We have been living far too many months in the dark dreary winter but spring is finally here and it’s time to brighten up darkest rooms of your house! The sun is beginning to peek out from behind the clouds. Unfortunately, there is one room on your house that, for various reasons, isn’t benefitting from as much sunlight as the rest of your home. Fortunately, these simple redecorating tips will easily brighten up even the darkest of rooms without adding to your energy bill.
Reflect the existing light
Hanging up mirrors in strategic positions will reflect what little light gets into the room, instantly making it brighter during peak sunlight hours. As an added bonus, mirrors make the room look and feel more spacious. For best results, and to get several hours of sunlight throughout the day, hang one large mirror directly across the largest window, and arrange a few smaller mirrors around the room. Make sure your windows are clean and clear so the light streaming into your room is not tainted in any way. A selection of small mirrors can also be used to lighten up a dark hallway or staircase.
White walls
There is no denying that white is the brightest and most reflective color, but when it comes to brightening a dark room, you have to be certain you’re using the right kind of white paint. If you’re repainting the room to achieve a lighting effect, opt for matte paint instead of glossy. It may seem logical to use glossy due to its shiny surface, but glossy walls can create a glare instead of distributing light equally. You can also light up the room by giving the ceiling a fresh coat of white paint.
Use the furniture to your advantage
While you may not want glare on your walls, reflective surfaces on furniture can work in the same way as a mirror by bouncing light around the room to brighten up the space. Trade in your basic, wooden furniture for metallic finishes or mirrored surfaces.
Consider your decorations
Whether you have art, photographs, or ornaments as your inspiring summer decor for this room, you need to consider if it’s too large or bulky to allow for a direct flow of light. If you cover a wall with paintings, that is one wall that is not reflecting light and is keeping your room dark. Similarly, make sure your bookcases are not parallel to the windows, because this can also disrupt the flow of light. Keep bookcases perpendicular to the window, or eliminate them altogether by opting for open shelving. Open shelves add depth to a small room and they aren’t as bulky as bookcases.
Use the artificial light wisely
The days may be getting longer, but once peak sunlight hours are over there isn’t a lot of light for your mirrors and furniture to reflect. Now is the time to see if your lamps and fixtures are spreading their own light in the best way. Your lamps should be shining light onto the ceiling so it spreads to the rest of the room. Your fixtures can also spread the ambient light if they are shining onto other reflective surfaces. Contact All About Interiors in Connecticut to brighten up your home with some new ideas.
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