Turn up the brightness and shine a light on a dim and dull living area with helpful tips from a design expert
After the cold and rainy days kept us inside over winter, we’ve been looking forward to a cheerful dose of spring sunshine. Dark rooms that don’t see a lot of sunlight can feel depressing and cave-like, but with a few interior design tricks, you can bring uplifting brightness to a gloomy space.
Be wary of white:
The knee-jerk response to a dark room is to wash the walls in white, but resist the urge, says interior designer Charlotte Minty. “It can be a design mistake to soak a small dark room with little or no windows in white. In doing so, you run the risk of removing depth from the room – making it look flat and rather dead-looking in the absence of natural light bouncing around the space.
To avoid this outcome, it would be best to go with a warm medium-tone colour such as taupe or a warm grey.” Instead of white walls, consider using white in furnishings, rugs or window dressings, as bursts of brightness to contrast with and balance out the darkness.
See the light:
Take an “every bit counts” attitude, looking to your existing sources of light and making them work harder.
Clean the windows (yes, really, it makes a difference) and look at swapping out heavy drapes for floaty sheers or lighter-weight curtains. Use curtain tiebacks or hooks to move fabric off the window. Where privacy issues demand the use of closed Venetian blinds or shutters, opt for white ones, which will reflect light off the blades.
If light comes from adjoining spaces, make the most of this, says Charlotte. “Depending on the use of the room, you can swap a solid door to a glass door to allow natural light from an adjoining space.”
Steer into the skid
Think about whether the space needs to be light and bright. Some rooms will always be on the dim side, but a change in perspective can turn “dark” into “comforting”.
“Why fight it when you can embrace it? If cosy is your design goal, then darkening the space could be the best call,” says Charlotte. Switch out white or beige walls for a deeper tone, and channel an English country vibe with overstuffed chairs and bold patterns.
However, Charlotte warns, “Avoid clutter and use ambient lighting with floor and table lamps in darkened, cosy rooms.” Use lamps to create glowing pools of light, turning a dark room into a cocooning evening sanctuary.
A moment of reflection
Make the most of the light you do have, by bouncing it around. Metallic finishes catch and reflect light – chrome for diamond-like sparkle or brass and gold for a warm glow.
Mirrors are the ultimate designer’s tool for illuminating a dim space, reflecting and effectively doubling the light in the room. “They can also make the room feel bigger by reflecting a view from another space,” Charlotte adds. Position mirrors directly across from windows to maximise light and views.
Text: Shelley Tustin Images: Are Media Syndication
More home inspiration:
- How to add colour to your neutral kitchen
- How to organise a fridge and cancel food waste
- 10 rules interior designers swear by
- 10 ways to save time doing laundry
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