Colour guides · Hallway

Which finish for a hallway?

The hallway is the most ill-treated room in the house: bags, suitcases, shoulders, bicycles and wet dogs all rub along it. It often has only borrowed light, and yet it must stay handsome — it is the first thing seen on entering.

The right finish there matters as much as the right colour. Here is how we share them out, surface by surface.

Updated September 2026 · by the Mylands France colour team

The short answer

For hallway walls, Marble Matt Emulsion: matt, but washable and scuff-resistant. For doors, skirtings and banister, Multi-Surface Satin. For a hard-worked hallway or a colour-drench, Multi-Surface Dead Matt on everything; for the stairs, Decorative Floor Satin.

The finishes, one by one

6 finishes

The walls, in almost every case

Marble Matt Emulsion

Pigment-rich depth with a velvet-matte soul

Very Matt
Washable
Scrubbable & Scuff Resistant
Class 1 scrub resistance — EN 13300
V1 High breathability — EN 1062-1

Suitable for
Interior Walls & Ceilings · Bathrooms

Our signature wall finish, formulated with crushed Carrara marble. It offers an unrivaled 15m² coverage per litre with a breathable, scrubbable surface that brings a rich, limestone-soft depth to any room. Independently rated at the highest scrub resistance (Class 1 — EN 13300) and the top breathability class (V1 High — EN 1062-1 / ISO 7783), it stands up to daily cleaning while letting walls breathe.

Our signature wall finish: a velvet matt with crushed Carrara marble that, unlike most matts, can be washed. That is what makes it possible in a hallway — fingermarks and shoulder scuffs sponge off without burnishing the surface. Its 15 m² per litre coverage matters too: a hallway has a lot of wall for very little floor.

Our tip — Two coats over wall primer, and paint the ceiling the same shade: a narrow hallway looks taller without a horizon line.

Every colour in this finish →

Colour drenching, or the hardest-worked hallways

Multi-Surface Dead Matt Paint

An ultra-flat, sophisticated heritage finish

Very Matt
Multi-Surface
Washable
Scrubbable & Scuff Resistant

Suitable for
Interior Walls & Ceilings · Interior & Exterior Woodwork · Interior & Exterior Metalwork & Radiators

A 5% sheen level dual-purpose paint designed for flawless 'colour drenching'. This environmentally conscious formula provides a completely flat, non-reflective finish across furniture, radiators, and woodwork.

A dead matt (5% sheen) that goes on everything — walls, woodwork, radiators, doors — with the same non-reflective surface throughout. It is the colour-drenching finish: one shade from floor to ceiling, without the doors shining more than the walls. It is also tougher than emulsion on a stair wall everyone touches.

Our tip — Hallway colour drenching: Frieze or Hoxton Grey everywhere, doors included — the most elegant entrance there is.

Every colour in this finish →

The walls of a house with children or dogs

Multi-Surface Eggshell Paint

Luminous low-sheen for effortless elegance

Low Sheen
Multi-Surface
Washable
Scrubbable & Scuff Resistant
Moisture Resistant

Suitable for
Interior & Exterior Walls · Interior & Exterior Woodwork · Interior & Exterior Metalwork & Radiators

A versatile 15% sheen finish that strikes a perfect balance between durability and soft luminosity. Ideal for interior and exterior transformations where a gentle, silk-like glow is desired.

A soft sheen (15%), moisture-resistant, designed for woodwork but perfectly at home on a hallway wall that really takes a beating: scooters, leads, shoes. The slight sheen reflects a little light — welcome in a dark hallway — and wipes clean in one pass. Keep it for walls that need it; on a quiet wall, the matt emulsion is lovelier.

Our tip — An eggshell dado up to 1.10 m, matt emulsion above: protection where it serves, velvet everywhere else.

Every colour in this finish →

Doors, skirtings, banister, radiators

Multi-Surface Satin Paint

A lustrous, silk-spun finish for refined details

Mid Sheen
Multi-Surface
Washable
Scrubbable & Scuff Resistant
Moisture Resistant

Suitable for
Interior & Exterior Woodwork · Metalwork & Radiators · Kitchens & Bathrooms

A mid-sheen masterpiece that provides a smooth, resilient coating. Perfect for accentuating architectural details, it offers a sophisticated luster that stands up to the rigours of modern living.

A smooth, very hard-wearing mid-sheen for everything in wood or metal in a hallway. Satin takes suitcase knocks on the skirtings and hands on the banister, and its discreet lustre draws the mouldings of doors without the glare of a gloss. It is the woodwork finish we recommend more or less everywhere in the house — and here first.

Our tip — Skirtings and doors in the same shade as the walls, in satin: the relief comes from the sheen, not the colour.

Every colour in this finish →

The front door, and hallways with character

Multi-Surface Gloss Paint

High-glamour brilliance with enduring strength

High Shine
Multi-Surface
Washable
Scrubbable & Scuff Resistant
Moisture Resistant

Suitable for
Interior & Exterior Woodwork · Metalwork & Radiators

The ultimate statement finish. This high-reflectivity gloss provides a mirror-like depth of colour while offering our most durable protection against the elements and daily wear.

Our glossiest, most weather-resistant finish — the one of London front doors. Inside a hallway it is for contrast: a door, a banister or a dado in gloss beneath matt walls, in the manner of Georgian halls. It asks for careful preparation, since every flaw in the surface shows in the reflection.

Our tip — Front door in gloss Downing Street or Huguenot, walls in matt Frieze: the most classic contrast in London.

Every colour in this finish →

The stairs and landings

Decorative Floor Satin Paint

Master-crafted durability for architectural floors

Mid Sheen
Washable
Scrubbable & Scuff Resistant
Moisture Resistant

Suitable for
Interior Floors · Interior Stairs

Specifically engineered for high-traffic surfaces, this floor finish combines an elegant satin sheen with industrial-grade resilience, ensuring your floors remain a centerpiece for years to come. Not suitable for concrete floors.

A satin finish engineered for high-traffic surfaces: treads, risers, landings and painted floorboards. It pairs the elegant sheen of woodwork with industrial-grade resilience, and takes the shoes a wall paint never could. Not suited to concrete floors — but perfect on an old timber staircase you want to unify.

Our tip — Risers in the wall colour, treads in Artillery Ground or Downing Street: the staircase draws itself without a runner.

Every colour in this finish →

Sharing the finishes out in a hallway

The rule is simple: matt on what you look at, satin on what you touch. Walls and ceiling get Marble Matt Emulsion — its velvet absorbs borrowed light rather than throwing it back as reflections, which gives the hallway depth and hides the small flaws of an old wall. Doors, skirtings, architraves, the banister and the radiators get Multi-Surface Satin, whose mid-sheen stands up to hands and knocks.

The dark hallway

A windowless hallway benefits from reflecting a little light. Rather than switching the walls to satin — the hospital-corridor look is never far away — work with colour: a warm white such as Lots Road No.24 or Whitehall No.9 in matt returns more light than a grey in satin. And paint the doors in the same shade, in satin: their lustre does the reflecting without changing the atmosphere.

The staircase

The stair wall is the most-touched wall in the house. If it is very exposed, Multi-Surface Dead Matt is an excellent compromise there: harder than emulsion, still matt. The treads themselves are only ever painted in Decorative Floor Satin.

For colours, see our colours for a dark hallway, our colours for a staircase and our hallway ideas; for each finish in detail, find your finish.

Frequently asked questions

Can you use a matt paint in a hallway?

Yes, provided it is washable. Mylands Marble Matt Emulsion is a velvet matt that sponges clean, which makes it perfectly suited to hallway walls. For a very exposed stair wall, Multi-Surface Dead Matt is tougher still.

Which finish for hallway doors and skirtings?

Multi-Surface Satin: a smooth mid-sheen, very resistant to knocks and hands. For a more matt look, Multi-Surface Dead Matt; for a contrast with character, Multi-Surface Gloss.

Do stairs need a special paint?

Yes: Decorative Floor Satin, engineered for high-traffic surfaces. A wall or woodwork paint would wear through on treads within months.

Which finish in a dark hallway?

Keep the walls matt and work with colour: a warm white returns more light than a satin grey. Doors in satin bring the necessary reflection without the hospital-corridor look.