Design Tips to Lighten and Brighten a Small, Dark Room

Small, dark rooms can go one of two ways – they can look like a depressing cave, or they can feel snug, like you’re wrapped in a warm, cozy blanket.

But what if you want your small space to feel brighter, airier, and bigger?

Lucky for you, there’s a right way to achieve this feeling, even if your room is cramped and the one window faces north. These design tips will show you how.

5 Design Tips to Turn a Cave-Like Room into an Airy Haven

Some of these design tips might surprise you.

1. Hang Mirrors—Lots of Them

Mirrors can do a lot for a small, dark space. For one thing, they can create the illusion of more square footage via reflection. For another, that same reflective surface bounces light around, which means you get more bang for your buck without having to resort to blowing out a wall and adding more windows.

2. Paint the Walls a Neutral, Medium Tone

A common mistake people make in dark rooms is painting the walls white. While this may seem like a logical decision, white walls without lots of light to bounce off them look dingy, dreary, and blah.

Instead, inject some life into the room and paint the walls a light to medium tone in a neutral color, like gray, beige, or soft brown/tan. These will keep the room from feeling heavy and add a touch of contrast. Plus, they will work with the lack of light rather than against it. Add color through furniture, art, and accessories.

3. Clean the Windows

If your room is dark, try the most practical option and see if cleaning the windows helps let more sunlight through. You might be surprised by how much brighter a room seems when the light is filtering through sparkling clean glass.

4. Add More Light Sources

Another practical design tip: not enough light? Add it.

Specifically, think about task lighting. Is it difficult to see what you’re reading or working on in your dim living room? Add table lamps at seating height. Does your dark kitchen make you dread cooking? Add under-cabinet lighting to brighten your work station.

Is the dining room suffering from one window and an ineffective overhead light? Add floor lamps in various corners, or consider sconces flanking the doorways, windows, or a piece of art. Furthermore, don’t be shy about switching on lamps during the daytime to supplement the available daylight.

5. Don’t Block Off the Light

You’re not helping a dark room if you block off one or more of the light sources. To this end, don’t put large furniture pieces or bookcases in front of windows. Don’t cover them up with heavy drapes or curtains. Keep windows unobstructed, and opt for sheer panels or lightweight curtains in a light color – ones that can be opened wide.

Follow these design tips and you may just find yourself living in a brighter, lighter, happier space without much effort.