Renovating a flat with a long corridor: light and storage without narrowing it

Measure the corridor as a circulation space

Start with a measured sketch showing open doors, radiators, electrical panels, switches, columns and every change in width. The practical decision is not how much furniture fits, but what route remains when a door is open and two people need to pass. Mark a continuous clear strip and test every cabinet depth on the plan before ordering it. The applicable safety-of-use and accessibility requirement depends on the building, the scope of the renovation and local rules; the technician must therefore check DB-SUA and the property’s conditions instead of turning a generic dimension into a rule for every flat.

Look for borrowed daylight before adding spotlights

Identify the rooms that receive daylight and share a wall or door with the corridor. A glazed strip above a door, a high internal window or a door with translucent glass can transfer brightness without exposing private life. First choose which rooms may lend light and the height at which the glazing should begin; then study the electric lighting. If a new opening is made, the partition build-up, hidden services, support and suitable glass type must be checked. Borrowed light is a layout and safety decision, not merely a decorative accessory.

Give every storage section a specific job

Write down what you need to store: shoes, linen, cleaning supplies, books or small everyday objects. Each group needs a different depth, so a deep full-length wardrobe often takes more circulation space than necessary. Combine shallow modules, open recesses and flush fronts, and reserve the larger volume for a genuine widening of the corridor. Projecting handles and hinged doors may become obstacles. Before fixing the joinery, identify electrical boxes, inspection points and ventilation routes that must remain accessible.

Coordinate lighting, ventilation and joinery

IDAE’s guide integrates daylight and artificial light: a long corridor benefits from continuous general lighting, support at entrances and changes of direction, and accents only where they help reveal a door, artwork or niche. A row of strongly contrasted points can intensify the tunnel effect. At the same time, DB-HS requires health conditions to be reviewed according to the intervention. New cabinets or a more airtight door should not block grilles, air-transfer paths, ducts or inspection points. The technician, electrician and joiner should resolve them on the same plan before the quote is finalised.

What to prepare before requesting a quote

Gather a simple plan with the corridor’s length, width and height; photographs from both ends; the opening direction of every door; the position of panels, radiators, grilles and light points; and a list of what you need to store. Mark walls that might be structural, while leaving confirmation to a technician, and explain whether doors, flooring or mouldings should remain. Add any known building-access restrictions and community rules. With this material, the company can separate joinery, electrical work, painting, glazing and possible masonry, while you can compare quotations based on the same scope.

Sources consulted

• Technical Building Code — Safety of use and accessibility (DB-SUA)
• Technical Building Code — Health requirements (DB-HS)
• IDAE — Technical guide to using daylight in building lighting