Feeling glum about a drab room and not sure how to fix it? Whether it’s a bedroom, dining room, living room or even a finished basement that needs help, you’ll want to make changes to introduce more light in the room. Never fear! We’ve done the research and are ready with six ideas to help you brighten up a room.

Find the Right Light

The Bulb Factor

When you flip the light switch, are you getting the brightness you need? Here’s something you may not have considered – check the wattage on the bulbs. Switch out dim bulbs for bulbs with the highest acceptable wattage in lighting fixtures.

Tips:
• Something as minute as dust may be obstructing light. Dust the bulbs and glass shades.
• Replace incandescent bulbs with brighter LED lights and you’ll notice a big difference, not only in the room but also in your electric bill.

Add Overhead Lighting

If you do not have overhead lighting, install a bright chandelier or pendant fixture that will cast light throughout the room. You’ll be surprised how the addition of overhead lighting can impact room brightness, especially at night. If you currently have an outdated or low wattage fixture, consider replacing it with a newer, brighter version to up the brightness and update your decor.

Pick out an Illuminating Lamp

Lamps of all kinds play important roles in illuminating space. If overhead lighting is out of the equation, consider floor lamps or table lamps.

A Fresh Color Changes Everything

A fresh coat of paint on the walls and ceiling in a light color will instantly change a room’s feel. White, or variations of white, is ideal because it doesn’t absorb color; the light bounces, which helps brighten other surfaces. If white is not your cup of tea, explore other possibilities. Light variations of colors like lavender, yellow, chocolate brown, orange, gray, pink, blue or green can be applied to the walls. This will bring color to the room while keeping the room bright.

Floor to Ceiling Brightness

Believe it or not, floor color has an impact on a room’s brightness. Rolling out a light-colored rug to cover a dark floor will introduce more light into the room, while providing contrast between the rug’s edges and the floor. Use a rug full of multiple colors or designs to make the room radiate with light and detail.

Lighten Up the Space with Furniture

Use light-colored furniture to your advantage when you want a brighter look. Cream or white-colored pieces will certainly breathe life into to the living space due to their finishes. Linen, cream or white upholstery also brightens the space. Make the biggest impact with large pieces like sofas, coffee tables, end tables, dining sets, desks and bookcases. Not only will pieces like these perk up the room, they will also add depth and dimension to the space.

A light-finished wood style will bring an earthy feeling to the space. The rustic-inspired tones are inviting, and would work great in your bedroom.

If you’re into glitz and glam in your space, try a reflective piece! Metallic or mirrored furniture reflects light, which instantly brightens up any room. For deciding between shades, figure out what tones are present in your space already? If you prefer cool tones like blues, greens and purples, stick to silver. If you see a lot of warm colors like reds, oranges and yellows, try gold! For neutral spaces, you can go with either options!

For a more subtle look that plays with reflections, try a coffee table with a glass or mirrored top! You can also use decor accents that reflect color and light across the space.

Color the Walls… with Art!

Faced with dark walls that you can’t paint? Maybe you’re renting and aren’t allowed to make changes, or maybe you have paneled or brick walls that you can’t cover. Don’t give up. Simply hangwall art增加颜色和亮度。寻找浅色的艺术品;这将使场景从黑暗的背景中脱颖而出。

Reflect Brightness

Cheer up a space by placing decorative accents with shiny surfaces and reflective quality about the room, especially on furniture with dark finishes. Look for characteristics like acrylic, metallic and mirrored surfaces that will bounce light back into the room.

Tip:Useaccent mirrorsto double the amount of light in a room. If you hang a mirror opposite to a window, the reflective surface will bounce the light back into the room.

Now that we’ve given you some ideas for brightening up a room, apply one or all of them to enlighten your home.

Spring is a great time to transition your home decor to brighten up the space. Whether you are experimenting with colors, textures or home accents, show us what you make! If you’ve taken on the challenge of transforming your home, please share how you did it at #MyAshleyHome onInstagram. You can also go to ourPinterestboards for more inspiration.