On the dark side: how to make a room brighter? How to lighten a dark room Decorating a dark room.

Often rooms are too dark for various reasons: structural features, location on the north side of the house, the presence of tall trees under the windows, the use of dark finishing materials in the decoration of this room, insufficient, ill-conceived artificial lighting, and many, many more nuances.

But living in a dark room is not very comfortable, both psychologically and practically. Light is needed for mood, and for work, and for health. But if the room is dark, what to do? Many factors, of course, for example, the location on the shady side of the house, we are not able to change. But still we can do a lot! And as a result, even the darkest room can be turned into a light and cozy one. To do this, there are 12 simple steps.

Step 1. Arrange multi-level lighting and hidden lighting in the room.
Of course, first of all, check the main lighting, most likely, it does not reach the norm. One chandelier in a dark room is not enough! You need at least one more good light source. Well, in addition to them - already backlighting. The secret is that it should be at different levels. For this, it is not necessary to arrange suspended ceilings. You can make “sides” around the perimeter of the ceiling and hide hidden lighting in them, hang sconces at different heights, put a floor lamp, and even install floor lamps. Cabinet lighting is also lighting that will “work” for a single lighting scenario.

Step 2. Light floor, ceiling and walls.
The ceiling doesn't have to be white. It's trite. The same can be said about the walls. A lot of white is uncomfortable. You can paint the ceiling with one of the light pastel colors: cream, unbleached wool, sand, even light green or pale blue (but a very light shade). The same can be said about the walls. It is better to make a floor of light wood, or the lightest laminate, carpet, you can lay light carpets. Unexpectedly, in some interior styles, the floor is made white. The maximum effect will be given by equally light floors, walls and ceilings, especially if they are also in the same color scheme.

Step 3. Make sure that the furniture, textiles and curtains are strictly in tone with the wall and floor finishes.
In the matter of lightening the interior, furniture and textile contrasts are not suitable. Especially dark furniture and fabrics. After all, they absorb up to 40 percent of the light. And they visually “dematerialize” the room, which makes it smaller. Furniture upholstery and textiles may well be with a pattern, the main thing is light color and compatibility with decoration.

Step 4. As little textile as possible.
There should be textiles in the room, but there should not be much of it. Better open, preferably shiny surfaces. So do not get carried away with bedspreads, tablecloths, pillows, double curtains, pelmets. Curtains are best single and always made of light fabrics.

Step 5. Keep the room free of furniture and clear the center of the room.
As attractive as it may seem, don't put furniture in the middle of the room, and generally try to keep furniture to a minimum. Better the good old version "on the wall". There is nothing wrong with this, but as soon as the room is vacated, as soon as air and light are added. Any piece of furniture also absorbs light, especially if it is in the center of the room. Also, this arrangement visually reduces the area, it is acceptable for large and bright rooms.

Step 6. Do not use too embossed finishing materials.
This is stucco, all kinds of textured plasters, tiles with relief. Physically, this is a combination of reliefs and depressions, there is an effect of mini-niches that absorb light. And on a large surface, this effect is also multiplied. By the way, if you arrange real niches (as a design element), be sure to provide them with lighting.

Step 7. Use furniture with open legs.
Do not use heavy-looking, massive furniture without legs in a dark room. The legs open up the space, make the room look lighter, and do not block the light, and if they also shine, then this is just what you need.

Mirrors are the most useful piece of furniture for a dark room. They double the light. However, any shiny objects also have similar properties: glass, metal, crystals. They also reflect and amplify light. Ideal - both mirrors and shiny surfaces. By the way, crystal and chandeliers with crystal pendants are always good in dark rooms. If all this is tastefully and skillfully beaten, they do not look trite at all, but the effect is huge.

Step 9 Don't use overly complex wallpapers.
Wallpaper for a dark room is better in plain colors or with a simple pattern. However, there is a compromise: the walls can be made different. If you really like patterned wallpaper, apply a spectacular design move: let three walls in the room be “according to the rules”, and one with patterned wallpaper. This will not greatly affect the illumination, but the size of the room will visually increase, and the room will look fresh and original. It is possible not the entire wall, but only one strip of such wallpaper. You can also add light by sticking mirrored pebbles and rhinestones on patterned wallpaper.

Step 10. Use the "correct" colors in the design of the room.
In addition to the walls, floor and ceiling, there is still subject content in the room. And no one said that it should only be in light pastel colors or be white. To increase the illumination in the room, paradoxically, it is necessary to introduce bright nuances. But the secret is that bright colors may not be any, but only “pure”, basic ones. For example, if red, then classic red, not raspberry, fuchsia, hot pink, etc. Yellow means warm canary, not lemon, etc. Also, these colors should never be with " acidic tones. An interior with only pastel light colors looks a little darker than the same interior, but with bright spots.

Step 11. Remove tall plants with dense foliage from the room.
Such plants absorb a lot of light. In particular, there should not be such plants on the window. Maximum one small pot. If you still want to leave a large plant, then get a shade-tolerant one and place it away from the window.

Step 12 Add some "gold".

They always lighten the interior, add “sun” and mood to objects with a “gold” finish - frames, trinkets, vases, accessories, mosaics, lamps with a “golden” base. There are never too many “golden” nuances in a dark room. In addition, now gold trim is in fashion, and is used not only in classic interior styles, but also in modern ones. So you can brighten up the room and create a fashionable interior.

Do you have a dark room that receives very little daylight? If you are not planning to move, then something needs to be done about it. A gloomy interior is depressing, especially in autumn, when it is not difficult to fall into a depressive state or mood. Therefore, the owners of apartments and rooms still have a question: how to make a dark room lighter? We will suggest a few design tricks that will optically help make the interior lighter.

Did you know that not only the location of the room in relation to the cardinal points, the size and number of windows affect the lighting? It is also influenced by the colors of the floor, furniture and walls, window decorations and other materials used in the interior. If everything is designed in dark colors, then such a room will seem even darker than it actually is. A bright room looks much more spacious and larger.

How do you brighten up a dark room if you don't have the desire or the budget to replace the furniture? To do this, use less capital-intensive, but no less effective tricks. Start by identifying the darkest areas in the room - highlight the most shaded walls and corners that should make a difference. Consider which of these elements can be upgraded relatively inexpensively.

Repaint the walls or change the wallpaper. It is not necessary to change the wallpaper in the entire room, you can replace them only on one or two walls. Keeping in mind the principle that an interior that is not cluttered seems lighter, should you consider getting rid of some not-so-useful furniture? If you take out a bulky tall wardrobe or furniture wall, or at least part of it, from the room, then such a room will instantly become lighter and more spacious.

If a renovation is planned:

remove dark material floors or repaint the wood floor in light, pastel colors;
replace a dark carpet with patterns or a pattern with a smooth and light one;
replace solid-leaf doors with glazed or sliding ones;
paint window frames and window sills white;
cycle the darkened floor and cover it with a transparent varnish;
if you plan to change the floor, think about where you can put light polished tiles that reflect light well and “illuminate” the interior;
replace old, dark ceramic tiles in the bathroom and kitchen, or paint with a special paint for light-colored tiles.

If you plan to paint a different wall color, then you should choose the appropriate paint to decorate and brighten the interior.

Of course, the lighter it is, the better. You don't like white walls? Don't worry, a good effect can be achieved with other light and bleached shades as well.

In a shaded room with one window, it might work well to use three shades of the same color. In the darkest of them, you should paint the wall around the window, and place the lightest shade on the wall opposite the window. We paint the side walls in the third intermediate shade. This way the distribution of paint and shadows in the room enhances the daylight that penetrates inside.

You will get a brightening effect by choosing transparent paints, to which particles of gold, silver or pearls are added. A wall painted with this paint reflects more light.

Well-planned lighting has a huge impact on our mood. In addition, the interior looks better if it is bathed in sunlight. When there is not enough sun in the apartment, it is necessary to choose the right artificial lighting. To make a dark room brighter, you need to provide light that is as close to natural as possible. When planning lighting in a dark room, you can use the following solutions:

In addition to central lighting, it is also worth installing spotlights, this is especially important in those areas of the apartment where it is darkest - in the bathroom and corridor.
Point lighting in the kitchen will also be useful, especially when it does not have a window or the window is too small.
If there is a desire to paint the ceiling in a darker color, then in a dark room this is not the best idea. But if you take care of good lighting on the ceiling, then you can think about such an idea. This can be halogen spot lighting or LEDs, preferably dimmable.
In the bedroom, additional lighting should be installed near the bed - in the case of a double bed - always on both sides. In the living room in the darkest corner is to put a floor lamp.
Spotlights can also give good results, highlighting selected decorative elements - paintings, figurines and other decorations.

Interior design: soft and light furniture

In a dark room, large pieces of furniture with gloomy upholstery greatly overload the interior. To make such a room brighter, it is better to choose light furniture and not bulky. It is better to replace a large furniture wall with a chest of drawers that stands on legs, this will immediately make it visually lighter, since tearing the furniture off the floor adds lightness to it. If the seats on the chairs have dark upholstery, it is worth sewing covers for them from light fabric. The sofa can be covered with a light bedspread.

Light floors and light doors are ideal in dark rooms. This solution is for people who love to clean and clean. Unfortunately, such a floor gets dirty much faster than a regular floor, so with a large number of family members this is an impractical solution.

If you're thinking about buying a rug and your sofa or chairs are upholstered with a pattern, it's best to choose a rug that's smooth and solid. However, in the opposite situation, you can choose a carpet (or carpet) with a pattern, but not too colorful and bright.

In a dark interior, you should not choose solid doors, but it is better to put folding or sliding doors. Definitely better glass doors or partially glazed, which allows light to penetrate between rooms.

Mirrors help shape and illuminate the space. It is better to choose the location of the mirrors on the same plane, preferably a large one. The mirror should hang on the wall opposite the window. A large mirror that shows a full-length silhouette of a person should also hang in the corridor - the darkest room in the apartment.

The frame of the mirror should decorate the interior and should be light, not bulky. If you don’t like looking in mirrors while wandering around the apartment, then you can use a lot of mirrors in the bookcase, behind the shelves, and place objects made of transparent glass on the shelves.
With the help of mirrors, you can also disguise the doors of a massive cabinet. You can buy a large mirror or stick a mirror film on the doors.

Dark curtains with patterned patterns and romantic frills are not suitable for dark rooms. It is better to open the windows as much as possible - let the daylight enter the apartment without obstacles.

However, if you do not like empty windows, you should think about soft white curtains, the best of translucent tulle. If you need to close windows in the evening from prying eyes, you should choose blinds in neutral, light colors.

Another important point - try to leave the window sills empty. And if you want to put something for them - let it be objects made of transparent glass that will let the sun's rays through.

In all dark rooms, it is better to create interiors with light-colored furniture, preferably with glossy, lacquered surfaces that reflect light.

In a dark kitchen, if you have dark cabinets and floors, then you should take care of light additional elements. Paint the walls in a light color, the tiles should also be chosen in light colors, preferably with a glossy sheen, backlit skinals are a good option.

If the apartment is not cluttered, not overloaded with knick-knacks, it always seems much lighter and more spacious. Therefore, it is worth removing all colorful, flashy decorations - not only from the window sills, but throughout the apartment. All the trinkets dear to the heart can be installed in the closet and flaunt at least only a third of it.

A dark room is like Tolstoy's unhappy family - all bright rooms are equally good, each dark room is bad in its own way. If you got a room with a window facing north, with a window shaded by trees, with a small window, with a shaded balcony block, a long narrow room, an asymmetrical room - in general, if you got a dark room and need to make it lighter, then this article For you.

Here I will tell you how to make a dark room brighter in the daytime, with natural light, and I will not touch the electric light.

You don't have to use all the design techniques that I'll cover - choose the ones that suit you best and you like.

The first way to brighten up a dark room is the white box – white walls, white ceiling and white floor. In photo 1 you see a kitchen that is configured in such a way that only part of the space gets daylight, and the main part of the room is in the shade. The "white box" reflects more light.

Photo 1, 2 and 3

In photo 2, you see a room that may seem bright - no, it's just that when photographed, a window with daylight always seems dazzlingly bright because the rest of the room is shaded. In fact, this room is very dark, if it were not a white box, then it would receive almost no daylight, since the window is north and the room is asymmetrical. Due to the white color of the “box” (floor, walls, ceiling), it becomes much lighter.

The white ceiling in dark rooms has absolutely no alternative, the Russian consumer is gradually getting used to the white walls. But the white floor causes protest, because white is the most rarely used color for the floor in Russia.

But a dark room with a white floor becomes noticeably more lit, the difference is very noticeable. And besides, the "white box" is not only a way to reflect maximum daylight into the room. This is also a way to make a narrow room visually more spacious, especially if the furniture is also white, as in the photo above. Sounds terrible (all white), but it works!

Photo 3 shows a very dark, narrow room, which in any other color than white would be just a crypt. The white floor, ceiling and furniture make it brighter during the day and smarter in the evening when the electric light is on.

If a white floor is combined with white walls and white furniture, then the room becomes both lighter and visually more spacious. Then the lack of contrast and transition between background surfaces (floor, walls, ceiling) and furniture makes the space more homogeneous (the boundaries of the room seem to blur), and, in turn, because of this, the space seems wider.

The room in photo 4 seems large and bright. In fact, it is small and not very well lit - there is one high narrow window and two very small ones, the total area of windows is small. But due to the white walls, floor and white furniture, a completely different impression is created. Mentally paint the walls, floor, and furniture and you'll see the difference.

In dark apartments, they make white floors, white doors and white walls in all rooms. Everyone immediately thought about the soiling in the hallway and corridor. But modern materials (tiles, linoleum, veneer, washable wallpaper and resistant paint) are very easy to clean and do not lose their appearance for a long time. Yes, you need to wash more often. But it will be clean and bright 🙂

Many people are afraid of the “white box” solution, and even more so the “white box with white furniture” solution, because it seems very sterile, boring and “hospital”. But avoiding “white silence” in the interior is easy - add bright accessories and medium-sized furniture in bright colors, as in photo 5-8. If you don't like bright colors, just use more details (photos 9 and 10).

For dark rooms with low ceilings, the “white box” is very shown - among other things, such a design of the background surfaces still creates the feeling that it is easy to breathe in the room, this is very important in small rooms. To avoid boredom, use a variety of decor, from which white lace is especially shown - lace, carving, macramé, patterns on glass, etc.

In photo 12 you see the most beautiful headboard, which greatly decorates a small dark room (note the height of the ceiling) and at the same time does not absorb light at all. That is, the room remains white, it does not even use additional colors, but at the same time you definitely cannot call it boring.

Photos 12, 13 and 14

So, the first way to maximize the daylight in a dark room is with a white box. If the room is small, then the furniture and part of the decor can also be made white. For decor, you can use a few bright accessories or accessories in soothing colors, but in large quantities.

If this method is completely unacceptable for you, modify it: use the lightest colors that you can bear for background spaces, curtains and large furniture. Add white elements and accessories in saturated colors to them, as in photo 11. This will help reflect the maximum incoming daylight. Contrasting bright elements are needed to give the interior clarity, as in photos 13, 14 and 15, but there should not be too many of them - literally two or three.

Photos 16, 17 and 18

What colors are suitable for walls in dark rooms? From cold: light blue, light green and mint, light turquoise, light light pink - these colors reflect a lot of light. But light lilac, light blue and light gray in dark rooms are not recommended - with a lack of daylight, these colors become dirty gray and look dreary.

Turquoise, as in photo 19, is used so often in bathroom design for a reason - it reflects a lot of light and makes the whole design very light.

Of the warm colors, dark rooms are suitable: milky white, cream, the lightest beige and ivory, light warm pink, very light pistachio, vanilla and all light yellow shades (they are especially indicated for northern rooms, since the yellow color of the walls partly compensates for the lack sunlight).

Peach, terracotta (they absorb a lot of light and in cloudy weather also get a dirty shade), olive and orange (they absorb a LOT of light) are not recommended. In photo 23 you can see how the bright orange color darkens the room.

Photo 22 and 23

In general, in dark rooms, experiments with bright background surfaces (floor, walls, ceiling) almost always fail - especially in the northern and eastern rooms. Photos 24 and 25 are an eloquent example. The top walls of the bathroom were painted with umber, a beautiful and rich color, and then they were repainted in blue. Feel the difference.

Photo 24 and 25

So, the second way to make a dark room lighter is “light + white + bright”: light walls and floor, snow-white ceiling, white elements (doors and at least a couple of pieces of furniture) plus a couple of bright accessories for contrast.

The third way is almost forgotten for some reason, I don't even have good illustrations. This is a horizontal wallpaper combination according to the principle “darker bottom + very light top”. Approximately as in photo 26, only the colors do not have to be contrasting. But the furniture against the background of the lower part of the walls should, of course, be light.

This combination of wallpaper is well suited for dark rooms. The lower third of the walls are pasted over with darker wallpaper, the upper third with lighter ones, the joint is usually covered with a molding or wooden trim - white or in the color of the floor or doors.

Photo 27 and 28

Now for some small tricks that will help you lighten up the interior. Make some of the surfaces white glossy. If there is a built-in wardrobe in your room opposite the window, make the doors glossy and at least one of them mirrored. If there is no closet, but there is furniture on the side of the window, make it glossy white. In photo 27 you can see how well the white gloss reflects light.

A similar role can be played by a mirror placed in the same way - on the side or opposite the window (photo 28). But do not abuse mirrors - contrary to popular belief, an excess of mirrors is not so positively perceived in the interior - read more about this. In short, white gloss reflects only light, while a mirror reflects everything.

Use pastel colors in a dark room. The pastel contains a lot of white/whitish undertones and reflects daylight very well. Plus, all pastel colors are perfectly combined with each other and allow you to create very light, visually light, but not boring color combinations, as in the photo in the article at the link. Pastel is especially indicated if the room is dark because the window is shaded by trees.

Photos 29, 30 and 31

Hang only snow-white tulle and, if possible, white curtains (photos 29 and 30). If it is possible to do without curtains at all, closing only the lower part of the window so that the room is not visible from the street, great.

For example, if your room is shaded by dense foliage of trees growing in the yard, as in photo 31, or opens onto a non-residential space from where no one can look into your room, you can simply close the lower half of the windows with transparent film or muslin, or light white tulle - and thus win some more daylight. This method, of course, is not suitable for everyone.

Photo 32 and 33

Make the most of the window. In photo 32, you can see that the dining table is placed so that people do not receive daylight at all - there is nothing near the window, and the table is pushed into the most shaded place in the room. Consider arranging the furniture in your room so that you spend maximum time in its most lit place.

In a dark room, wall decor is important. Use paintings or posters in light, light colors. If you want more brightness, let them have bright colors too, but let the background and overall color be light and be sure that the top of the picture or poster is lighter than the bottom. Light flowers are very good (photo 33): orchids, jasmine, white peonies, white lilacs, sakura, lilies, etc.

Well, if you use paintings or posters behind glass (photo 34) - glass reflects daylight, although its disadvantage is that then the picture becomes less visible.

In dark bedrooms, use light-colored bedspreads (photo 35), especially if you use the bedroom during the daytime. Few people think about it, but a bedspread is a big object, and the larger your bed, the more important the bedspread plays in the overall color of the bedroom. Therefore, if your bedroom is dark, choose not only the curtains as light as possible, but also a bedspread. Light bedspreads are very beautiful, as you can see in the photo on the left. In general, bedspreads of the “light background + beautiful exquisite pattern” type are an excellent choice for any bedroom, but especially for a dark one.

Now a little about what is NOT suitable for dark rooms. All dull, faded, muted colors are contraindicated in dark rooms.

Neither for furniture, nor for carpets, nor for curtains, nor for decoration - for anything do not use colors such as in photo 36. In bright yellow electric light, they can be quite OK, but in daylight, as you can see, they take on such unpleasant "worn", especially in cloudy weather. Nothing makes a dark room look as gloomy as these colors. Moreover, there are very beautiful muted shades of green, lilac, burgundy - no matter how sorry, but you simply will not see their beauty.

Photo 36 and 37

Gray is not suitable for dark rooms. Gray, even its light shades, is in a very difficult relationship with daylight and especially with its lack. Gray during the day often takes on an unpleasant deathly hue, especially in rooms facing north and northeast. In photo 37 you see an example - an elegant gray shade would be very beautiful if it was better lit, otherwise it became flat and cold. At the same time, pay attention to this photo, how well the light floor works as a reflector.

Mother-of-pearl wallpapers are not suitable for dark rooms. Many people confuse gloss and mother-of-pearl, or think that anything that glitters and reflects light is good for a dark room. This is not true. Gloss reflects light without distortion, while mother-of-pearl distorts and darkens it. Silk-screen printing and metallography are not suitable for dark rooms - they darken the walls even more. In photo 38 you can see how strongly the intaglio absorbs light - about two meters from the window the wall is already completely dark. Imagine this wall just light, without mother-of-pearl, and you will understand the difference.

So, if you got a dark room - do not despair. Think carefully about its design and, in particular, the layout, discard dark and dull colors in favor of white, pastels and pure bright colors; ask in stores for samples of materials to look at them at home in daylight (or buy with a subsequent return if they don’t fit), approach the issue as meticulously as possible - and you will succeed. I hope you found this article helpful - if so, click the +1 button, "like" button, or your social media icon. Thank you!

The owners of apartments with dark rooms cannot be called lucky. When the windows are located on the north side or the trees outside the window interfere with the access of light, when the window openings are too small or the room has a non-standard shape and size, it will not be possible to achieve the effect of a large amount of light in the room without special techniques. Without this, any room seems uncomfortable and cramped. The design of a dark room must be thought out carefully so as not to darken it even more.

Designers offer some ideas and tips on how to brighten up a dark room. But each advice should be considered in the context of the layout of the apartment you have and the purpose of the room. Before purchasing building materials, decorative elements, pieces of furniture, take samples of them to see how they will look in a particular room, and make sure that they can be returned if they suddenly do not fit.

In order to make an underlit room brighter, you can use a number of professional design techniques, which also allow you to expand the space and add airiness to the room. The design of a dark room does not involve the use of all of the listed techniques, but only those that are suitable for a particular room and will appeal to the owners of the home.

It is hardly possible to get rid of trees in front of the window that interfere with light entering the room or expand the window opening, so we consider only those ideas that can be applied indoors.

Surface decoration

The first and main way to make a dark room brighter is to decorate the walls, ceiling and floor in white. White surfaces will reflect more light. Creating a “white box” effect in a room will make a dimly lit room visually larger, more spacious, especially if large pieces of furniture (sofa, table, shelves, wardrobe) are also white.

If white walls, a white ceiling, a white floor, and even white furniture seem boring, you can add bright accessories or small pieces of furniture in bright contrasting colors. If bright colors on a white background are also not of interest, use a large amount of natural color details that will brighten up the room. For example, you can decorate the entire wall with black and white photographs or drawings, put a lot of different accessories “under the tree”. You can also decorate some surfaces with openwork patterns, for example, cabinet doors or a headboard. Such patterns can be combined with patterns on glass, macrame, knitted napkins, etc.

It seems to many that white is a rather easily soiled color, therefore, painting or repairing walls and floors will often be required. But the materials currently on the market (tiles, washable wallpaper, resistant paint, etc.) allow you not to think about it. Naturally, such surfaces should be kept clean.

For those who under no circumstances want to decorate their bedroom, study or living room in a “hospital” color, you can suggest decorating surfaces in the following colors: light blue, light green, light pink, mint, ivory, light yellow. If possible, use the lightest colors in the palette.

Another way to decorate walls in a poorly lit room is to combine light and dark materials. The bottom of the wall is about 1/3 darker, and the top is lighter. This method will add light and allow you to visually make the ceilings higher.

Furniture in a dark room

Firstly, it is not worth overloading such premises with furniture. Especially avoid placing bulky furniture in the center of the room, as it will absorb light. It is better to use furniture on graceful legs with open space below. Such items make the atmosphere in the room lighter and more airy.

It is desirable to make the surfaces of cabinets located opposite the window glossy. So they will reflect the light. The use of mirrors is also possible, but it is worth remembering that if the gloss reflects only light, then the mirror reflects everything.

It is necessary to correctly position the furniture in an insufficiently lit room. For example, if the light hits only part of the room, that is where the dining table or work area should be located. Do not deprive yourself and your loved ones of natural light, which is already scarce in the room.

dark room lighting

For dark rooms, it is necessary to consider multi-level lighting. The ideal option is a false ceiling with a large number of spotlights. The main task is the location of light sources at different levels.

Instead of a false ceiling, you can make bumpers around the perimeter of the ceiling, in which to place hidden lighting. You can also use floor lamps, floor lamps, hang sconces at different heights. Additional lighting can be built into cabinets or niches, if they are provided in the interior.

Decorative elements and accessories

In the design of a dark room, great importance is attached to wall decor. You can use photographs or posters placed under glass. It reflects light. In addition, it is in decorative elements that you can use bright accents, but without being too zealous. Three or four bright little things will be enough.

In the decor of such a room, you should not use a huge amount of textiles. Do not overload the room with pillows and bedspreads. It is also better to refuse heavy curtains. To decorate the window, use white tulle or thin linen curtains. If possible, the window can generally be made as open as possible and not use curtains.

Common mistakes in decorating dark rooms

Many people think that bright central lighting in such a room will solve all problems, but this is not so. To illuminate as much space as possible, it is worth placing light sources at different levels.

If you approach the issue of decorating a dark room correctly and tastefully, you can make a rather cozy place out of such a room.

Comfort to your home!

There are many ways to turn a sad, dull room into a cozy room. If you add bright furniture and appropriate decor, then the area will even increase in volume. Today you will learn about these and many other ways to make a room brighter and bigger in order to turn a gloomy lair into a cozy nest.

On a note! we wrote about how to make a room visually larger.

Creative room lighting with color and lighting

The easiest thing to start with in order to try to correct the situation is to apply the play of chiaroscuro and colors.

White tone ceiling

Dark woods or darkened paint will only darken the atmosphere.

In any store, buy a couple of cans of paint, and apply it on top of the base coat. The secret is that the white tone does not absorb light, but reflects it, so after drying you will see the difference.
If you have a negative view of cold white, choose cream or cream.
Even if the walls remain the same shade, a light ceiling will refresh the room a lot.

Colorful accents to brighten up your home

If you want to paint everything in your favorite color, then try to refrain from total painting with a rich and deep color of the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe walls.

It is better that the main territory is neutral, and the color is used only as separate decorative elements on the ceiling or walls.

Use a patterned stencil. So you can decorate the ceiling around the perimeter. Apply leaves, ornaments, abstractions and other decor with your favorite color.
More saturated elements can decorate the door jambs or the plinth on the ceiling.

Maximum natural lighting

Sometimes access to natural sunlight is limited in the room, so everyone should be protected. Here are some ways to brighten up a dark room:

Hang air curtains on the windows that can let the rays through well. For example, cream tones of tulle or curtains will create an atmosphere of privacy and comfort.

Blind blinds will not work, and wooden and plastic options will completely block the access of light. The most acceptable option would be fabric blinds with good light transmission.

Use of fixtures

It is better to change (or supplement) the central overhead lighting with several lamps, placing them around the perimeter.
A harsh light source will only accentuate the darkness of the space in the corners. Soft light will make the room fresher.

Track light. Its feature is that it is not wiring that is used for fixing, but a frame with an electricity conductor. You can mount this option anywhere.
In the most important areas, place several floor lamps. Lampshades for them are better to choose not dark.

Diffused light for the room

Install several on walls and ceilings, directing them in the desired situation in different directions.

Remember candles. It is not only noble, but also a pleasant source of additional lighting, which creates a romantic atmosphere.
More powerful fluorescent lights shine brighter, and you can even choose a shade of color.

Design of furniture and decor for a bright room

Sometimes you can brighten up a room with furniture.

Saying goodbye to rubbish

Take a critical look at your surroundings. Perhaps there is something that darkens the atmosphere. Often the main problem is clutter.

The library does not need to be exposed. It's better to choose 10-15 pieces, and put it in the best place.
Large tubs with flowers should be discarded, replacing them with smaller varieties.

Using mirrors for lighting

Make the room bright with the help of mirrors. Hang a few narrow but long pieces to reflect the sun's rays that have climbed into your home. Be sure to choose mirrors that are light, not bulky, with light frames. The main advantage of this method is that the mirror reflects the sun's rays, thereby visually increasing the area of \u200b\u200bthe room.

Replacing dark furniture

Massive, dark furniture makes the interior heavier and causes a feeling of darkness. Such headsets can overshadow any room.
Consider if light paint can help.
But the dark upholstery of upholstered furniture can be hidden with a light-colored bedspread.

Application of wall shelving

In order to make the room brighter and more comfortable, you can reduce the amount of furniture. Traditional bookshelves and a table are best replaced with attached shelving. Neutral colors will do. Of the advantages, the lack of large furniture and long shadows.

Big changes to brighten up the room

If you are interested in how to brighten the room using more radical methods, you can use the following recommendations.

Light floor installation

The easiest way to hide dark-colored floors is to apply beige carpeting. In the future, it is better to completely repaint the floor, and if repairs are indispensable, then there are such recommendations:

It is better to remove a layer of paint from a wooden material to expose the texture of the wood, or subsequently paint the coating in a lighter tone, for example, a pearl gray laminate.
For a bathroom or kitchen, it is better to use glossy tiles.
As an option, polished concrete with the addition of color shines and shimmers.

Glass doors for lighting

Stained-glass windows will help to make a room without a window bright, while glass inserts are used for both external and internal doors. Even dark, massive doors will look much lighter if stained glass is used in their decor. In order to dilute the darkness, you can cut through a viewing window above the door leaf. If replacing or decorating the door is not possible, then paint them in a light shade.

Eliminating unnecessary walls is the key to effective lighting

Analyze which interior items or walls prevent the penetration of additional light. For example, often in small apartments there is an unnecessary partition between the living room and the dark corridor. It is realistic to remove it, since it is not a supporting structure, then the room will be much more spacious.

Important! To remove the wall, you should seek the services of professional builders, since in some dwellings even such walls are of functional importance. It is possible that lead or asbestos was used in the construction, the dismantling of which can be hazardous to health.

If you study in detail a lot of photos on the network, then we can conclude that you will get more sunlight if you follow these tips:

add light on the walls, so the room will look hospitable and cozy;
you can use LED lamps;

leave a little darkness, for example, for romance: a few accented lamps and candles;
a glossy stretch ceiling is the key to increasing space, you only need to.

cleanliness of windows - a guarantee of penetration of an additional 25% of sunlight;
with the help of wallpaper it is also possible to achieve lightening, for this you need to paste over the walls with plain pastel options, or canvases with fine relief or flowers;

do not choose a large pattern or voluminous flowers, this will not only increase, but also steal the square footage.

Safety

In order for all the changes to please you, it is important to know the following points:

when using candles, do not leave the fire unattended;
fluorescent bulbs contain mercury, stores often take them back, and require caution;
to install fixtures, it is better to invite the master, or to isolate the wiring as carefully as possible.

Living in a gloomy hole is uncomfortable not only practically, but also psychologically. By following the suggested recommendations, you can turn even the grayest mink into a beautiful room where it will be pleasant to spend time with the whole family.