How to light a corridor

Short answer: In a home corridor, spots usually run along the centre line about 1–1.5 metres apart; for a 5 m corridor about 1 m wide, 5–6 wide-beam spots of 5–7 W are usually enough. Aim for roughly 100–150 lux at 3000–4000 K. Narrow beams leave patches on walls and dark floors, so choose 45–60° or wider. A sensor light or a low step light makes night-time trips easier.

How many lumens and spots?

Rule of thumb: area (m²) × target lux = lumens needed.

• Example: 1.2 × 5 m = 6 m². 6 × 150 lx = 900 lm.
• Add about 20–30% for losses: about 1,200 lm.
• Three 500 lm spots would provide this but leave wide gaps, so 5–6 lower-power spots are more even.

More in the lighting calculation guide and lumens, watts and colour temperature.

Narrow corridors

• Centre line: Below about 1.2 m wide, a single row is enough.
• Closer to one wall: Light on a textured or art wall makes the corridor feel wider.
• Pale surfaces: They reflect light; dark walls need more.
• Doors and wardrobes: Position lights around the door swing and cabinet heights.

Which fitting?

• Recessed spots: The most common, see downlights and ceiling spot sizes.
• Linear: One line along the ceiling, see linear lighting.
• Magnetic track: Flexible on long corridors, see magnetic track.
• Wall lights: When the ceiling is low or cannot be opened, see wall light types.
• Cove light: Soft and elegant but rarely enough alone, see cove lighting.

Sensor corridor lights

• On long corridors, place sensors at both ends with overlapping fields.
• A night mode with dim light avoids glare.
• A 1–3 minute off delay suits most homes.
• Set the lux threshold so it stays off in daylight.

More in the motion sensor guide. Shared corridors also need emergency lighting.

Light colour

• 3000 K at home ties in with living rooms and bedrooms; 4000 K feels brighter.
• 4000 K is common in offices and shared corridors.

Do not mix colours in one home; the corridor opens onto every room.

• → Downlights
• → Staircase lighting
• → Choosing linear lighting