6 Ways to Brighten a Badly Lit Room

Whether you’re apartment hunting or looking for a way to transform the gloomy, dull view you see every morning, there are a few things that you can do to brighten up the pace. Good lighting is a fundamental element in any home, and luckily, you don’t have to spend a small fortune to improve a badly lit room. On that note, we have gathered 6 ways you can make your home brighter, so let’s get right to it! 

Install Bright Lights 

More often than not, the reason your home appears dark and dull is that your current lighting may be ordinary incandescent light bulbs. Consider swapping the bulbs for a higher voltage and see if that makes a difference. Compact fluorescent bulbs are an effective way to spruce up a room. Moreover, don’t resort to one overhead light source. An energy-saver is to include several illuminations around the house. Multiple lamps and even candles in areas that don’t receive much light will make the room more vibrant. 

Deck the Walls 

The walls are a prominent feature in any house and dark walls can make a room feel rather cozy during the winter. However, they do very little to brighten up the place. Swapping your wall coverings for wallpaper with a lighter shade should suffice, but you can always go the extra mile and repaint the walls. Light, neutral tones have the biggest impact when it comes to lightening up a room. The walls are not the only feature to consider, though; the ceiling often gets overlooked even though its appearance is a major component that contributes to the coherent vibe of the space. 

Many people assume that painting a room, specifically the ceiling, is a task best left to professionals. However, the folks at DIYPaintingTips.com reveal that it is more cost-effective to do it yourself. With the right guidance, you’ll learn what type of paint is suitable for ceilings and what colors work best as a room brightening agent. You can really elevate your interior design if you simply follow the basic dos and don’ts. 

Refresh Your Floors 

Dark wooden floors, carpeted flooring, or rugs can affect the illumination of the room. You don’t have to switch up your wooden floors entirely; instead, you can opt for lighter wood shapes. In addition to that, the majority of rugs in your home should consist of lighter shades, neutral tones, or colors of the sun. You can have the odd strong, deep-toned rug, but too many will darken the room. On the other hand, if you live in a cold country, and don’t want to give up the heating benefits that come with carpeted flooring, simply opt for a lighter, softer color.  

Replace Your Window Treatment 

Windows are a very important factor to consider, as they are responsible for attracting natural light, so make sure you take a look at your window treatments.  Understandably, these treatments were put in place to protect your privacy. However, a lot of them also put limitations on how much natural light your rooms get. Opt for vertical blinds to embrace the sunlight while getting the seclusion you need. Furthermore, if you want to take it a step further, swap out your windows for larger ones. The bigger the window, the lighter the room. 

Rearrange the Furniture

It’s no secret that furniture placement can impact the ambiance of the room, which is why carefully assessing where you will place items will affect the lighting. There may be a bookcase that’s blocking natural light or cutting off the light from a lamp. 

Moreover, the direction of the couch could infringe on natural illumination as it faces a wall instead of being exposed to the view from the window. Rearrange furniture so that it’s getting direct sunlight during the day and move around lamps to ensure it’s still as bright when night falls.  

Add a Stylish Touch 

Some finishing accents can really reignite the brightness of your home. Mirrors are an interior design staple because not only do they brighten up an area, they also make the room appear larger; therefore, making room for more light. Take a look at the wall decorations around your home and notice the color schemes. Opting for light paintings with vibrant color palates is going to make a world of difference. Finally, minimize the dark colors when it comes to decorations. Add a little shine but don’t overdo the glossy look, try to maintain matte colors. 

Brightening agents tools come in many forms, from a brightly painted ceiling to strategically rearranged furniture. You just need to examine which components of the room could be hindering the quality of your light sources. With these 6 simple tips, you’ll be able to increase the brightness of your home at an affordable cost.