5 Simple Ways To Lighten Your Dark Living Room!

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Find out how to brighten a dark living room like a pro and make it look brighter and gorgeous with these simple tips and tricks.

Figuring out how you can brighten a dark and gloomy living room is always a challenge when moving into a new space.

Let’s get real about something here: There’s no such thing as the “dream home.” Whether you’re on the hunt for a house or an apartment, you’ll always find that something’s missing or could be better.

This is super true if your new place is void of large windows to allow natural sunlight in especially small apartments in New York City. Fortunately, here are several easy ways and tricks to decorate your living room to transform it into a brighter abode.

1. Choose The Right Color Scheme

White walls are major light reflectors so will enhance any natural or artificial light. Try using colors like Annie Sloan’s Old White or Dulux’s Jasmine White for that light, airy feel.

When painting your walls a light color, choose a flat or semi-gloss paint since a high gloss paint can result in glare rather than simply brightening the room.

Though, you don’t have to paint the entire room white, keeping the walls light instead of using those rich dark colors will also brighten up the entire room. Choosing pale colors such as pale yellow, pale green, or a light blue will help to lighten up the room’s overall décor.

2. Use Mirrors To Reflect Light

It’s an age old advice to use mirrors to amplify visual space and brighten a dark room. However, to use your mirrors to its fullest potential, you can strategically place mirrors in a hallway to reflect natural light into a dark room off the side of it.

For example, a giant wall or floor mirror near a window can really amplify natural lighting.

3. Choose Light-Enhancing Curtains And Blinds

Different types of curtains, such as blinds: Vertical, Roman and Venetian all work well in a dark living room, as long as you choose lightweight or transparent fabrics, make sure they can be retracted completely so as not to obstruct natural light.

Fussy, heavy living room curtains will always partially block natural light, so choose curtains made of light fabrics and make sure they can work well and be pulled directly back against the wall without blocking the window when it is opened.

4. Opt For Light Wood Flooring or Area Rug

When a space is in need of additional light, it’s best to choose light wood flooring to brighten up the room. But, if white flooring is just too high maintenance for you, a white washed or pale hardwood floor is another option.

And, fear not, if you are designing your living room on a budget there are lots of realistic wood-effect vinyl flooring options out there.

Alternatively, light area rug will have a similar brightening effect for your living room. Patterned rugs are ok too, though consider a light and bright color scheme.

5. Choose Streamline Or Spacious-Feeling Furniture

Smooth out a room’s lines with lighter furniture pieces that aren’t overly ornate, that will allow for as much light as possible to flow around the room

If you really love the style of carved or heavy furniture, try to keep it to a minimum and think Scandinavian-chic or modern minimalism with the rest of your pieces. Choose one or two heavy pieces that you love and keep the rest light.

This layout is great for intimate conversation, informal entertaining and dark living rooms.

living-room-furniture-3 — Source: ACP/TRUNK ARCHIVE

In Conclusion

“Visible light helps the human body to regulate the production of the hormone melatonin, which in turn helps to regulate our body clock, affecting sleep patterns and digestion. It also helps to stimulate the body’s production of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which can reduce the symptoms of depression,”

By Dr. Alan Lewis, a lecturer on Architectural Studies at The University of Manchester, told The Independent. Natural light is very important to us!

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