Light can bring depth, ambience and comfort to any room. Brighter rooms can lend to a plethora of innovative design ideas and tend to liven the mood among house members. However, many homeowners worry that they’ll need to add windows, light fixtures or other intrusive methods of light to their dark rooms to get an ounce of extra light.
Don’t fret. There are ways to brighten a dark room without cutting spaces for windows, installing large and cumbersome fixtures or repainting your walls.
Here are three dark room ideas that will brighten your living space with minimal effort:
Mirrors are an excellent way to move light around a room. Placing them near windows with ample natural exposure will reflect light around a room by using surfaces such as walls, tables, ceilings, flooring and the mirror itself to evenly distribute that light in a dark room.
You don’t necessarily need a standing mirror or large accent mirrors, either. In fact, a small accent mirror or cluster of mirrors adorning a wall will reflect light just as well as, if not better than, a larger mirror. They’ll also act as an exceptional accent piece for your home’s decor.
Another exceptional way to lighten a dark and dreary room is with lighting layers. Utilize overhead lighting, floor or table lamps and task lights to make your dark room feel more inviting and efficient. If your overhead lighting is a bit harsh, try switching out the bulbs for something with a softer, warmer glow.
Use brighter daylight bulbs as task lighting to help accent the room’s features and give you a place to enjoy hobbies, read or just have an extra twinkle in your living area.
Ambient lighting can be achieved by placing lamps strategically throughout the room with lower-brightness bulbs.
Another way to make a room feel brighter is by utilizing your sofa, chairs, tables and other light furniture. The light furniture catches the light, much like light wood flooring or white walls, and gently ties it into the rest of the living space within the room’s walls, making a dark room brighter.
Be sure to use neutrals, light shades and avoid deep pops of color, since these can bring the brightness of the room down.
“I sell your home like it's mine”
A licensed real estate salesperson since 2016, Rob is affiliated with the Briarcliff Manor office of Corcoran Legends Realty. He serves buyers, sellers, renters, in Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam counties. Rob, a native of New York and Westchester County for most of his life, brings an extensive local knowledge of both residential and commercial properties to the table. His experience includes a wide range of property types – single-family, multi-family, condos and mixed use. “Hard to sell” properties is where Rob really excels. “There’s no problem that cannot be solved.”
Rob is certified for many different disciplines in real estate. Cartus Relocation Network Agent, AARP Agent, National Tenants Network (NTN) Agent, Green certified and Pricing Strategies Master. In addition, Rob has completed the Leader’s Edge Advanced training to better serve his clients. Rob has been both associate of the month and top closed dollar agent.
When you work with Rob, you get the feeling you’re his only client. Numbers don’t count, you do. Clients always come first. Each transaction is handled as if it were his own home. Rob strives to make the process as seamless as possible and takes care of all the details, no matter how small. His clients rave about his above-and-beyond service and prompt informative communication. Rob is easy going, friendly, and patient. However he can be a determined and aggressive negotiator when the need arises.
When not out actively working on behalf of his clients, Rob spends time with his wife and two teenage daughters. A devoted supporter of community he sits on several local boards and volunteers for numerous locale nonprofit organizations. He enjoys cycling, hiking, kayaking and winter skiing.
“May your price be right, and your sale be swift!”