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There are few things that are as depressing and unattractive as a dark home that doesn’t have enough light. If you have moved into an older home then you are more likely to have insufficient light because older homes tend to be built with smaller and fewer windows and they were built with more closed-off areas instead of wide open spaces. If you are tired of feeling like you are trapped in a dungeon when you are at home, here are some ways that you can bring more light and cheeriness into your home.
Utilize south-facing rooms
If you have extra rooms in your home that aren’t in use, try to utilize the south-facing rooms more than the north-facing rooms. South-facing rooms will automatically receive more sunlight in the morning as well as the afternoon hours (as long as they have windows of course). This is especially important if you are planning to turn one of the rooms into an office area, because you will want your office to be as bright and cheerful as possible.
Switch out small windows for large windows
If you have enough money in your budget for a little bit of remodeling, you should replace the small windows in your house with larger windows that will let in more light. This is one of the best ways to brighten up a dark house as long as you can afford it. Also, if you have curtains over your windows you should try to open them up as much as possible during the day to let in extra light. If your curtains are too large and heavy to open up all the way, you should purchase lighter curtains that can be moved all the way to the side during the daytime hours.
Wash your windows often
As simple as it may sound, you can greatly increase the light in your home by simply washing your windows on a regular basis. Over time, dust and grime can build up on your windows and block out quite a bit of light. If you keep your windows clean you should notice that the amount as well as the quality of light in your home increases.
Repaint
A fresh coat of light paint can make a world of difference when it comes to how bright your home is. Although it is currently stylish to add dark-colored paints to at least one wall in your home, it is a good idea to forego this trend if your home is already overly dark. Instead, brighten up the rooms in your home with a fresh and clean coat of light-colored paint. You should also shy away from dark-colored carpets and furniture if you really want to brighten up your home.
Add artificial lighting
If you have done everything you can to allow more natural light into your home but it simply isn’t enough, you can always add artificial lighting to help brighten up your indoor space. Consider purchasing both floor lamps and table lamps to brighten corners and tabletops. Also, if your house seems unapproachable and dark even on the outside, brighten up the windows with some cheerful window candles. This is an especially beautiful way to make your home seem more festive and bright during the holidays.
Even if your home seems irreversibly dark and gloomy, if you follow the steps above you will have a brighter and more cheerful home in no time.
Article courtesy of Battery Operated Candles.
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Great tips! I find that I can focus better in lighted surroundings. Thanks. I truly appreciate this blog, especially the blog name: Powered by Mom!
Thanks for all these great suggestions, I live in an old house and am slowly painting the dark drabby rooms a light color to brighten them up. thanks for all the great ideas.
I am always looking on ways to lighten things up, especially n the winter!
great tips! I am ready to put on a fresh coat of paint now lol
Window treatments can make a difference as well!! Great article!
love this article very informative
Wonderful ideas. By all means, bring in the light!
This so true I have SADS and light is very important to my moods. Lots of light real or artificial doesn’t matter just need it.
I love lots of sunlight coming in but use a lot of lamps, lights and candles all winter long. The gloomy weather is depressing.Great article.
i dont like dark rooms.. they leave me feeling depressed for some reason. thank you for the tips
My dark house makes the Winter Blues even worse.
I am slowly remodeling my house and will definitely be adding extra lighting. Also< I probably should wash my windows.
Yes, darkness makes me feel as though I am in a dungeon. I have a monster building behind me which is the only side that ever had light coming in. Thank you for this information.
All great ideas. We do live in an older home, but it was updated once and almost every main room has lots of windows. However, due to large furniture pieces it’s hard to configure the rooms without covering at least part of every set of windows. Luckily all the rooms are white (BLAH !!!!!) but it helps when you turn on lights in each room.
Living in an apartment, there is very little natural light. Next place, we will have large (south) windows.
Yaaay, and energy efficient.
I open the blinds or curtains every day, no matter what the weather is like.
These are good suggestions, my bedroom is very dark and I’m always looking for ways to brighten it up!
These are great ideas. Dark rooms are especially depressing this time of the year.
i am in the process of moving into a new place and it has a whole lot more light than my old place. my plants are going to love it there. i enjoy the light myself. it certainly affects a persons mood.
Great tips! Makes sense about the windows; cant forget those! (which I’ve honestly have forgotten all about them!)
You have given some good suggestions for opening up and making your home brighter. It’s a good time to do some of these because spring is right around the corner.
Really great ideas! I love it!
This is indeed a great tips especially for me that we have small windows, we should update those once there’s a budget.