A hallway is the first thing a visitor sees and usually the least considered room in the house. It is also a good place for stained glass: the light is on for short periods many times a day, the space is narrow so a single fitting fills it, and there is rarely any furniture to compete with. The constraints are practical: head height, and usually no plug sockets.
Flush ceiling lights for the hall
The 25 cm flush ceiling light sits directly against the ceiling with no drop, so it fits under a 230 cm ceiling with full clearance. It replaces a standard ceiling rose and pendant with no other electrical work. The shade is a shallow dome, so from directly underneath you see the whole pattern lit, and from the door you see the glow on the ceiling.
- In a long hallway, one flush light every 250 to 300 cm keeps the light even; two of the same design look better than two different ones.
- On a landing, a single flush light at the top of the stairs is enough; it lights the stair from above without a pendant hanging into the stairwell.
- In a porch or a small entrance, the flush light is often the only fitting the space needs.
Pendants in a hallway
With a ceiling of 260 cm or more, a 25 cm pendant gives a fuller lantern effect. Keep at least 200 cm of clearance under the shade. In a stairwell, a pendant hung from the top-floor ceiling so it sits in the void is the most dramatic use of stained glass in a house, but measure carefully: it should hang no lower than the top of the top-floor doorways.
Wall lights along the hall
The 30.5 cm wall lights put the glass at eye level, where it is seen rather than looked up at. Mount them so the shade centre is about 160 to 170 cm from the floor, and in a narrow hall put them all on one wall rather than facing each other. A pair either side of a front door, or either side of a mirror, is a classic arrangement.
WALL · SAPPHIRE DRAGONFLY
WALL · AMBER FLORAL SCROLL
WALL · AMBER MISSION
Which colour for a hall
Hallways are usually short on natural light, so warm glass earns its place: amber and cream designs make a north-facing hall feel lit even when the sun is not. If the hall is bright and you want a moment of colour, the dragonfly designs give the most in the smallest fitting. Keep the wall behind plain; see which wall colours work with stained glass.
All ceiling and wall fittings need hard-wiring by an electrician. The flush light is a straight swap for an existing ceiling rose; wall lights need a new feed from the lighting circuit unless the position already has one.
