A room with good natural lighting is a beautiful sight, but don’t give up hope if there are certain rooms in your home that are lacking in that department. Rather than tell you to install a few windows and call it a day, we’ve put together 5 simple yet effective tips to brighten dark spaces!

Clean Windows

According to Good Housekeeping, you should deep clean your windows on an annual basis. While it certainly isn’t a fun task, it can be surprisingly effective when it comes to letting more light in. Give equal attention to both the inside and the outside of the window — remove the screen and use a dedicated window cleaner or an equal mix of vinegar and water.

 

Utilize Mirrors

Now that the dirty work is done, it’s time to put on your interior design hat. While fun prints and art pieces certainly add interest to your walls, mirrors can serve a purpose beyond simply checking your reflection. If possible, look to the wall opposite of a window and either hang a medium to large sized mirror there or lean a floor-length mirror against the wall. Whatever sunlight that does come in will reflect off of the mirror and make the room seem larger and brighter.

 

Update Lighting

We sometimes tend to treat lighting and lightbulbs as an afterthought. Take a look at the space in question — are you relying solely on overhead lighting? Have your considered a floor lamp or table lamp? If you’re already utilizing one or both of these additions, did you choose the lightbulbs with intention? Give yourself permission to swap incandescent or CFL bulbs with LED bulbs that are brighter and more energy-efficient.

 

Choose Lighter Fabrics

If your space has little to no natural light, the next step is to address the “heaviness” of the decor in the room. While painting walls a lighter color and installing flooring with nude tones will certainly help, these are bigger projects to tackle. For a quicker solution, assess the fabrics being used. Could the drapes be swapped out for a lighter fabric in weight and color?

Overhauling your bedding and throw pillows can have a major impact as well. We sometimes don’t realize how much heavy patterns or deep brown and red hues can impact the feeling of a room.

 

Install DuoLite

Selecting window treatments for the bedroom requires the utmost care. The ideal scenario involves enjoying deep, uninterrupted sleep with the option to wake up naturally with the sun or opt to ignore it altogether and sleep in. It typically seems like an either/or decision between blackout or sheer window treatments. With the Hunter Douglas DuoLite — you get the best of both. You can enjoy what sunlight comes in during the day and block out any unwanted light at night.

 

 

Have you implemented any of the tips above or discovered a few of your own? Feel free to share them with us! We love helping homeowners create bright and inspiring spaces that they can’t wait to come home to.