The Best Ways to Brighten a Dark Room

Do you have a room in your house which seems to lack energy, excitement, or an overall warmth to it? If so, chances are this is a smaller, darker room in your home and it can take a wear on your mood whether you know it or not.

So how can you brighten up a dark room and improve your overall mood as well as the energy in the room? Whether it is natural light sources or other artificial techniques, here are a few tips and tricks to follow.

Lighting Fixtures

One of the best ways to take a dark room and give it new life is with the introduction of new lighting fixtures in the space. Brightening up a corner with a new lamp fixture is an easy and quick way to add some new light without having to break the bank.

If you are looking for something a little more upscale and long term, recessed lighting in a dark ceiling is an excellent way to instantly brighten up a room as it won't make the room feel smaller with lights hanging down from the ceiling.

Light Colors

If you are furnishing your room, painting cabinets and walls, or doing any other aesthetic changes to warm things up, opting for lighter color finishes and tones throughout the space will go a long way in the overall feel of a room.

Painting your walls a beige or light tan is an excellent place to start as it can blend perfecting with any white molding you may have in the space. Does the dark room in question have cabinets and other wooden features in it such as shelves? Painting these a pristine white is an excellent way to warm up the room and add some instant brightness to the space.

Furniture and Accessories

Picking out the right furniture for a small, dark room is crucial to making it feel warmer and more open. Combining warm earth tones with whites and balancing them correctly can give a room a brand new life.

Does your living room have dark hardwood floors? Putting in a white sofa is an excellent place to start to bring some energy to the space. Balance it with a dark brown coffee table which sits on a beige area rug to cover up some of the darker floors and bring a little more warm with its color and fabric.

By flanking your couch with light colored lamps, you can aesthetically and functionally upgrade the space by adding these easy lighting fixtures.

For an added touch to open your room up, putting mirrors on the wall can create the illusion a room is much bigger than it actually is. A perfect accessory for any small, dark room.

How do you brighten up your dark room? Let us know in the comments.

photo credit: kitchen renovation ideas via photopin (license) photo credit: living room remodel ideas via photopin (license)

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