8 Ways to Brighten Up A Dark Room

Your home--just like your life--should be light, bright and happy.  If you have rooms in your home that don't see a lot of light, we have 8 ways to help you brighten things up.

8 Ways to Brighten Up A Dark Room

​1.  Swap Out Your Curtains

A lot of us tend to hang heavier curtains in the wintertime, swapping from sheers to thermal-lined window treatments with the intention of helping lock in the heat.  However, this comes at a price:  heavier curtains block natural light.  If you must swap to thermals, opt for white panels instead.  While you'll still block out natural light, white panels will at least give the room a lighter vibe.

2.  Rearrange Your Furniture

If you have furniture that's blocking natural light sources, or pieces that are taking up space in dark recesses of a room, you might want to consider rearranging your furniture.  Pull furniture away from the walls, and create a conversation area under or around a light source.  According to Quentin Eshleman of Beautiful Home, a good way to achieve well-balanced illumination is to carefully place at least three points of lighting in a room. "You can create a visual triangle that will cover the room with light, " says Eshleman. 

3.  Let In More Natural Light

What would a post about brightening up a dark room be if we didn't talk about flooding your home with as much natural light as possible?  If your house tends to be on the dark side no matter what room you're in or what direction it faces (fun fact:  rooms that face north get the least amount of natural light), you might want to think about installing new windows.  A bay or bow window can do wonders when it comes to letting in the light, and does a lot to upgrade the look of a room (and your home's exterior), too.  Skylights are great additions for rooms that may be completely windowless (such as a bathroom), and sliding glass doors in lieu of a sold wood door is a great option for a rear entry.

4.  Mirror, Mirror On the Wall

Installing a large mirror opposite a window or a door is a fantastic way of doubling the amount of natural sunlight a room receives.  Additionally, a mirror--and other reflective surfaces--help to make a small room appear bigger than it is.  Use mirrored trays on coffee and end tables, mirrored coasters under flowerpots and candles, and even mirrored furniture to reflect light around your room.

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5.  Bright Walls

Darker paint colors can make a home feel claustrophobic and can absorb the minimal light that’s already in a room. There’s no getting around it: if you have a low-light room painted in a dark shade that you want to brighten up, you're going to have to repaint it. Start with the ceiling, and choose an eggshell or satin finish paint in bright white.  Stay away from bright white for wall color, though:  While one would think going bright white on the walls would instantly brighten the room, it can actually make the room look stark and uninspiring.  Instead, choose wall colors in soft hues of cream, light blue and light gray.  

6.  Spacious Space

Even small rooms can feel light and airy if they’re arranged in the correct way; which is to say, not overflowing with clutter and other non-essential items. Check out photos minimalist rooms, and you’ll notice that they always seem to have that light, clean, and spacious look. Why not adopt a minimalist philosophy for your own home? 

7.  Multiple Light Sources

If you're relying on one overhead light source to illuminate your entire room, you're missing out on a simple way to flood your room with light.  Any room, regardless of its size, will benefit from multiple light sources.   This includes wall sconces, table lamps, torchiere lamps and accent lighting.  Scatter lighting around the room where it makes the most sense:  A table lamp in a reading nook; task lighting on a desk and attractive accent lights on a sofa table or side table.

8.  Lighten Up The Accessories

While we love accessorizing our homes, the fact is that if you have a dark space, adding dark accessories won't do much for helping the room to appear brighter.  Instead, go easy on the tschotskes and choose textiles--like throw pillows, throw blankets, curtains and area rugs--in lighter colors that accent your furniture. 

We hope you find these clever yet simple techniques helpful when it comes to transforming your dark spaces into rooms that are airy and light.  This infographic from dunstable-glass.co sums our advice up nicely:

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