Do you feel as though your home isn’t as bright as it could be? If so then you need to make a change. By taking action you can give your home a positive overhaul, make it feel brighter and ensure it looks great for years to come. Here are some practical and easy clever tricks to try.
Rearrange your Furniture
One of the first things to try is rearranging your furniture. It’s possible, for example, that your furniture could be obstructing the light coming in through your windows, especially if a sofa is located in front of a window. By rearranging the layout of furniture in a room, you could allow the sun to shine in properly and help brighten the room with natural light.
Streamline Shelves
Another practical idea worth trying is to streamline your shelves. It may be tempting to pack in built-in shelves and load them with books and decorative objects, but you can easily end up with very little space for anything else. Be sure to leave a little bit of empty space on your shelves so your home does not look starved of storage. Little things like this can make your home look more open and brighter.
Utilize Paint
One of the best ways to make a difference to the brightness of a room is to use paint as a way to distribute light. For example, a light pink living room can look very warm and bright if you play your cards right. If there isn’t a lot of natural light in your home then using light paint colours is a good way of brightening up your space – try it in hallways, living room walls and bedrooms.
Use Mirrors
Having a mirror in a room is a great way of helping small or dark spaces feel brighter. Mirrors can be hung on a wall, or propped against them (especially larger mirrors) to reflect and bounce light around the room.
Playful Patterns
A living room with mixed patterns can help add interest and brightness to your space – but only if you get the balance right. Pretty and fresh wallpapers in light colour palettes will help give an airy feel and give the illusion of space. Wallpaper can add personality and style, plus add textural interest. Look for papers that have metallic elements in them; gold or silver details will shine as the light hits it, creating little pockets of glow.
Eliminate Heavy Curtains
If you want a room to look brighter, then take a look at your curtains. If you have thick or heavy curtains in your window and the room tends to be too dark, the curtains may be detrimental. Instead, think about swapping your heavy curtains for an option that is lighter and breezier. If you still want the blackout benefits, it’s worth considering Roman blinds as a way to reduce the overall impact of heavy fabric.
Choose Light Flooring
Another useful trick to use to help a room feel brighter is to have a light colour on your floor. Whether you choose painted wooden floors, natural coloured carpets or light wood effect panelling, a lighter floor colour will help distribute light around the room more effectively. If you have a dark hallway, colourful ceramic floor tiles can add interest, or you could choose light wood such as maple or birch and carry it through the hall into your kitchen. Add a pop of colour to dark alcoves by adding potted floor plants in reflective metallic pots. Check out a plant delivery service to find indoor plants suitable for your home.
Use Artwork
Modern art, especially abstract art, is a great way to add vibrancy to your space. It adds visual interest to a room but also helps personalise your space. In dark rooms, adding small pops of colour in the form of art can help lift the mood and provide a sense of brightness. Choose pieces that you love and that won’t date too much and have fun experimenting with the best way to incorporate them.
[…] everything out of the room except the largest pieces of furniture. Light colours help to give a brighter feel, but you don’t have to stick to plain white – pale grey, taupe, beige or cream will […]