{"id":31339,"date":"2024-01-18T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-18T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/?p=31339"},"modified":"2024-01-18T10:25:19","modified_gmt":"2024-01-18T10:25:19","slug":"14-designer-tips-for-lightening-up-a-dark-room","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/interiors-decor\/14-designer-tips-for-lightening-up-a-dark-room\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Designer Tips For Lightening Up A Dark Room"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Depending on your style, you might want to have a light and breezy home decor<\/a><\/strong>, but maybe you\u2019re working with a room that is dark, doesn\u2019t have natural light and just doesn\u2019t feel right. Thankfully, we\u2019ve gathered 14 designer tips that will help you lightening up that dark room<\/span><\/em><\/strong> that became the black sheep of your home!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

SEE ALSO:<\/strong> 17 Best Entertaining & Design Tips We Learned From Celebrities<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

01. Paint Your Floor White<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"designer<\/a>
Dan Mazzarini<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cWhite painted floors\u00a0reflect light around the space,\u201d Mazzarini says. \u201cI like Armorseal Rexthane by Sherwin-Williams.\u201d Here, the designer juxtaposed snow-white floors with black furnishings <\/a><\/strong>and accents for an edgy, graphic look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

02. Choose A Bright Rug<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"designer<\/a>
Ricardo Labougle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A large, multicolored area rug<\/a><\/strong>, like this one in\u00a0Juliana Lima Vasconcellos\u2019s pied-\u00e0-terre, is not just a solution for defining a specific area in a home. \u201cI love colorful carpets,\u201d McBournie says. \u201cThey have the ability to both draw you in and create a distraction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"designer<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

03. Ditch The Heavy Curtains<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"designer<\/a>
Douglas Friedman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI will opt out of using draperies and instead use a solar or Roman shade to give the appearance of less fabric while still finishing the windows,\u201d Schuster says. To wit: Get rid of heavy, dark curtains that absorb light.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"designer<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

04. Select Bright Art<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"designer<\/a>
Douglas Friedman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While dark rooms<\/a><\/strong> can be cozy, adding vibrant artwork will elevate the mood and look of the space. For added brightening properties, McBournie says: \u201cDon\u2019t forget to add some picture lights or spotlights.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"designer<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

05. Hang A Mirror<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"designer<\/a>
Stephen Kent Johnson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Double the amount of sunlight in your room<\/a><\/strong> by bouncing the light off reflective surfaces. \u201cIt helps to completely mirror a wall or to add a decorative mirror<\/a><\/strong> opposite the windows to bring in the light,\u201d Schuster say.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"designer<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

06. Try A High-Gloss Ceiling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"designer<\/a>
Roger Davies<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One of the best ways to bring more light into a room is with a high-gloss paint color, and a ceiling is the perfect spot to experiment with this design choice.<\/a><\/strong> \u201cHigh-gloss paint can add another reflective surface to a dark room,\u201d McBournie says. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"designer<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

07. Take Your Room\u2019s Temperature<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"designer<\/a>
Stephen Kent Johnson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to lighting, color temperature matters a lot! \u201cIf budget allows, use a warm-glow technology dimming bulb,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"designer<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

08. Incorporate Metallics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"designer<\/a>
Annie Schlechter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Using shimmery gold or silver accessories<\/a><\/strong> is an easy way to transform a dark and dreary space. \u201cI have successfully used metallics on the walls, ceilings, light fixtures, and accents of furniture<\/a><\/strong>,\u201d McBournie says. \u201cJust be careful\u2014too much of a good thing is too much of a good thing.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"designer<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

09. Choose Light-Wood Floors<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"designer<\/a>
Nick Glimenakis<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

When a space is in need of additional light, it\u2019s best to choose light-wood flooring to brighten up the room. \u201cA lighter floor contrasted with a colorful wall can help to \u2018push the walls out\u2019 and make the space feel larger,\u201d McBournie says. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"designer<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

10. Embrace A White Lampshade<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"designer<\/a>
Philippe Garcia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

White paper wraps rock\u2026and everything else when it comes to lightening a room. \u201cWhite paper is your friend,\u201d Mazzarini says. He suggests not holding back from bringing white paper lampshades, lanterns, and pendant lights<\/a><\/strong> into your dark space. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. Opt For A White Or Neutral Color Scheme<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"designer<\/a>
Silvia Foz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

A dark room isn\u2019t the place to try out a moody, dark color palette<\/a><\/strong>. \u201cLight hues on the walls and ceiling can really help lighten a naturally dark space,\u201d Schuster says. If your walls are\u00a0neutral, paint the ceiling a shade lighter to help light bounce around the room. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"designer<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

12. Supplement Your Daylight<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"designer<\/a>
Joshua McHugh<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Indirect lighting aimed upward can make up for lack of light on the ceiling, especially toward the end of the day. \u201cThis is an opportunity to be creative,\u201d McBournie says. \u201cFor the interior library of a New York apartment, I created and strategically placed a faux light shaft with an iron grate on a focal wall.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13. Clean Your Windows Regularly<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"designer<\/a>
Amy Neunsinger<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Yes,\u00a0we know.<\/em>\u00a0This one seems a tad obvious, but simply\u00a0cleaning your windows\u00a0will have a major effect on how much sunlight streams into the room. \u201cIt is amazing what clean windows can do for a room<\/a><\/strong>,\u201d McBournie says. \u201cI recommend doing this every spring and fall, or more often.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"designer<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

14. Hire A Lighting Designer<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"designer<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Those sad fixtures your landlord likely pulled out of a Dumpster aren\u2019t doing you\u2014or that dark room\u2014any favors. \u201cOften, a lighting designer<\/a><\/strong> can trick the eye to make the light feel more voluminous in a darker space,\u201d Schuster says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> These 10 Mid-Century Furniture Pieces Are Back In Stock And You NEED Them In Your Life!<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

For more irreverent design ideas with a vintage twist, don\u2019t forget to follow Essential Home on\u00a0Pinterest<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>. Subscribe to our newsletters\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n \"designer<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Depending on your style, you might want to have a light and breezy home decor, but maybe you\u2019re working with a room that is dark, doesn\u2019t have natural light and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":31368,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1375,8],"tags":[5395,3479,4469,1689,1543,5397,5396],"class_list":["post-31339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interior-designers","category-interiors-decor","tag-designer-tips","tag-home-decor-furniture","tag-home-decor-ideas-2","tag-interior-design-ideas","tag-interior-design-inspiration","tag-interior-designer-tips","tag-room-interior-design"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31339"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31339"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31339\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33767,"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31339\/revisions\/33767"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31368"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31339"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31339"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31339"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}