Not all places are blessed with natural light and this can pose as a difficult interior design challenge. A lack of natural lighting is often associated with dark and unwelcoming interior spaces, but all hope is not lost! Keep reading to find out how to lighten a dark room with no natural light.
1. Go light on the walls
Knowing how to lighten a dark room with wall colour is a simple but extremely effective trick. The worst thing you can do is paint your walls in a dark colour, as this will only close the room in further and give the illusion of a smaller space. Instead, try and make the room as light as possible by painting it in a light and fresh colour. Whites and creams are great for brightening up a room with no artificial light. You can then add some statement art pieces to break up the wall and add some vibrant colour and interest. Buy some paint and get to work!
2. Illusion of light
To know how to brighten a dark room is really a form of
trickery. Mirrors are going to be your best friend, trust us on that one. Reflective surfaces exaggerate any light within the room, encouraging it to bounce around the darkened area. They also help to break up the wall space in the same way that a window would with natural light. Mirrors are also brilliant for giving the illusion of depth, which can help to oppose the enclosed feeling in a darkened room, instead making it feel spacious. We recommend investing in a few large wall mirrors, which not only make a statement but reflect as much light as possible.
3. Cool-toned lighting
Warm and orange lighting can be detrimental to an already darkened room. These tones can make a room feel closed in, whereas cooler/blue-toned lighting can help to emanate bright daylight and make a room feel spacious and fresh. Introduce variation into your lighting, experimenting with wall lights, floor lamps, table lamps, and ceiling lights. This helps to mimic natural light coming from various areas and sources.
If your kitchen has no natural lighting, under-cabinet lighting can have a huge impact. Bright lighting can really lift the space and fill the gap left by the absence of a window, and it looks ultra-stylish too!
4. Introduce an Area Rug
For those looking into how to make a dark room look brighter, we advise taking a look at your current flooring. If you have dark tiles, wood, or laminate, this can drain a lot of light out of an already-dark space. A great way of breaking this up without having to replace your whole flooring, is to
invest in a rug. This rule applies to many different spaces, from
hallways to
kitchens,
living rooms to
bedrooms. And not only does it help to brighten up a space, it also adds some wonderful comfort and style!
5. Careful furniture selection
Once you have sorted the shell of your darkened room with the right lighting, wall colour, and flooring, it’s important to know how to lighten a dark room with furniture. White is the best colour for scattering light and brightening up a dark room. Invest in white furniture pieces, such as chairs, sofas, and/or cushions.
With these tips in tow, you can lighten a dark room with no natural light and make a huge improvement to the space. For all rug-related queries, we are your first point of contact! Browse through our vast range of rugs
via our website and follow our
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