Let the Light In: Creative Ideas for Brightening up a Dark Room
Did you know that the light in your home can greatly impact your mood?! The darker the room, the lower the mood and vice versa, so this is a clear indicator that a bright and airy room with lots of light and white details in it can fight that darkness and dullness. Even if you don’t have the chance to allow natural light to come in, you can brighten up your home simply and easily. You might not be able to achieve the Scandinavian look you’re after, but you’ll certainly make it look brighter.
Get Rid of Dark-Coloured Curtains
Getting the most out of your windows is one of the first things that you should do in order to make a dark room look brighter. Heavy treatments like blackouts and dark-coloured curtains will only block natural light and will make the room look smaller, so ditching them is the best you can do.
Instead, rely on the sheers’ transparency and pick ones in white, ivory or soft tan colour. Choosing curtains in the same colours is also an option, and you can use linen, chiffon or some other material as side drapes. This will break up the dullness without compromising the room’s lightness and airiness.
Be Cautious When Adding Details
Adding too many details can only suffocate the room’s beauty and airiness. So, instead of doing this, you can simply stick with a few ones that you’ll choose wisely. For instance, you can add life and brightness to the otherwise dull walls by creating a collection of white picture frames. Sometimes a gallery wall of family photos in white picture frames is the thing you need to brighten up a room. These options usually range in size and appearance, giving you the chance to add more than just family photos to them. Their white colour and pureness can look great on walls of any paint colour and can add a dash of light to them.
Another great benefit of using white frames is that no matter the photo you choose and the colours it contains, it will look beautiful when displayed in a white frame. Aside from the wall, you can display them whenever you like over a mantle, on a wider windowsill, over a console table and so on.
Given the fact that these white frames come in a large selection of sizes, instead of some family photos, you can also use them for displaying some breathtaking wall art prints. Just like with the photos, you can literally add any kind of wall print you want, just make sure that they go with one another (in case you’re adding more than one art print on the wall).
Regarding the frame itself, you can choose between different frame thicknesses, sizes and finishes. Frames with thinner borders are considered more simple and minimalist looking while the thicker ones are mainly used in more modern and contemporary homes. The last thing you should have in mind is the frames’ finish. Matte, semi-matte and gloss are the three main finishes from which you can choose, out of which the matte and semi-matte are among the most preferred options.
Choose a Lighter Floor
If you’re willing to spend some more on improving the look of your home then you should certainly change the floor. Light and sturdy vinyl floor will give you the best of both worlds in a situation like this because you’ll be able to make your home look brighter while also enjoying the floor’s sturdiness, durability and ease of maintenance. Light-coloured floors can literally reflect light around the space, especially if you choose one in white colour. However, if white is too light, you can always stay close to the more neutral colours like shades of beige, grey and light brown.
Add Lighter Rugs
Rugs can play a huge role in the appearance and brightness of your home. Even if you’re not a fan of them, you can add a light-coloured one underneath the central area of the room (under the coffee table in the living room, under the bed in the bedroom, under the dining table) and let it do its magic. Instead of choosing one in pure white colour, pick a rug in shades of white, beige and ivory. Even if the rug is in one colour, choose one with a design to break up its dullness.
Use Mirrors Wisely
To get the most out of decorative mirrors, you should place them on the opposite side of windows in order to reflect as much light as possible. Even if you don’t have enough place to place a free-standing mirror in some of your rooms, you can always hang one on the wall which can also act as a beautiful accent and add a dash of style and glamour to the room.
