12 Easy Ways to Brighten a Dark Room

Nix The Heavy Curtains

There are plenty of window treatment options on the market that provide privacy without turning your abode into a vampire's lair. Get rid of heavy, dark curtains that absorb light, and instead opt for translucent shades that allow sunshine to spread throughout the room.

Add Metallics

Incorporating shimmery gold or silver accessories is an easy way to transform a dark and dreary space. The simple addition of a metallic mirror, light fixture, piece of artwork, or even a decorative object has a way of reflecting light and making a design scheme feel more luxurious.

Trim The Trees By Your Windows

If light can't reach your window, it certainly won't brighten your room. Make sure any bushes or trees cushioning your windows are trimmed regularly, and avoid planting trees on the southern side of your home (as Scandinavian Home Staging explains, the sun will be too high for the trees to provide shade in the summer, and in the winter, the foliage will block your windows from solar warmth).

Opt For Matte, Not Glossy

It may seem counterintuitive, but glossy walls can create glare (rather than reflect light equally). Matte surfaces, on the other hand, reflect light in every direction.

Clean Your Windows

Yes, we know. This one seems a tad obvious, but simply cleaning your windows can have a major effect on how much sunlight streams into the room. The less dirt, dust and splatters on your windows, the more sunshine can peek into your room. (Plus, cleaning a window is way easier than installing more windows.)

Supplement Your Daylight

Carefully think about where you place light fixtures throughout your space. The New York Times reports that indirect lighting aimed upward (say, a torchiere floor lamp at the back of the room) can make up for lack of light on the ceiling as daylight dwindles.

Be Mindful Of Paintings

You love your art — but do you love it more than a healthy dose of Vitamin D? Save your large, dark artworks for rooms that aren't short on light. If you cover a wall with paintings or posters, they will absorb the little sunlight streaming into your space rather than reflect it.

Place Bookshelves Perpendicular To Window Walls

Bookshelves or partitions should never be parallel to a window, or they'll obstruct the light. Carefully consider the flow of daylight and how you want to promote it.

Opt For A White Or Neutral Color Scheme

This isn't the place to try out a moody, dark color palette. Think back to 6th-grade science: The lighter the color of your walls, the more light they'll reflect. If your walls are neutral, paint the ceiling a shade lighter to help light bounce around the room.

Use Shiny Surfaces To Your Advantage

While you don't want to go glossy on the walls (remember: glare), reflective surfaces can play to your advantage when it comes to bouncing light. For a room with limited sunlight, opt for glimmering items like acrylic accents, translucent furniture, and mirrored surfaces such as reflective coffee tables.

Embrace the Power of a Colorful Rug

A large, colorful area rug is not just a solution for defining a specific area in a home. It can also be used to energize a room and show off your aesthetic.

Hang Plenty Of Mirrors

Double the amount of sunlight in your room by allowing it to bounce off reflective surfaces. Hang a large mirror directly across from the largest window in your room, or arrange an array of smaller mirrors to help brighten a dark staircase, suggests Houzz.