Dark rooms tend to feel drab and uninviting. Brightening a dark room makes it more appealing. Conversely, structural changes or adding more windows may not add light into some rooms. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to decorate a dark room and turn it into a lighter and brighter space.
-
Bright white
Painting your room a lot of white will help scatter light. White does not absorb light but contributes to reflect it back to other surfaces. Start with painting your walls and your ceiling bright white. Painting a ceiling white not only brightens a dark room, but it also helps make a room feel taller. Make sure the paint is the whitest, brightest and clearest you can find. In case you opt for a cream or ivory or an off white, your room will remain dark. Clear and bright white is the way to go.
You can continue to add other white elements such as furniture, art, frames, curtains, and the best body pillow, all in white. This is a more aggressive way of ensuring your room stays bright.
-
Add Mirrors
Mirrors have been known to brighten dark rooms. Placing a big mirror directly opposite a window will help reflect as much natural light as possible. You can also put the mirrors strategically over couches, bookcases, mantles or side tables. They also contribute to opening up space wherever they are placed. Mirrors are like windows.
-
Paint the Woodwork
Although most people are not for the idea of painting woodwork, it is a sure way of brightening up a room. Whether it is your wooden floor, an oak staircase, or a dated wood wainscoting, give them a coat of bright white paint. This will instantly brighten, refresh, and modernize your room. It is important that you are sure before painting your woodwork. Once you paint it, restoring it is next to impossible.
-
Go Small on Furniture
Heavily carved furniture tends to make a room feel darker and heavier, especially if it is overstuffed. Try to slim line the furniture with lighter pieces with minimal frills. Furniture with smooth, sleek lines and light legs will make a room feel light. In case you love carved or heavy furniture, you can have one or two pieces in a room and then keep the rest light.
-
Wash the Walls With Light
Lighting your walls will help maintain bright edges in the room bright. Install sconces with shades that aim light in all direction. Install some facing upwards and others downwards. Also, update your light bulbs to more luminous output and a cooler “daylight” color tone. A true white bulb will give you a brighter and fresher look.
-
Area Rugs
Place area rugs with light tones of dark wood or laminate floors that tend to drain a lot of light from spaces. A bright colored area rug will give you a mix of richness and airiness. An off-white area rug is ideal since it brings lightness without showing every speck of dirt.
-
Window Treatment
Make the most of any light that you have. Heavy draperies and dark window treatments will block natural light from getting into your room. Instead, invest in blinds, an opaque window treatment and roman shades that do not take up space on your wall.
Conclusion
There are many tricks you can implement in a dark space to make it feel bright. However, as you redecorate your room, ensure it has a natural interplay between light and shadow. You do not want your room to look like a super bright box store. Do not go overboard with the lighting. A few shadows here and there only mean your space has depth and a sense of life. The balance will make the room feel like home.