Does your home seem so... blah?
Luckily, brightening up your home is one of the easiest home improvement projects you can do. You may need to brighten a room that is dark colored or doesn't get enough natural light, or you may need to brighten a room that has a dated or stale look to change the mood. Luckily, these solutions will help in both situations. Usually, a little creativity and design change are all you need.
Furniture Fixes
You probably don't need to go buy all new furniture…unless you want to! But sometimes swapping out a piece or two can do wonders. Here are some tips.
- Rearrange the furniture. This can let in more light or just open it up for a fresh look. Tall furniture should be away from windows. Removing some furniture from a room can visually open it up, leaving more room for light.
- Use white or light-colored furniture. That doesn't necessarily mean everything has to be white. Just changing one or two pieces may help.
- Go for balance so dark furniture isn't overpowering. Add metallic pillows to a dark sofa or metallic and glass accessories on top of a dark dresser.
- Use built-ins. They keep clutter and bulky furniture from adding visual weight to the room, keeping things open and brighter.
- Go for minimalist pieces. Again, this is about bulk and clutter and the visual weight it adds to the room.
- Acrylic pieces or glass-top tables can help. Not only do they look less bulky because they are clear, but it also adds a reflective surface to spread light around the room.
Decor Fixes
Changing up the accessories in a room is usually a budget-friendly home improvement fix. Think about pillows, rugs, vases, artwork, throws, and any other accessories you have.
- Choose different colors. To brighten up the room, go for white, light-colored, bright, or metallic accessories.
- Choose different materials. Glass, crystal, mirrored, acrylic, white ceramic, or metal accessories all reflect light, helping make the room brighter.
- Change window treatments. Use sheers or translucent blinds instead of heavy drapes, Stick to white or light neutral colors. You may even want to skip the curtains entirely.
- Use white lampshades. Fixtures with glass covers should have clear, white, or frosted glass. Avoid giving the light a yellowish cast. It makes the room darker.
- Go for brighter light. Light fixtures should have all the bulbs, and they should be the maximum wattage. Changing to LED bulbs will also give you brighter light.
- Add plants. Plants give the room a double brightness boost. The plant adds color, and a carefully selected pot or vase can add even more brightness.
Paint It
A fresh coat of paint is almost guaranteed to brighten a room. The usual recommendation is to go with white. You could paint everything, use white on only one wall, or paint trim and baseboards white. If the room is a darker color, you may just want to go with a much lighter color instead.
Go All In
As a last resort, you could add new or bigger windows, and skylights, or knock out a wall to allow more light in. These are all major home improvement projects, and you'll need to call in a professional if you go this route.
Brightening up a room or even your whole house is one of the easiest things you can do to make it feel like a happy and inviting home. You'll love showing off the new look to family and friends too!
