Let There Be Light: How to Make Any Dark Room Brighter

Let There Be Light: How to Make Any Dark Room Brighter

Whether you’re living in a room with smaller square footage or a larger room that is a little on the dim side, there are a lot of simple, yet effective ways to give your room a makeover and bring in more light. And no, we’re not talking about any major renovations, but rather a couple of easy tips that will help you lure daylight into your home and make it more inviting. Here is how you can maximize what you already have, improve the look of your living space and make it lighter and brighter.

Use lighter hues for your walls and floors 

This one is a no-brainer, yet so many homeowners disregard the power of lighter shades and go for darker ones. While deep, dark hues do add a bit of drama to your space and make the room feel cozier, they also absorb light. Due to their reflecting qualities, lighter hues are the ones that will help transform your living space and make it seem bigger and brighter. Neutral colours are the best choice for homeowners looking to brighten up their homes, so light grey, blush pink, beige and white are perfect colour choices for rooms that are dark. Paint your walls in one of those colours and opt for lighter flooring too. This will help create a sense of airiness in the room, open up your space and make it more cohesive as well as visually appealing. 

Paint the ceiling white to make the room seem taller

White walls and floors will open up the room, and a ceiling painted in similar tones will draw the eye upwards, adding a sense of cohesiveness. The lighter the hue, the brighter and bigger your room will feel. Install fixtures or hang shelves near the ceiling to draw the eye upwards and get a sense of your room being much taller than it actually is. Also, consider painting the ceiling with a high-gloss paint colour. The glossy ceiling finish is an unexpected element that will spruce up your interior and bring more light into the room. Whether you decide to add wallpaper with an interesting print or paint the ceiling in an off-white colour, you are certain to transform your living space and create an illusion of additional space.

Introduce different layers of lighting 

When the sun goes down, you need to have a wide array of light sources to illuminate your home and create a pleasant atmosphere. Overhead lighting alone won’t do the trick, and you need to install several different layers of lighting to ensure the perfect ambience. It’s best to use organic and simple shapes of lighting. This trend is on the rise in countries such as Australia, where homeowners choose to shop locally and support the town’s artisans. Such is the case in Sydney, where homeowners select their lights from a wide range of collections at lighting shops in Castle Hill – other than supporting their local community, they are enriching their living spaces with stylish lighting fixtures that make their homes lighter and brighter. 

Uncover your windows for an added depth

Another way to make your room feel bigger and brighter is to maximize natural light by uncovering your windows. Light adds depth to the living space, and windows dressings that are blocking out the daylight need to be removed and replaced with something more appealing. Light-coloured, sheer curtains are okay, but it would be best if you’d swap your dated window dressings for blinds. They allow the light to filter through, and they give you the option to choose how much light you want to fill your room with. And if you’re worried about the privacy, blinds can easily be closed without making your room feel crowded. 

Hang oversized mirrors 

Mirrors go a long way in making the room feel brighter and more inviting. When positioned strategically, mirrors can fool the eye into perceiving the space as much bigger and lighter than it actually is and are an effective decorative tool to dress up your walls with. Now, you don’t need to go wall-to-wall (unless you really want to), but you can hang oversized mirrors near the sources of light, or lean a full-length one to reflect the daylight coming through the windows. They will increase the level of light in your home, bouncing it off their reflective surfaces, thus doubling the amount of sunlight coming in.

There you have it – five easy tips that will make any dark room brighter. Use the tips above to bring a sense of airiness and brightness into your home and create a welcoming and cozy living space.