If space is at a premium in a particular room of your house, a certain something else – yes, light – is probably also in short supply. After all, less space as a whole means less space for windows, light fixtures or anything else that could alleviate your shortage of illumination.
However, as leaving the room dim could risk making you moody and stressed, here are a few strategies you could follow to maximise the lighting.
Remove those dark, heavy curtains
These can too easily absorb light, so swap them out for some translucent shades instead. These window treatments will let sunshine enter the space more abundantly, giving you a little more light to work with while letting you lower your spending on electrical lighting. If that room is a kitchen, Homify also strongly recommends an all-white design scheme for reflecting light.
Add some strategically-placed lighting fixtures
None of the above is to say that you should strictly omit electrical lighting from the room, as spending on a few lighting fixtures could prove more efficient – in both cost and time – than arranging for new windows to be fitted.
Still, be careful exactly where you position those fixtures. Elle Decor shares a tip that upwardly-directed lighting, such as floor lamps, can help to prevent the ceiling from looking too dark.
Light up awkward corners
Floor lamps can also work well in tight corners and other hard-to-manage areas, due to how easily those lamps can be positioned to bring the best results. You could be pleasantly surprised by how much larger the space suddenly looks when you act on this advice.
Nonetheless, it could also reveal just how much you have neglected cleaning the little nooks and crannies – so, if you indeed have, it’s time to get the cleaning supplies out…
Mirror, mirror, reflecting light off the wall
Once you’ve increased the amount of light – through both natural and artificial sources – in your room, you can then get this light bouncing around it more. You can start by simply hanging a few mirrors – perhaps including a large one facing a relatively large window.
Put in place some other shiny items
Mirrors don’t have to serve as the only usefully reflective surfaces in that room. Try shopping around for other reflective pieces of decor – think the likes of translucent furniture, acrylic accents and mirrored coffee tables. You could have fun thinking of other creative ideas.
Add some metallic objects to the room
Yes, these, too, can be reflective and so help to get that light bouncing around the room. Why not accessorise the space with a few shimmery gold or silver objects, or add a metallic mirror, piece of artwork or different item usually intended to serve just as decoration?
It’s even possible to pick up metallic light fixtures, which can do double duty by both producing and reflecting illumination. Pagazzi, one online retailer of lighting and mirrors, offers a pleasingly varied supply of floor lamps coloured gold and silver.
More great advice. I am slowly recognising the importance of all white walls for small homes and plan to redecorate soon. I hadn't thought about how dark curtains effect small rooms. Food for thought and good ideas. Thank you.
Wow – some great ideas!
Some lovely ideas thanks!
I do lovr mynmirrors – really do make rooms look more spacious
I need my galley kitchen re-decorating & it is so narrow I don't have a clue where to start!
Interest light tips to enhance the dark corners of rooms, thank you
oh some great ideas here alight
I might try this as the rooms in our home are quite small and in particular the kitchen needs to benefit from reflection and mirrors