Decorating dark rooms
How to Brighten a Dark Room in 10 Creative Ways
Figuring out how you can brighten a dark and gloomy room is always a principal challenge when moving into a new space. This is especially true if your new place is void of large windows to allow natural sunlight in. Fortunately, there are several easy ways to decorate your home or office to transform it into a brighter abode.
- ByJessica O'Neill
- August 23, 2019
Figuring out how you can brighten a dark and gloomy room is always a challenge when moving into a new space. This is especially true if your new place is void of large windows to allow natural sunlight in. Fortunately, there are several easy ways to decorate your home or office to transform it into a brighter abode.
Finding the perfect level of lighting can be challenging but fun. It is also fundamental to almost every interior design style out there. Here are some awesome ideas to brighten any dark bedroom, kitchen or living room.
1.
It’s an age old advice to use mirrors to expand visual space and brighten a dark room. However, to use your mirrors to its fullest potential, make sure to strategically place it near a light source. For example, a giant wall or floor mirror near a window can really amplify natural lighting. Placing table lamps or a floor lamp next to a mirror can also have a similar effect. For the best result, make sure that the lamp emits ambient lighting so it’s not too bright when reflected off the mirror.
2. Fairy lights, candles, and other ambient light sources
SourceIf you’re looking to add just a touch more light without overdoing the luminosity of your room, you should try to decorate with some long fairy light strings, a group of large candles, orb lights, or other ambient lights. Not only will they offer just the right touch of luminosity, but also add tremendous charm and therapeutic feel. So long as they have a warm, yellow light, they will be perfect for your home.
They create an intimate, hygge-like atmosphere that can effortlessly make even the most rugged industrial decor feel chic.
3. Pick lighter color or transparent furniture
- Source
- Source
We usually choose our sofas, chairs and tables based on our personal style and what we think goes best together. That said, always consider how your furniture decisions impact the lighting level of your home. A small, dim room? A large, gray or navy sofa is probably not the best idea! A stylish, compact sofa in a lighter color like white, beige, or ivory will make your room look and feel a lot bigger and more spacious. More importantly, avoid walnut wood tables, bed frames or TV stands. Instead, consider something like a transparent acrylic coffee table.
4. Cover floors with large, bright area rug
SourceBrighten your room by treating your bare floors to a lightly colored rug. Not only will this add some softness and texture to your floors, but it will also make your floor glow.
This is especially applicable if your dim space features dark floor boards. When selecting a color for your rug, you can opt for white/ivory, yellow, or some warmer hue combinations. To help expand visual space, make sure the rug is of larger size.
5. Embrace white walls
- Source
- Source
Every decor guide you read probably mentions this, but it’s true – white really is the best solution to brighten a dark room. White sends light bouncing around your space, reflecting back onto other surfaces and making the space look much bigger than it is. Feel that white is just too boring? Consider adding ornamental trims on the ceilings for added texture, or paint one side with a refreshing color for some diversity.
6. Deep clean your windows
This is such an obvious but oft-ignored tip. Like wearing glasses with smudges on it, a room with stained windows will feel dirty and limit visibility. Get a proper glass cleaning agent and wipe down your windows – inside and out.
You will immediately enjoy the feeling of freshness that comes along with it, and be surprised by how much natural light your room was able to invite.
The most beautiful rooms are often bursting with natural light. Not only can this make the space seem even bigger than it is, it adds complex and dynamic ambience as the day gradually shifts from day to night. So take advantage of whatever windows you are provided, and make sure to deep clean them at least once a year.
7. Opt for light beige/gray curtains
Simplify your window treatments by opting for light curtains on both sides of your windows. You can choose either blackout curtains or light drapes – either way, just make sure the color is some shade of beige or light gray. For blackout curtains, a very light gray like IKEA’s MAJGULL is a great investment (no real blackout curtain will be truly ivory or beige).
8. Pick minimalist, low-to-ground furniture
- Source
- Source
Stuffing an already-dim room with oversized furniture will cast more shadows, leading to an even darker feeling room.
To avoid this, make sure to buy minimalist furniture that lie low to the ground. Set a maximum height for your furniture and make sure that each piece falls below the set height. That means omitting that bookcase, no matter how nice it looks. Leave ample space between furniture pieces – the empty areas will offer itself up to lighting opportunities. This philosophy is core to mid-century modern design and is likely why the style became so popular – it plays so well with lighting!
9. Don’t overdo it with wall art
- Source
- Source
A common mistake amongst new designers is trying to do too much. This is especially true when it comes to decorative accessories like art. Even if you live in a mansion, as long as a room struggles with lighting, its walls should be as bare as possible so that all the light can be reflected. A single large dark wall art or a collection of photographs can really impede your efforts in brightening the space. For a dimly lit room, pick a maximum of 3 pieces out of either a wall mirror, light tapestry/wall hanging, or a lightly-toned wall art that sets the mood.
10. Aim your lights at the walls or ceiling
Instead of simply aiming your lights every which way, try illuminating the walls or ceiling. This is opposed to a bright light focused on a narrow area on the floor or a soft ambient light that offers minimal luminosity.
You can do this with a wall sconce or torchiere floor lamp. When you wash the walls/ceiling with light, you infuse every corner of the room with a warm glow, making it feel cosy yet spacious. If you plan to install pot lights into your ceiling, always add a few at the very edges so that you can elegantly cast light down the walls.
SourceAs you can see, learning how to brighten your dark room can be a challenge, but also fun and creative – you’re not just limited to adding mirrors and white paint to every surface! If you give any of these a try, we would love to see your photos and hear about your results. Join the conversation in the comment section below.
Jessica O'Neill
Museum Lover | Traveler | Historian 🇨🇦🍁
Sign Up for Our Newsletters
How to Brighten a Dark Room
Remember what amateur photographer and Beetlejuice love interest Lydia Deetz told her father when he offered to build her a darkroom in the basement? “My whole life is a dark room.
One. Big. Dark. Room.” Well, to each their own and all that, but for the majority of us, to have a light-filled home is preferable. It’s not always easy, however. In fact, brightening up a dark space is a common challenge when designing a room. Thankfully, there are foolproof tricks that interiors professionals like Jessica Schuster, Dan Mazzarini, and Gary McBournie use to add light through details. From painting the ceiling to layering in accessories, we asked them for some tips to help you let the light in.
1
Paint Your Floor White
Courtesy Dan Mazzarini
As if you needed a reason to cover those midcentury parquet floors that came with the apartment. “White painted floors reflect light around the space,” Mazzarini says. “I like Armorseal Rexthane by Sherwin-Williams.” Here, the designer juxtaposed snow-white floors with black furnishings and accents for an edgy, graphic look.
2
Choose a Bright Rug
Ricardo Labougle
A large, multicolored area rug, like this one in Juliana Lima Vasconcellos’s pied-à-terre, is not just a solution for defining a specific area in a home. “I love colorful carpets,” McBournie says. “They have the ability to both draw you in and create a distraction.”
3
Ditch the Heavy Curtains
Douglas Friedman
“I 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,” Schuster says. To wit: Get rid of heavy, dark curtains that absorb light. Here in the designer’s own apartment, the curtain-less look accentuates the natural light that floods in.
4
Select Bright Art
Douglas Friedman
While dark rooms can be cozy, adding vibrant artwork will elevate the mood and look of the space.
For added brightening properties, McBournie says: “Don’t forget to add some picture lights or spotlights.”
In this cozy den in San Francisco, designer Nicole Hollis made a bright artwork by Doug Aitken the mesmerizing focal point of the largely dark room.
5
Hang a Mirror
Stephen Kent Johnson
Double the amount of sunlight in your room by bouncing the light off reflective surfaces. “It helps to completely mirror a wall or to add a decorative mirror opposite the windows to bring in the light,” Schuster says—just as Gabriel Hendifar did in his sultry New York apartment, shown here.
6
Try a High-Gloss Ceiling
Roger Davies
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.
“High-gloss paint can add another reflective surface to a dark room,” McBournie says. Here in a Beverly Hills home, designer Oliver M. Furth painted the ceiling in Pratt & Lambert’s high-gloss lacquer in Gun Powder.
7
Take Your Room’s Temperature
Stephen Kent Johnson
When it comes to lighting, color temperature matters a lot! And according to Mazzarini, 2700K bulbs are recommended as you enter the world of LED lights. “If budget allows, use a warm-glow technology dimming bulb,” he adds.
Lighting designer Lindsey Adelman would know: Here in her Brooklyn townhouse, she selected her own Drop System chandelier to create just the right ambience.
8
Incorporate Metallics
Annie Schlechter
Using shimmery gold or silver accessories is an easy way to transform a dark and dreary space.
“I have successfully used metallics on the walls, ceilings, light fixtures, and accents of furniture,” McBournie says. “Just be careful—too much of a good thing is too much of a good thing.” In a bedroom of a South Florida home, for example, designer Rodney Lawrence incorporated just the right amount of silvery accents in the lamps and de Gournay wallpaper.
9
Choose Light-Wood Floors
Nick Glimenakis
When a space is in need of additional light, it’s best to choose light-wood flooring to brighten up the room. “A lighter floor contrasted with a colorful wall can help to ‘push the walls out’ and make the space feel larger,” McBournie says. Designer Delia Kenza did precisely that in her recent renovation of a Brooklyn townhouse, shown here.
10
Embrace a White Lampshade
Philippe Garcia
White paper wraps rock.
..and everything else when it comes to lightening a room. “White paper is your friend,” Mazzarini says. He suggests not holding back from bringing white paper lampshades, lanterns, and pendant lights into your dark space. Take this bright bedroom in a Belgian retreat designed by Olivier Dwek, for example.
11
Opt for a White or Neutral Color Scheme
Silvia Foz
A dark room isn’t the place to try out a moody, dark color palette. “Light hues on the walls and ceiling can really help lighten a naturally dark space,” Schuster says. If your walls are neutral, paint the ceiling a shade lighter to help light bounce around the room. That strategy helped this New York apartment designed by fashion veteran Carly Cushnie feel extra airy.
12
Supplement Your Daylight
Joshua McHugh
Indirect lighting aimed upward can make up for lack of light on the ceiling, especially toward the end of the day.
“This is an opportunity to be creative,” McBournie says. “For 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.”
Another excellent example? Here in a pint-sized kitchen designed by Cochineal, vintage sconces take the place of humdrum task lighting.
13
Clean Your Windows Regularly
Amy Neunsinger
Yes, we know. This one seems a tad obvious, but simply cleaning your windows will have a major effect on how much sunlight streams into the room. “It is amazing what clean windows can do for a room,” McBournie says. “I recommend doing this every spring and fall, or more often.” You can see how the strategy pays off in this light-filled living room designed by Nickey Kehoe.
14
Hire a Lighting Designer
Those sad fixtures your landlord likely pulled out of a Dumpster aren’t doing you—or that dark room—any favors.
“Often, a lighting designer can trick the eye to make the light feel more voluminous in a darker space,” Schuster says. The lighting in this moody Richard Mishaan–designed powder room strikes just the right note.
Charles Curkin Articles Editor, ELLE Decor Charles Curkin is ELLE Decor's Articles Editor, covering everything related to the architecture, interior design, real estate, and travel industries, and has previously written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Paris Review.
interior of the living room and bedroom in brown and coffee tones with photo
Inexperienced designers think that the design of a dark room is too gloomy and boring. However, this is not true. This article will present design options in such a design.
Dark colors are in demand for many styles.
Darkroom tips and tricks
Contents
- Darkroom tips and tricks
- Common mistakes
- Decorative elements and accessories in dark design
- How to arrange lighting in a dark room
- VIDEO: Interior in dark colors - design options.
- 50 dark interior design options:
The first thing that comes to mind when you think of a dark room is the black shade that covers everything in the room. Therefore, the design is considered boring, which can be considered a mistake. The main thing is that the furniture and colors should be in harmony with each other.
Before you include these shades in your interior, you need to learn about all the most popular colors and their features
The most important feature of such a design solution is the ability to decorate any style. Black will not spoil the classic or modern style, but rather, on the contrary, it will decorate them, add zest. If dark colors are used, it is best to complement them with original glossy furniture and decor.
It is important to understand with which interior styles noble shades will look most harmonious.
However, black should not be overdone if such a design is created in small rooms or apartments. Because of this, they will seem even smaller, and the walls will begin to “crush”, which may cause a feeling of overwhelm.
Getting acquainted with ready-made examples will greatly simplify thinking through your own design.
Important! If you want to equip a small room in such a design, the best way out is to divide it into several zones.
When creating a dark design, it is important not to make a mistake with the choice of finishes, furniture, decor, and also to combine them correctly into one overall picture.
A dark color will look different in different rooms.
Another feature of this design is the creation of an atmosphere of mystery.
Common mistakes
The most common mistake when creating a dark room is filling with black. This leads to the fact that the design becomes simply boring and monotonous.
Dark color can visually reduce the space and darken the room.
The best solution would be to add some light colors to add variety to the design of the room. For example, paint the walls black and buy lighter furniture.
In general, professional designers recommend playing with colors, as this will help create a unique design.
An undoubted positive feature of dark colors in the interior is that they make the appearance of the room non-standard.
Surface design: walls, floor and ceiling
If the room is small, you can play on the contrast: paint one of the walls in dark colors and other surfaces in white. Thanks to this decision, it seems as if the room has become larger, and the black color will add mystery. You can also enhance the mystique by adding a few decorative elements. For example, wallpaper.
Such colors can be seen in the apartments of bold, creative individuals who are not afraid to show their individuality.
It's also a good idea to add brighter hues so that you don't create a black and white movie effect.
Although the most important and effective way is the creation of a "white box". That is, you need to paint the walls, ceiling and floor white. Thus, more light will be reflected. It will also seem as if the room has increased in size. This effect can be enhanced if everything in the room is completely white.
Black and deep gray will harmonize in the interior with any other colors.
However, a room that is completely painted white may seem boring to many. In this case, you can dilute it with other bright colors. If this does not help, then you can try to decorate the entire wall with black and white photographs or drawings, as well as use different openwork patterns on the bed or wardrobes.
Dark colors can be embodied in classic styles such as Art Deco or English style, as well as modern minimalism or even high-tech.
For those who don't want to paint the walls white because they look like a hospital ward, you can choose another color like light yellow. The color does not have to be white, the main thing is its brightness.
Furniture in a dark room
Furniture in a dark room is just as important as lighting.
- The first step is to deal with the sofa. If it is too bulky, in no case should it be placed in the center. This is due to the fact that it will absorb light.
It will also be ideal if you put a sofa with legs that highlight the space between the floor and the bottom. This will create a feeling of lightness. - Wardrobes, beds, armchairs, etc., as well as a sofa, must be on legs. It will also be excellent if openwork patterns are applied to them. This will slightly dilute the darkness in the room. It is also better not to put a black sofa in the interior of the living room. This may make it too dark.
- If you are going to put a lot of furniture in the room - do not choose too dark shades. Because of this, a gloomy, oppressive atmosphere will arise in the room. You can't relax in a room like this.
- Black or brown curtains are best. Light tulle and dark curtains will stand out favorably.
Darkroom color options
There are many options for darkroom color options, but in this part of the article we will look at a few of them.
Brown
This color is very versatile - depending on how you use it, it can be warm or cool.
In addition, it has many different shades, each of which can suit a specific design. Deep shades allow you to focus on the beautiful details of furniture and accessories.
In large rooms that face the sunlit side, you can paint the walls in shades of black, as they will stand out. In smaller rooms, on the contrary, light varieties of brown should be used. So it will be possible to create the illusion that the room is larger than it seems.
Since this color was not created artificially, it goes well with various textures. For example, you can use a tree structure. This will help bring diversity and individuality to the room, breathe freshness into it. You can also stick brown wallpaper in the bedroom.
It is important to consider interior styles before using dark colors.
Other colors will look good in a brown room. Do not be afraid to experiment, because this is the only way you can find the mixture of colors you need.
Brown Beige
It's no surprise that brown goes so well with beige, as they are almost related colors.
This combination is very natural and calm. Thanks to them, you can create the illusion of increased space, as well as make it a little lighter. In order to give contrast, dark brown shades are usually added. This combination will make the atmosphere more aristocratic.
This combination is suitable for a classic style.
Coffee with milk
This color is very delicate. Located in a room where the walls are painted in this shade, very nice. Although most of all it is suitable for the kitchen.
However, no matter how good it is, professional designers advise adding contrasting colors. But the most important thing in this design is not to overdo it with the decor.
Dark colors are perfect for accenting interiors, creating whimsical contrasts.
The living room in the color of coffee with milk will look perfect.
Coffee
A very soothing color that has a calming effect on the person. Psychologists believe that in a room with coffee shades it is much easier to make difficult decisions.
Therefore, the choice of rich people who already know what they want from life falls on this color. When dark colors are perfectly combined in the interior with other colors, it gives a real aesthetic pleasure to stay in such a room.
A living room in coffee tones will also look great.
Chocolate
Chocolate shade gives a feeling of protection, and being in a room with this color is uplifting.
But, despite the advantages of chocolate color, it is not recommended to paint the entire room with it. It is best to choose furniture of this color or use it to paint the floor and walls.
Dark is often embodied in noble shades of brown, which can often be found in furniture.
Design options for different rooms with a dark design
In this part of the article we will look at how best to decorate different rooms with a dark design.
Living room
Living room is one of the most important rooms in the house. This is where the hosts receive guests and spend most of their time.
Therefore, the design of this room should not be annoying and relaxing. It is best to make the living room completely dark, but add some light and bright colors. For example, turquoise or vanilla.
Wenge, walnut and dark gray with bright accents will look good in the living room.
You will also need to work with the lighting so that there are no places where there will be too many shadows. Because of this, the whole design can be destroyed because of this small detail.
Bedroom
The bedroom is an integral part of the house. There, a person rests, gaining strength before a new working day. And therefore, most often white colors are used for it. However, black might work much better.
It is desirable to leave the ceiling in the bedroom light.
If you don't really like black, you can choose a lighter one - gray or brown. You can also play with colors by decorating the walls with white, black and gray tones. You can also add lilac, but this combination is not suitable for everyone.
Hallway
There are many ways to make your hallway dark, but the most effective way is to replace cabinets with compact storage systems.
To a greater extent, this option is acceptable in modern interior trends.
Dark colors do not tolerate massive furniture, so it is better to replace them. For example, use a wall hanger, shelves or cabinet. However, you should be more careful with this - you need to keep the doors at the shelves in order. Otherwise, the accumulation of things can make the hallway even smaller.
Children's room
In the nursery, the child should feel safe and at the same time feel comfortable. Brown is perfect for this. At the same time, you need to take care of the furniture, which should not be too bulky. A small brown crib would be perfect.
Brown and beige - a classic and discreet combination of warm shades.
Walls in the child's room can be pasted over with brown wallpaper, after which a light-colored bed and a turquoise-brown table can be placed.
Decor and accessories in dark design
Wall decor should be preferred. For this, photographs or posters that are previously placed under glass are suitable. This will reflect the light. Yes, and in decorative elements, you can use light shades, but not overdoing it. If you take three or four bright little things, this is quite enough.
The combination of purple and gray will be especially beautiful in a room with large windows and glossy ceilings.
White tulle is perfect for window decoration. However, it will be even better if you can abandon the curtains.
How to design the lighting in a dark room
Professional designers name several important principles on which lighting in a dark design is built:
- Lighting should be multi-level. One chandelier cannot hang in a dark room. You need some lamps.
- Lamps should fill the whole room with light so that there are no gloomy corners.
It will be necessary to think about the wiring so that the adapters stretched throughout the room do not spoil the overall impression.
Carefully approach the choice of lamps. The light from them should be soft, soothing. Regular incandescent bulbs will not work.
A dark room has a positive effect on the human psyche - it calms the nerves and helps to focus on making important decisions. However, do not overdo it with black colors.
VIDEO: Interior in dark colors - design options.
50 interior design ideas in dark colors:
10 ideas for decorating a small space
Agree that decorating the interior of small rooms is a rather difficult task. The wrong color for a room of this size can lead to a feeling of isolation, and too much furniture can “heavier” the space. Professional interior designers are real master illusionists who can give a small room more air with the help of various tricks, which you can learn about in this article.
1. Don't use dark colors
Have you ever been in a room with dark colors, dark furniture and dark carpets? One gets the impression that such a room "presses" on you.
This is a common problem with dark shades, which is especially common for residents of small rooms. For such rooms, it is necessary to use light shades, for example, blue, light gray, green, beige and other neutral colors. 2. Don't be afraid to make bold decisions
Some people reject bold solutions for small spaces. For example, many people are afraid to decorate the walls with canvas paintings, use large floral and graphic prints, and use vertical or horizontal stripes. An interesting fact is that horizontal stripes visually enlarge a small room, while vertical stripes create the impression of high ceilings. A small space will take on a whole new life if you are not afraid to use large prints. You should not decorate the interior of such rooms with tiny prints, as they will create a feeling of heaviness and chaos.
3. Pay attention to the proportions
Do not use large furniture, such as a sofa, in a small room, as it will draw all attention to itself and “eat up” your space, which is already small.
Too small a sofa may seem quite tiny in such a room. To achieve balance, you need to use a harmonious number of large and small items. For example, you can place a bookcase along the wall in such a room, and small elegant chairs next to it, or put a low table next to massive furniture. 4. Do not use a contrasting color on the floor and walls
When you enter any new room, your eyes unconsciously follow from the floor to the wall and then to the ceiling. If these three planes are made in the same color, then the boundaries between them will be less noticeable, due to which this space will merge together, which will visually enlarge the room.
5. No need to clutter up the room
A random amount of objects in a small room creates the same feeling as dark walls. If a room is crammed with furniture, knick-knacks, collectibles, pillows, and more, it will appear smaller. To maintain a sense of freedom, you need to choose a few important items for the interior, in your opinion, and focus all your attention only on them, thus realizing your creative ideas without sacrificing space.
You can put up shelves for family photos, but don't put mementos on the table. Try to be minimalist. 6. Arrange furniture correctly
So, you have furniture of the right size and want to arrange it so that you can move around the room without problems. To achieve this, we recommend placing the sofa and chairs away from the wall, which will create depth in your space and open up a lot of the floor, making the room appear larger. Another tricky move is to use the same tone in the furniture and in the color of the floor.
7. Don't forget about lighting
A small room with poor lighting will look like a cave - this is an inevitable fact. A properly lit room should have three light sources that bounce off the walls, visually expanding the room. Use table lamps, mirrors, or mirror stickers in addition to natural light to create the illusion of a larger room.
8. Don't use complicated window decoration
Small rooms can be overwhelmed by bulky window decoration.
