridors require minimal design and sparse decoration, stretch fabrics can be arranged in such a way that they add depth and volume to the space.
Combined design with built-in lights
It is better to design a stretch ceiling in an L-shaped corridor in a matte or satin finish with calm lighting that will fill all areas of the room.
White satin fabric in an L-shaped hallway
Even the tiniest hallways, made according to all the rules of visual expansion, can become an individual design solution. Despite the small area, the right combination of lighting and color contribute to a multi-level composition in a miniature corridor.
Spot and built-in lamps in a small hallway
If the initial height of the room is sufficient, multi-level ceilings are installed in the hallway. The contrast of white and red gloss on wavy curves due to bright spots looks organic and impressive in almost any corridor with high ceilings.
Spots like lighting on only one part of the ceiling in the hallway
If the hallway is wide and flows into the rest of the rooms, then using a bold, bright color scheme for the stretch ceiling and walls is considered quite acceptable. Red or deep pink gloss contrasted with white trim is effective with well-placed spotlights.
Multi-level gloss with built-in spotlights
The best color scheme for walls
You should immediately discard options using a dark palette. It will narrow the space and clutter it up. But a correctly chosen palette, on the contrary, will visually increase the number of square meters. It is for this reason that the most suitable color for increasing space is white. It can become the basis of a color palette, to which you can add accents of two or three other shades.
Pale lilac, light green tones, and the color of coffee with milk are perfect.
However, many are afraid of the soiling of white coatings. In this case, there is an alternative in the form of any other light and pastel shades.
Additional information: The floor and ceiling should not be decorated in the same color. There should be a difference of several tones between them.
How to visually expand space
A narrow space always needs visual expansion. Below are several ways to do this.
- The flooring can be made in a light color and the surface can be made glossy. The ceiling should be reflective. The effect of this technique will be enhanced by decorating the ceiling and floor in the same color.
It is necessary to select practical materials that are resistant to frequent cleaning and washing using special substances.
- A two-level stretch ceiling can mirror-align and make a narrow space wider. To do this, it is necessary that one level of the square or rectangular ceiling be equipped with hidden lighting. Thanks to this, the light will be reflected on the glossy surface, and it will seem that the corridor is wider than it actually is.
The correctly chosen color scheme when developing the design of a corridor in an apartment in a panel house gives the first and most serious visual impression.
- A floor pattern in the form of transverse stripes will help create the illusion of expansion. It is important to consider that longitudinal stripes will have the opposite effect.
The materials should not only be cheap, but also easy to clean.
- You can't do without mirrors. If you place two mirrors on one wall, the space will visually expand. Artistic modeling or a painting, the reflection of which will be in the mirrors, will help to hide the effect of emptiness.
Large mirrors built into furniture can also add a unique ambiance.
How to make a suspended ceiling in the hallway
The organization of the illuminated stretch fabric in the corridor occurs according to a certain algorithm. Apply markings to the building level. The distance from the ceiling for mounting a structure without built-in lamps is 2-3 cm. If built-in lighting is assumed, then leave a space equal to the size of the equipment with a margin for wiring.
The guide profiles are fastened along the mark with dowels with sleeves. They heat the air in the hallway to 40 degrees using a professional heat gun, after which they unwind the fabric. Fix the fixing elements on the film and insert it into the profile.
They heat the temperature of the corridor to 60 degrees, only after that they stretch the ceiling to fix it in the profile fasteners. After the panels have completely cooled, plugs are placed on the fastening points and lighting is installed.
As a rule, installation and installation of tension fabrics in the corridor does not take much time and does not leave behind dust and dirt in the apartment.
Glossy ceiling
Elastic fabrics have a smooth surface with good sound insulation properties. They do not absorb moisture and do not cause allergies.
Glossy stretch ceilings in the hallway are chosen to make the room brighter and visually expand the boundaries of space. They are suitable for small spaces.
Photo of suspended ceilings in the corridor
Corner ceiling with spot lighting
Lilac two-level composition with lamps along the perimeter of the hallway
Bright photo printing with internal lighting
Subtle pattern on a white stretch fabric in the corridor
Glossy two-tone contrast
Hanging chandelier with additional spotlights on a stretched canvas
White spots in a strict matte tension composition
Corridor interior: the most interesting ideas:
It would seem that with a narrow corridor it is impossible to do anything interesting or realize any original idea. However, designers prove the opposite. If you follow the recommendations, then anyone can realize any idea.
Colored ceiling
Among the huge assortment, you will be able to find the right shade for the room. Brown canvas will create a warm atmosphere, it is suitable for classic and modern styles. Exquisite blue tone is used to create original interiors.
The lilac color will fill the space with lightness and give the atmosphere an elegant look. Red shades will help make the ceiling space bright and impressive. Cool gray tones have a calming effect on a person.
Forms of tension fabrics
There are many different ceiling shapes, these include square, round, triangular, as well as:
- Oval.
- Rectangular.
- Arched.
- Complex figures.
The photo shows a corridor and a suspended ceiling with a square box.
What type of ceiling surface design should you prefer?
white rings of various sizes as an element of hallway ceiling decor
By and large, only the owner has the right to decide what the design of the ceiling in the corridor will be. It is he who chooses the design, color, and consumables. However, in order for the decoration to cope with its mission, namely to successfully adjust and decorate the space, it will still not be superfluous to get acquainted with the work of professionals.
