Lighten up the hallway (Part I)

So, our upstairs hallway is as dark and dim as they come.  No natural light.  The hallway leads into 3 separate rooms (an upstairs bathroom and 2 bedrooms).  It is only when the doors to the adjacent rooms are open does the hallway get any natural light.  So, I've been researching a bit on how to brighten this shoebox up (literally, our hallway is the size of a shoebox). 

First and foremost, paint.   Paint is the easiest and cheapest way to transform a room with the most impact.  So, this post (part I) will focus on choosing a paint color to help lighten up a dark space.  To help me with this daunting task (daunting for me because the possibilities are endless), I pulled out my trusty guide: HB 500+ Favorite Paint Colors.

I jotted down some of my favorites, but also knew I had to consider a couple of givens.  The staircase leading up to the hallway is painted Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter (above picture).  Love it.  That same color is in our living/family room which receives the most light in the house and this grayish color with taupe undertones is the best neutral out there.  It's the perfect mix of cool and warm.  I can't use this color in the hallway because it would look too dark - it's amazing how the same color can look so different in another room all because of the lighting.  So, I need a bright color that reflects light.  Since I know I will have a cabinet in the hallway that I want to paint this color... 

Benjamin Moore Galapagos Turquoise....for no other reason other than I love this color and saw it used here , I need a wall color that would at least complement this color.  I initially went down the road of light/sky blues; for example, Benjamin Moore's Ice Blue and Icing on the Cake.  Both are beautiful colors.  They are bright and went well the paint color for the cabinet, but unfortunately (in my opinion) they didn't transition well from the Revere Pewter coming up the staircase.  So, I finally decided on Benjamin Moore's Cloud Cover.

A lighter and brighter version of Revere Pewter and a bit warmer.  I'm considering painting it semigloss finish with the hope that it will reflect even more light??  Thoughts on this??  Painting will occur this weekend so I hope to have before and after pictures soon.  Also, stay tuned for part II when I show how I am going to add accessories to help brighten my space up!