How to use recessed lighting in hallways

Sitting flush with the ceiling, recessed lighting is discreet and takes up little space. This makes it a popular lighting choice for hallways, particularly in modern homes or those with low ceilings. The contemporary design of recessed lighting adds a touch of style to hallways that could otherwise be a simple or bland space to pass through.

Spacing recessed lights in a hallway

They may be small, but recessed lights provide strong illumination. This is great for hallways where lighting is focused on function — safely brightening the space — rather than ambiance. As a general room of thumb, space your lights between six to eight feet apart consistently throughout the area.

What size recessed lights do I need for a hallway?

Choosing the size of your recessed lights will depend on the size and shape of the hallway, as well as how bright you want it to be. The larger the light fixtures, the stronger the illumination. The Philips Hue 4-inch downlight is a good option for shorter or narrower hallways, as they take up less space. If your hallway is longer or wider or has high ceilings, the Philips Hue 5-/6-inch downlight is a better choice

4-inch vs. 6-inch recessed lighting: Which should I choose?

In addition to considering the size of your hallway and your desired brightness level, there are other factors to think about when choosing the size of your recessed lights. Ambiance may not be the purpose of hallway lighting, but aesthetics are still important. If you have certain features — alcoves or artwork, for example — that you want to highlight, go with the Hue 4-inch downlight for more focused lighting. If budget is a factor, then the Hue 5-/6-inch downlight is a cost-effective option, as the larger size of the

lights means you won’t need to install as many. Making the right selection for your hallway depends on all these considerations combined

*When a bulb displays "Up to" a certain number of lumens in its specifications, it displays the maximum lumen output of the bulb. It shows how bright the bulb can get at 2700 K (White bulbs) or 4000 K (White ambiance or White and color ambiance bulbs). Learn more about brightness