Having a dark or poorly lit room can really put a dampener on your mood. Scientific research has shown that humans feel better when in a natural source of light, meaning that your dull room can be negatively impacting yours, and your family’s, mental well-being. If this is the case for your home, we have some tips to help lighten up your space.
Paint it lighter
Dark colours absorb light rather than reflecting it. Painting your walls and ceiling a bright white will allow the light in the room to bounce around, instantly making the room feeling airy and bright.
Utilise natural light
If it’s possible, consider adding more windows to your room – a skylight, for instance. If this isn’t possible, make the most out of your natural lighting by choosing a window treatment that’s going to allow the most light to penetrate the room. Vertical blinds, Roman blinds and Venetian blinds would all work well as the light fabric and ability to fully retract won’t deter from the natural light. Also, remember to regularly clean your windows – inside and out. By removing layers of dirt, smears and streaks you’ll allow more light to enter the room.
Avoid curtains!
Following on from that last point, curtains aren’t great for allowing light into your rooms. The fabric is too thick and curtains can only be fully drawn, blocking all natural light, or fully open, which detracts from privacy. In this situation, blinds are most definitely the best window treatment available.
Optimize your artificial lighting
A single overhead light can seem too harsh and artificial, especially in contrast with the natural sunlight you can see out of your window, making the room seem dull. Try swapping it for multiple perimeter lights and floor lamps for much more natural and diffused lighting. Another tip is to replace the bulbs you have with compact fluorescent bulbs which have a higher light intensity than traditional bulbs.
Add mirrors
A mirror is a great way to make a room seem brighter as it reflects the light around the room. Place a mirror directly opposite a window, if possible, to ensure that the most light possible is reflected around the room and choose a light-coloured frame for maximum impact.
Declutter
Eliminating some of the furniture and clutter in your room can really make it seem lighter. Try replacing bookshelves and tables with a few light-coloured wood (or painted white) wall-mounted shelves to reveal more space in your room for the light to reach. Removing as much clutter as possible will make the room feel less claustrophobic and a larger space will instantly feel brighter and better.
UK Blinds Direct have a wide variety of blinds to help optimize the lighting in your home, including pleated blinds, Roman blinds, vertical blinds, Venetian blinds and roller blinds. Ask us about our perfect fit blinds for clean lines that will emphasise the space and decrease clutter! For more information, contact us here.