A dark or badly lit room in your house can give the impression of feeling cold and unfriendly.
However, it doesn’t have to be like this. There are easy ways to transform a dark room into a lighter, brighter, cosier room – a room which you will actually look forward to spending time in!
This transformation can be anything from a major overhaul to the structure of your home, to a few subtle changes that can make a world of difference.
A good first step to solving the dark room problem is to establish what this dark room could be used for.
A room such as the sitting room or dining room is compatible with a badly lit room, as these types of rooms are mainly used at night-time. Make sure rooms that have easy access to the light are reserved for the kitchen, study and bedrooms.
Overhaul of structure
If your intention is to alter the structure of your home, in order to bring more light in, there are various ways you can go about doing this.
This includes building larger windows or adding extra windows or skylights if possible. You could also knock down internal walls or doors and add a glass partition or panel.
Of course, these drastic renovations can be a very expensive option. There are a lot cheaper ways to add more light to a dark room.
Lighting
A key consideration to any dark or dingy room is the lighting. Try avoiding a single pendant light in a dark room. More effective lighting could be a chandelier as this will cast more light. However, if the dark room is particularly small, or has a low ceiling a chandelier could look over-the-top. Spotlights are another option, although they tend to leave spots of light and the rest of the room still remains in darkness.
You can always add a lamp to brighten up a dark corner. Keep adding lights until you find a suitable level of lighting that is right for your room.
Window treatments
In order to allow every bit of natural light in, don’t clutter up your windows with fussy, over-the-top curtains and make sure you choose a light fabric that will still let some light in, even when the curtains are closed. Also, if possible extend the curtain rails beyond the edges of your windows so your curtains can be pulled right back. This can also make your windows appear larger than they are.
Furnishing and Decorating
When choosing furniture for your dark room always go for pale colours such as whites, creams and pastels. Shiny surfaces and a shiny floor are also useful, as they will reflect any available light around the room. A mirror can do wonders at achieving this too. A large mirror, especially if it’s opposite or near the window, will enhance any available light. However, make sure you try and keep the whole look warm and bright – try including welcome tones or accents of cheerful yellow or orange.
Or…Embrace the darkness!
There is also a simpler solution to a dark room and that is to embrace it and make the most of its dark tones. A living room can be complimented with the use of dark tones, as long as you keep it warm as well. Use rich colours such as orange or plum to make the space feel cozy and choose elegant furniture and decorations. Add candles and atmospheric lighting to give the room a further luxurious or romantic feel.
Hope this helps solve your dark room problems!
Interiors and Ideas, Tips and Hints.
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