Homeowners face a challenge when it comes to brightening up a dark room. Although it is possible to remedy the situation through a home renovation, adding windows and bringing down walls are not the only course of action. If your home receives very little natural light, you will need to keep the lights on, which will cost you money in electricity bills. There are foolproof tricks used by professionals to brighten up a dark room through design details. Here are five ways to make your dark rooms brighter in anticipation of the holidays.
White Ceiling Paint
A dark ceiling looms above a room, making it feel and look small. If you want to brighten this space instantly, paint the ceiling with a coat of white paint. Bulky wooden beams also contribute to darkening a room; paint them with white paint, and you will not even notice they are there. One of the most effective ways to use color to brighten a room is to use high-gloss paint, and you can experiment with the choice of design with your ceiling. A glossy paint finish will reflect light appropriately and add an unpredicted element to any space.
When changing your ceiling color to white, hire a residential painter to ensure that the job is done professionally; they will also help you choose the right high-gloss paint. A painting contractor knows about the best paint to use on different types of ceilings.
Pick Light Colors for the Walls
Your walls typically consist of almost the entire room; hence they play a significant role in darkening the room if they have the wrong colors. The walls’ color scheme should consist of light colors that are visually receding. Some passive and receding colors are faint shades of yellow, green, blue, and neutrals. Apart from lightening up a room, the hues also create an illusion of a bigger space. Visually advancing colors should be avoided, such as reds, dark greens, blues, oranges, black, and brown. The colors not only darken a room but also make it appear smaller.
Paint with a satin or eggshell finish; matte finishes appear flat after drying, and they absorb light. Satin and eggshell finishes will reflect light throughout the room, which will maximize both natural and artificial light. To increase the reflection of light in the room, use white gloss paint on picture rails, staircases, baseboards, and doors. Gloss paint is recognized as highly reflective paint with bright white shine creating a fresh and clean vibe.
Restrict Darker Colors to Accents
Proper use of color in interior design enhances the outcome. However, too much dark hues make a room feel enclosed. If one or all of your rooms appear to be always dark, restrict saturated colors to one wall or an accent. It would be best if you painted the remaining walls with a bright but light color. An interior house painter will recommend the right paint for your walls to match with the rest of your interior décor.
Brighten Dark Floors
Just like the walls, the floor is another significant part of any room. The most effective action would be to replace or refinish the dark floor, but this move could be restricted by time and money availability. Therefore, remedy the problem by covering the floor with a light-toned rug; this will instantly brighten the area.
Most homeowners forget about the floor when thinking of ways to brighten a dark room. A pale light color on a floor will increase the amount of light illuminated in the room. Another option is to paint the floorboards in one of the many styles available. If you are unable to stain or paint the floors, put a light area rug on it. The carpet doesn’t have to be in a solid color; it can also be a patterned rug; however, the color scheme on the patterned carpet should be bright and light. For people who prefer their floor bare, painting it would be the best option, although this may not appeal to everyone, it can still be decorative. A painting contractor will advise you on the best paint to apply, depending on your home’s type of floor.
Install Reflective Subway Tiles
These traditional classics are still in fashion because they are clean and linear with a reflective glossy finish that increases lighting in a room. Subway tiles work miracles for dark bathrooms and kitchens. If your home is rented or unable to replace the tile, try subway peel-and-stick-tiles.
Apart from the five options listed, there are other ways to brighten a dark room, such as:
- Using with Mirrors
Mirrors function well to brighten a dark room. If you have space, place your mirrors opposite windows, they will reflect natural light into the room. Also, place mirrors above couches, over mantles, above side tables, or bookcases; they will open up spaces in whichever location you place them.
Mirrors are also used to create the illusion of depth. They bounce back light deeper inside to make a room appear larger. Placing mirrors on glass tabletops and walls also gives the room a more open appearance. The mirrors do not have to be detached; you can incorporate them in your cabinet doors and even on the home’s outside door to create the same effect.
- Home Décor
Your home décor plays an integral part in brightening or darkening a room. Neutral colors are known to create a brighter feeling in the home. When decorating, pick classic pieces that will last long without the need to replace them often. To add visual curiosity, pick décor items with different textures. White porcelain and clear glass are ageless pieces that always brighten and light up a dark room.
- Blackout Layered and Sheer Curtain Look
Curtains are effective in keeping a house warm, especially during the cold winter months. Therefore, your curtains should be heavy in a light or white color to keep the room airy and light. Heavy blackout curtains keep light out of places such as the bedroom at night. To allow in more light during the day, layer the heavy curtains with a sheer behind them. This way, you will draw the blackout curtains during the day, leaving the sheers to allow in light to create a soft glow inside the room. The blackout curtains are also an extra layer of insulation for the windows. The added insulation is excellent for providing comfort in the place during the winter and summer.
Which is the Best Color for Dark Rooms?
Some rooms in the house have no access to natural light. You might think that painting the room with white will brighten it; this may not work as expected. Bright white color reflects natural light into the room, but is natural light is not available; the white paint may not brighten the room as anticipated. Instead, space may end up looking flat and even darker. When you are considering white color, make sure that you will not need to switch on the light during the day; if you do, then the white paint color does not serve its purpose.
With white being off the table, look for warm-toned neutrals as they will create a brighter appearance in a dark room that has no access to natural light. Use medium tones to avoid making the room appear smaller if using darker tones.
Hire Harrisburg Interior Painters for Your Next Project
Changing the paint color in your walls, ceiling, floors, and beams is an effective way to brighten dark rooms and you need an interior house painter. Prime 1 Painting is a painting contractor based in Harrisburg PA. We have an experienced and skilled team of workers. When you request an interior house painter quote, we will provide you with one within the shortest time possible. Contact us, and let’s get you ready for the holidays with a brighter home.
