Living in a dark and gloomy room can be depressing. It can also be a challenge figuring out what to do to brighten the space. If you are moving into a new place that feels too dark for your liking, rest assured that you can do something about it.
We understand that it can be a bit difficult to find the perfect lighting level, especially if your room doesn’t have large windows that allow for the free flow of natural light. But there are different and easy ways to decorate your space to make it appear brighter.
You can be sure that you will find it much fun incorporating elements that will transform your space into a brighter haven. From picking the right custom curtains to using mirrors, let’s look at tips and tricks you can use to usher brightness into a dark, gloomy room.
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Leverage Lighting
You probably know that lighting up your space will brighten it up. However, one thing you may not know is that a single light source is not enough. One flashlight is not enough to increase the brightness of your room.
Moreover, a single source of light in a room is not practical for your all-day light needs. The best way to leverage lighting to brighten up a dark room is to use multiple light sources. More light sources help to define your space.
In addition to natural light in your kitchen, you should install a minimum of three other light sources. You can choose from sconces, floor lamps, overhead lighting, and candles. Also, it is not just about having lights; it’s about placing them in the right places for maximum effect.
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Use Mirrors to Your Advantage
Using mirrors to brighten up a space is a time-tested trick that most interior decorators use. When you place a large mirror close to a vibrant light source, it reflects the light and brightens up your space.
For instance, you can station table lamps or floor lamps close to a mirror to further enhance light in your room. A good alternative is to place a big mirror close to a window to maximize the inflow of natural light into your room.
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Choose Your Window Treatments Carefully
Curtains will look great in any room but when it comes to brightening up a space, you have to choose carefully. Heavy curtains are not the best friend of a dark room. You need window treatments that can let in the air and light.
So, consider choosing light or sheer drapes or custom roman shades. Make sure you avoid heavy and dark fabrics as much as possible. If you are worried about privacy with sheer curtains, you can layer up the sheers with drapes, which you can draw apart when you need light and closed when you need privacy.
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Invest in Low Furniture
Minimalism is the way to go when choosing furniture pieces for a dark room. Choose low-ground furniture to free up space. If you choose high-standing furniture, it will swallow much of the airy space and light in the room and make everywhere feel stuffier than it really is.
The fact is that large furniture takes up space and blocks out light. So, when buying furniture, choose pieces that will free up space as much as possible.
Also, when arranging the furniture, let there be space in-between furniture pieces to give room for light to penetrate. While you’re at it, choose transparent or lighter color furniture to enhance the light in the room.
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Choose White Walls and Ceilings
One of the easiest ways to brighten up a gloomy room and bring it to life is to give it a fresh coat of white paint. You can color the walls, ceilings, and floor in white so that light can bounce around to reflect on surfaces. Apart from brightening up the space, it also makes small rooms look bigger.
You may also want to consider painting the walls in high gloss paint because shining walls reflect light. Not only that, they also enhance natural light because they have higher reflection properties that make light bounce off them easily.
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Use Large Bright-Colored Rugs
Cover up the boring-looking floor with a large bright-colored rug. If you currently have a deep-colored carpet, it’s time to ditch it and replace it with something brighter.
A large bright-colored rug will not only brighten up your space but also add a touch of softness and texture to your room. If your room has dark floorboards, consider throwing a large vibrant colored rug on it. Colors, such as yellow, white, or other warm tone combinations, will work perfectly fine.
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Deep-Clean the Windows
Just as smudges on glasses will impair vision, stains and dirt on windows limit visibility. It’s time to get rid of the accumulated dirt and dust on your windows. You will be amazed at the amount of light flowing into your room when you deep-clean the windows.
Buy a good glass cleaning agent and get to work to wipe off the dirt on the windows, both inside out. It doesn’t matter how small your windows are, giving them a deep-cleaning season will bring a burst of natural light into the room.
Conclusion
Without a doubt, brightening up a dark room can be challenging, but you just have to be creative to bring out the fun in it. We’ve looked at different ways you can usher more light into your space other than painting the surfaces in white and adding mirrors. Get busy and use these tips. You will surely love the results.
