Shed A Little Light: How To Transform Your Home From A Dark Dungeon To A Bright Haven For All Life Forms

Whether you consider yourself somewhat of a hermit, or you have watched one too many Tim Burton movies, you might have noticed that your home is looking a little dark and dreary. While you might like living in a cave-like environment, this does nothing to help improve your mood.

Bringing in ambient light to a dark, dreary room will instantly make it more attractive and cheerful. If making major structural changes like implementing skylights, doors, or windows just isn't in your budget or plans, you can use other key features such as window treatments, paint, lighting, accessories, or rugs to dramatically transform a cave-like room into a charming, light-filled space that will naturally draw people in. Here are some specific ways to brighten up a dark room to make it feel lighter, brighter, and bigger—and a suitable abode for living organisms.

Lighting

Lumens is the measure of unit that actually counts rather than watts. Change out your standard light bulbs for some that have higher lumens, and the room will automatically glow brighter. LEDs and CFLs provide a higher light output based on the amount of energy they use and are therefore more energy efficient overall.

Use diffused lighting in ceilings and walls as reflectors in order to maximize the light. Strategically place light fixtures and lamps so they shine on other surfaces so as to increase the ambient light within the room.

Window Treatments

Take advantage of the natural light coming in. Avoid hanging heavy window treatments and draperies over windows since they'll block the natural light. Professionals who specialize in window treatments in Orlando suggest that you choose minimal options instead, like roman shades and blinds that can adjust to let in light and take up less visual space as well. An opaque window treatment will provide privacy while still allowing natural light to flood the room.

Consider adding lighter window treatments to brighten up a dreary room. If it suits the overall decor of the space, choose long light-colored panels that puddle on the floor for a chic modern look. Window treatments have the ability to impact visual space to considerably change the entire atmosphere of any room.

Color

Limit heavy, dark colors to just accents in the room, like wall color, accessories, and wall decor. Intense, dramatic color on the walls will make a room feel more closed in if it's too dark. If your space is already dark, just use one wall for more saturated colors and paint the remaining walls a lighter and brighter hue.

Wainscoting

Because bold, bright colors can go a long way, try adding some wainscoting to the bottom half of the room. Use a lighter complementary color, or just use white if it works in the room. The top half can accommodate your favorite color even if it's more dramatic since the light wainscoting below will still keep the space bright.

There other alternatives to wainscoting such as adding a simple, white chair rail around the perimeter of the room and then adding some other type of molding along the bottom half of the wall. For example, you could use white molding to create interesting shapes such as diamonds or squares.

Furniture

The color of your furniture will have a strong impact on the atmosphere of the room. If your walls are somewhat darker, opt for lighter colored furniture. If you have to work with the darker furniture pieces you already have, brighten them up using lighter colored accent pillows and/or throws.

Many times heavy, bulky furniture will overwhelm a room and make it feel dark. Therefore, you can trade overstuffed pieces for some with more sleek lines and lighter legs. Use lighter, solid colors rather than busy, bold prints on the fabrics to make the room feel more spacious and light.

Floors

Like furniture, floors have a strong presence in the room. Lighter floors will naturally make the room feel lighter overall. If your floors are already dark in nature, use a cheerful area rug or runner to brighten the vibe in the room.

Use these tips and tricks to bring in more light and spaciousness into a once dark and dreary space. Emerge from your cave and let in a little light—not only will your living space look better, but your mood will improve substantially.