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How to Brighten a Dark Room in 7 Creative Ways

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You got a beautiful room, but what’s the fun when it’s dark.

You might have added a few powerful lights even. But it’s still not bright enough.

Yes, there are a few things you can do. Instead of trying a thousand ideas that don’t work, try these 7 creative ways that can illuminate your space effectively.

1. Help Bounce Light Around The Room: Mirrors And Light Colors

The most fundamental aspect of lighting any room is to bounce off light from different surfaces of the room.

The best way to achieve this is to choose light shade colors for everything in the room. This obviously includes the floor tile/wood/rug, wall and ceiling paint and even the color of the furniture.

But don’t forget to add a touch of vibrant color here and there.

Next, you can use mirrors near the light sources. Don’t overdo it. If you have a window in your room, one floor mirror will be enough to brighten the area.

2. Create A Daylight Atmosphere With Multiple Lighting Fixtures

Instead of buying one high lumens light bulb, you can actually layer the lighting.

You don’t want to sparkle your home and dazzle your eyes with lights. You want it to be illuminated.

There are a lot of bright floor lamps made for the darkroom. Often these lights will have a rotating head and you can direct the light towards the ceiling.

In this way, the light will get diffused and brighten the space at the same time.

Together with floor lamps you can use different kinds of string lights to add a bit of mood in the room. Moreover, they will add additional luminance without hitting the eyes.

3. Avoid Glossy Materials, Go For Matte Finish

A misconception people have is glossy surfaces reflect light. So, they tend to buy furniture and other stuff in glossy finish.

The reality is glossy materials reflect light with glares. So, they end up making your room’s lighting look ugly. Moreover, it will put strain on your eyes.

The best solution is to go for matte finishes. Matte surfaces reflect light equally in all directions instead of to a few fixed points.

Whether it’s the sofa fabric, carpets, pillows or a decorative piece, always choose a matte finish. If your room has enough lighting, it will amplify it even more.

4. Replace Dull, Moody And Deep Colored Artwork

Artwork is important. However, making your room bright is an even more integral part of decoration.

If you choose artwork and paintings that darkens your room, it’s best not to have them.

So, what kind of paintings can darken your room and how?

When you have a dark colored painting or any artwork, it will absorb light. And when you have too many of them, the room can get even darker.

Compensating for such a situation can get costly and will destroy the balance of ambience in your room.

Buy artwork in light shades and hang only a few that are worth taking a look.

5. Clear Clutter And Opt For Low To Ground Furniture

Imagine you just have one small window in your room and plenty of furniture. This will cause only a fraction of the light to reach from windows to the other end of your room. The result is a dark and gloomy room.

Take a minimalist approach and buy only those furniture that are necessary. Once you clear off a few pieces, you can instantly see results.

A lot of the time, we have seen big pieces of furniture like cupboards, beds, bookcases blocking daylight. Instead find furniture that are low to the ground.

6. Include More See Through Furniture To Maximize Brightness

Seeing through furniture could be yet another solution to brighten up a room.

If you have a new home and you haven’t bought anything, you need to think and plan ahead.

There are lots of variations of see through furniture. Being seen through doesn’t mean they need to be made of glass!

If you can definitely go for glass furniture like a dining table and tea table.

Furniture made from cane is excellent for this purpose. Because they have holes all over and won’t block light even if you overstuff a bit.

New materials like acrylic are transparent and a few manufacturers are making these furniture.

7. Keep The Windows Clean And Free From Heavy Drapery

Keep the glasses of your windows clean. Is it that hard?

Probably not. But most people overlook it and those dust and dirt build up to dampen the sunlight.

Try to clean them every month with good cleaning agents. As a daily or weekly task, you can simply rub the glasses with microfiber.

Talking about windows, you can’t leave the curtains. Curtains also play a vital role in lightening a room.

Ditch the dark and thick drapes with thin and light colored drapes that help enter light. Alternatively, you can use blinds. So, when the light is too much outside, you can turn off the blinds.

Final Words..

Remember, you can get as creative as you want. But if the light source in your room isn’t powerful enough, you will have a hard time compensating for it.

The idea is to illuminate your room and not blast scorching bulbs and LEDs. So, diffusion is the key and light colored stuff in the room.

Nate Berkus
Nate Berkus, a distinguished interior designer with a Bachelor’s in Design and Environmental Analysis, has been transforming spaces with his unique aesthetics for over two decades. His professional journey includes working with top design firms before venturing into freelance design consulting. His expertise was cultivated through years of working on high-end residential and commercial projects. He joined our editorial team and offers readers a blend of contemporary style and practical decorating solutions. He is also an ardent traveler, drawing inspiration from different cultures to enrich his design philosophy.

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