If you are someone who loves light and air in the home, your living room will be the first place you will be working on. Whether it is the design or the style, if the living room is lacking natural light, it can be a drag. Most of the house could have good light but getting natural light into a dark room is not easy. However, it is essential. If natural light does not fall into the room, it could result in the room never getting used. If the living room does not have windows, you need to install them, and if you think it is expensive, here are a few simple ways to do it, even if it just creates an illusion of natural light.
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Make use of mirrors
Mirrors can be used to amplify the natural light in the room. It will help spread out whatever natural light can creep in on its own. It is also possible to place the mirrors strategically in the hallway to reflect light in a dark room off the side of it. When it comes to brightening up space, mirrors can work wonders but you just need to know how to use them and to place them in the most appropriate manner.
2. Create light walls with white curtains
With the floor, furniture, and ceilings in the room, you need to keep the walls as light as you can. Dark rooms will not allow enough flow of natural light. It will make you feel like you are in a cave. For a lot of natural light, keep the walls light. If you have blinds and curtains, remember to choose white curtains. Pairing them together will provide flexibility in decor and will help with privacy control. White curtains work best for windows as they reflect the light and make the room look larger if you have hung them correctly. You can also hang the curtains higher than the top of the windows or have them stick out further on the sides as it will make the windows look wider and taller.
3. Angle the furniture strategically
It is not possible to add a window to the room so it is best to play with the light whenever you can. It is possible to do this by angling the furniture towards the light so that it will reflect off it and will fill up the entire room with a little more light. It helps if the furniture is light in color. If you are opting for wood, opt for warm and light instead of a dark shade. The darker the furniture, the darker will be your room.
4. Use a light rug
It may not be possible to get more sunlight in the room but it is possible to brighten the space with a light-colored area rug. If you have dark floors, this is the best way to brighten up the area. Ensure that the ceiling of the room is white as well. Between the ceiling and the rug, the room will look taller and less dark.
5. Avoid overhead lighting
Besides getting as much natural light as you can, you can also consider using strategic lighting solutions for dark spaces. Never rely solely on the general overhead lighting. You must add table lamps or floor lights to reflect the light off the walls and brighten up the area. Drawing attention to this light will make it look more substantial. If you have a gallery wall or an accent wall, you need to ensure it is opposite from the source of natural light because it can immediately darken the room.
A dark room is not the right place for lampshades. There is a time and place for it and if you want to use one, always choose white lampshades so that the light flows through them and the shade itself will give an illusion of more light.
6. Use appropriate accent colors
It is not necessary to have only whites, light greys, and beiges in the room. You can add a few touches of color here and there but be careful of the colors you pick. Pastel colors are the best but if that is not your thing, you can also opt for something bold like blue or yellow. You must keep the room free of clutter. Reduce the amount of decor you have and keep the walls bare. Reduce the amount of accent furniture and only stick to the essentials.
It is not the easiest task to get natural light in a dark room but it is possible. You just need to design strategically and use the right decor skills to get the room enough light. Always remember to create light through airy colors in the room because no matter how many lamps you put there, it will continue to look dark.
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