Do you have a room in your house that feels dark and drab? Dark rooms can have benefits. For instance, they can make good bedrooms. However, in rooms meant for activity, a lack of light can interfere with your activities, making you tired or unmotivated. When people think about brightening a room, several ideas come to mind.
- Adding new windows – Bringing more light from outside will certainly brighten a room. However, new windows can be a big investment and may not always be feasible.
- Cleaning existing light sources – Dirty, dusty windows and light fixtures can significantly restrict the amount of light in a room. Something as simple as a thorough cleaning can make a big difference.
- Replacing curtains, blinds, and drapes – Dark or drab window coverings may be blocking lots of light or tinting the light that comes through in a way that dulls the color. Choosing light colors that will reflect all of the light from outside.
- Change the furniture – Does the room contain lots of dark furniture? Perhaps lots of wood shelves or a dark rug? Paint dark shelves, cover a dark couch with a light couch cover or cover a dark table with a white tablecloth.
- Add more light fixtures – Especially high-efficiency, full spectrum lighting.
- Replacing wall colors and coverings – Dark paint or wallpaper will absorb light, making the entire room darker. A simple paint job with a light and bright color can turn a room around.
- Light a dark room with new flooring – A dark floor can be dramatic and elegant, but it will also darken a space. Just like walls, a dark floor can suck the light from a room
How to lighten a dark room with new flooring.
When people think of ways to lighten a dark room, they usually think of walls. But flooring is just as important. When choosing a lighter floor, it is important to keep these tips in mind:
- Choose something scratch-resistant and easy to clean in high-traffic areas – Scuffs and scratches will show up easier on a light floor, so it’s important to choose a material that is resistant to scratches and stains.
- Cover high traffic areas with rugs – Another way to ensure that a lighter floor stays free of strains and scratches is to cover the most high traffic areas with an area rug. Choose a lighter colored rug that can be washed easily.
- Choose a wood-grained or textured flooring pattern – wood or other texture will hide small scratches and stains in their patterns.