Rooms are often too dark for various reasons: design features, location on the north side of the house, the presence of tall trees under the windows, the use of dark finishing materials in the decoration of this room, insufficient, ill-conceived artificial lighting, and many, many nuances.
But living in a dark room is not very comfortable, both psychologically and practically. Light is needed for mood, work, and health. But if the room is dark, what to do? Many factors, of course, for example, the location on the shady side of the house, we are not able to change. But we can still do a lot! And as a result, even the darkest room can be turned into a bright and comfortable one. There are 12 easy steps for this.
Step 1. Arrange multi-level lighting and hidden lighting in the room.
Of course, first of all, check the main lighting, most likely it is not up to par. One chandelier in a dark room is not enough! You need at least one more good light source. Well, in addition to them, there is already a backlight. The secret is precisely that it must be at different levels. It is not necessary to arrange false ceilings for this. You can make "bumpers" around the perimeter of the ceiling and hide hidden lighting in them, hang sconces at different heights, put a floor lamp, and even install floor lamps. Cabinet lighting is also a lighting that will "work" for a single lighting scenario.
Step 2. Light floor, ceiling and walls.
The ceiling does not have to be white. It's corny. The same can be said for the walls. A lot of white is uncomfortable. You can paint the ceiling with one of the light pastel colors: cream, unbleached wool, sand, even light green or pale blue (but very light shade). The same can be said for the walls. It is better to make the floor with light wood, or the lightest laminate, carpet, you can lay light carpets. Unexpectedly, in some interior styles, the floor is white. Equally light floors, walls and ceilings will give the maximum effect, especially if they are also in the same color scheme.
Step 3. Make sure that furniture, textiles and curtains are strictly in tune with the decoration of the walls and floor.
Furniture and textile contrasts are not suitable for lightening the interior. Especially dark furniture and fabrics. After all, they absorb up to 40 percent of the light. And they also visually “de-materialize” the room, which makes it smaller. With a pattern, furniture upholstery and textiles may well be, the main thing is a light color and compatibility with decoration.
Step 4. As little textiles as possible.
There should be textiles in the room, but there should be few of them. Better open, preferably shiny surfaces. So do not get carried away with bedspreads, tablecloths, pillows, double curtains, lambrequins. Single curtains are better and always made of light fabrics.
Step 5. Do not clutter the room with furniture and free the center of the room.
As attractive as it looks, do not place furniture in the middle of the room, and generally try to keep furniture to a minimum. Better the good old version "along the wall". There is nothing wrong with that, but as soon as the room is vacated, as soon as air and light are added. Any piece of furniture also absorbs light, especially if it's in the center of the room. Also, such an arrangement visually reduces the area; it is acceptable for large and bright rooms.
Step 6. Do not use too embossed finishing materials.
These are stucco moldings, all kinds of textured plasters, tiles with a relief. Physically, this is a set of reliefs and depressions, there is an effect of mini-niches that absorb light. And on a large surface, this effect is also multiplied. By the way, if you arrange real niches (as a design element), be sure to provide them with lighting.
Step 7. Use furniture with open legs.
Do not use heavy-looking, massive furniture without legs in a dark room. The legs open up the space, make the furnishings of the room lighter in appearance, and do not block the light, and if they also shine, then this is just what you need.
Mirrors are the most useful piece of furniture for a dark room. They double the light. However, any shiny objects also have similar properties: glass, metal, crystals. They also reflect and enhance light. Ideal - both mirrors and shiny surfaces. By the way, crystal and chandeliers with crystal pendants are always good in dark rooms. If all this is played with taste and skillfully, it does not look banal at all, but the effect is enormous.
Step 9. Do not use wallpaper with an overly complex pattern.
Wallpaper for a dark room is better monochromatic or with a simple pattern. However, there is a trade-off: the walls can be made different. If you really like patterned wallpaper, apply a spectacular design move: let three walls in the room be "according to the rules", and one - with patterned wallpaper. This will not greatly affect the illumination, but the size of the room will visually increase, and the room will look fresh and original. You can not even the entire wall, but only one strip of such wallpaper. You can also add light by gluing mirrored stones and rhinestones to the patterned wallpaper.
Step 10. Use the "right" colors in the room design.
In addition to the walls, floor and ceiling, the room still has object content. And no one said that it should only be in light pastel colors or be white. To increase the illumination in the room, paradoxically, it is necessary to introduce bright nuances. But the secret is that bright colors can be not any, but only "pure", basic. For example, if red, then classic red, not crimson, fuchsia, hot pink, etc. Yellow means warm canary, not lemon, and so on. Also, these colors should not be with " acidic "shades. An interior with only pastel light colors looks a little darker than the same interior, but with the use of bright spots.
Step 11. Remove tall plants with dense foliage from the room.
These plants absorb a lot of light. In particular, there should be no such plants on the window. Maximum one small pot. If you still want to leave a large plant, then get a shade-tolerant one and place it away from the window.
Step 12. Add some gold.
Always illuminate the interior, add "sun" and mood items with "gold" decoration - frames, knickknacks, vases, accessories, mosaics, lamps with a "gold" base. There are never too many “golden” nuances in a dark room. In addition, now gold trim is in vogue, and is used not only in classic interior styles, but also in modern ones. So you can lighten the room and create a fashionable interior.
It can be pleasant to be in a dark room: twilight gives rest from bright light, relaxes, promotes rapid falling asleep and helps, if necessary, create a romantic atmosphere. However, everything is good in moderation. Gloom is boring and depressing. Prolonged exposure to dark rooms can lead to stress and even depression. Particularly harmful are dark rooms in which people work, do business, and read. This applies not only to, but also to kitchens, children's rooms, living rooms.
Rooms with small windows or a loggia / balcony can be dark, especially if they are drying clothes. If the windows face the north side, the rooms are usually cold twilight. How to make a dark room brighter? How to work with rooms with windows facing north? How to add light and warmth to the interior?
Darkroom design: how to make a room brighter?
1. Choose a finish in light colors
Nothing makes a room as bright as using tones close to white. The lighter the ceilings and walls, the more light in the room.
For a ceiling in a dark room, pure white is ideal. For the walls, you can use paint or wallpaper, both white and light beige.
If the windows face north and the weather is almost always cloudy, bright white walls may be perceived as gray. This will make the room feel cold and uncomfortable. For such rooms, it is better to use a cream finish. In a rectangular room, one of the short walls can be painted in - the room will immediately warm up and be filled with spring optimism.
If it is possible to remove the doors between rooms, it is worth doing it. If this is not possible, you should choose light doors with large-scale glass inserts.
5. Add lighting
A good move is to install LED lighting under the ceiling around the perimeter of the room. You can install "warm" lights directly above the window - so that they are behind the curtains. When dusk deepens, curtain the room and turn on the near-window light - it will feel like the sun is warming outside and its rays penetrate the fabric of the curtains.
6. Use mirrors
One or two mirrors will be enough depending on the size of the room. It is advisable to arrange the mirror so that it reflects and multiplies the light - ideally opposite the window or so that the chandelier "looks" into it.
7. Introduce "rays of color"
A monochrome white or cream room looks light but not joyful. To make the room not only bright, but also sunny, you can add bright accents of yellow, blue or turquoise.
A yellow rug can be placed on the floor of a dark room with a north-facing window. It will look like a bright ray of sunlight has penetrated in and painted a yellow circle on the floor. The room will become light in spring. You can add a few more yellow accessories, but in limited quantities.
room on the north sideIf the windows of the room face north.
my preferences in photography - light green with light furniture or peach with dark furniture
and expert advice
In such a room, most likely, there is always a cool twilight. "Warm" it with warm tones. To remove the imperfections of the northern room and visually make the space larger and lighter, it is advisable to decorate the walls in light and warm colors.
This is done, firstly, in order to
better and more reflect the sunlight falling from the window. Secondly, shades of warm colors will create a sunny atmosphere in the room.
Preferred would be golden, peach, orange, yellow, yellow-green, delicate lime, light beige and similar colors of low and medium saturation
colors should be dim, slightly muted or whitened. All shades of chocolate are especially good as a base color.
You can not be afraid to oversaturate such a room with color, it will only benefit from this, it will become more comfortable.
Choosing the same color scheme for different rooms, you will not feel the mood of the apartment, so it is worth solving each room in its own color.
There are several interesting techniques in painting walls, you can easily apply them in practice. So, for the wall opposite the window, choose a paint a tone or two darker, then the light will spread evenly throughout the room, the rest of the walls will not seem dark.
The walls can be painted in different colors, but it is important not to break the space. Let's say you painted one wall green, the other blue. If this is not supported by anything, the room will fall apart. A sofa will help to connect the walls, which is placed in a corner where differently painted walls converge, its upholstery should repeat their colors.
you need to decide on the base color - the color of the walls, which will be in harmony with your favorite things and serve as a background for the floor, furniture upholstery, lighting, plants, accessories and curtains. It is best to choose one neutral tone here: each color has this most functional shade. It is usually located in the center of the color palette.
you should not make a purchase during your first shopping visit. It is better to take home samples of all the paints you like or, for some fee, a fan-shaped palette of paints produced by the manufacturer.
The selected neutral mini-palette (of 7 shades of the same color) contains two light shades, two dark shades and two medium saturation shades. For walls, shades of medium saturation are suitable - of the two, designers recommend choosing the one that is darker. When applied to walls, it will match the lighter version. If the color of the walls is saturated, then with a white ceiling it seems lower than in reality, and the illusion of a "stretched gigantic sheet" appears in the room. If the height of the walls is less than three meters or equal to three, then the paint for the ceiling should be two shades lighter than the "wall" paint. If more than three meters, then you can paint the ceiling two tones darker than the walls. "Different shades of the same color applied to the walls and ceiling will evenly reflect the color throughout the room, as a result the space will visually expand," says designer Ekaterina Antonova.
And another tip, having painted the walls, it is convenient and correct - to take with you on a shopping trip the selected palette with paint samples. It will help you navigate when buying furniture, curtains, carpets, etc.
As for the choice of curtains, they can be combined with wallpaper. They do not have to repeat the drawing or copy the color of the walls, but the curtains, kept in the same color scheme as the wallpaper, still look the most harmonious. All shades of beige, gold and yellow are suitable for beige wallpaper, blue for blue, green for turquoise, etc. To prevent walls and windows from merging with each other, it is worth experimenting with shades (one is more saturated, the other is calmer) and with a combination of patterns. If the wallpaper is plain, then it is better to choose curtains with a pattern, and vice versa. Finding curtains, the pattern of which would be a repetition or a successful continuation of the color of the wallpaper, is always difficult. In addition, there is a risk of turning the room into a motley disgrace of patterns, from which the eyes will suffer in the first place. The main thing here is not to be too smart.
A dark room - it's like Tolstoy's unhappy family - all light rooms are equally good, each dark room is bad in its own way. If you got a room with a window facing north, with a window shaded by trees, with a small window, with a shaded balcony block, a long narrow room, an asymmetrical room - in general, if you got a dark room and need to make it lighter, then this article for you.
Here I will tell you how to make a dark room brighter in the daytime, in natural light, but I will not touch electric light.
It is by no means necessary to use all the design techniques that I will talk about - choose the ones that suit you best and like.
The first way to brighten a dark room is with a "white box" - white walls, white ceiling and white floor. In the photo on the right, you see a kitchen that has a configuration in which daylight hits only part of the space, and the main part of the room is in the shade. The "white box" reflects more light.
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In the photo on the left, you see a room that may seem light - no, it's just that when photographing, a window with daylight always seems dazzlingly light because the rest of the room is shaded. In fact, this room is very dark, if it were not for a white box, then it would receive almost no daylight, since the window is north and the room is asymmetrical. Due to the white color of the “box” (floor, walls, ceiling), it becomes much lighter.
The white ceiling in dark rooms has absolutely no alternative; the Russian consumer is gradually getting used to the white walls. But the white floor provokes a protest, because white is the most rarely used floor color in Russia.
But a dark room with a white floor becomes noticeably brighter, the difference is very noticeable. And besides, the "white box" is not only a way to reflect maximum daylight into the room. This is also a way to make a narrow room visually spacious, especially if the furniture is also white, as in the photo above. Sounds awful (all white), but it works!
Pictured on the right is a very dark, narrow room that, in any color other than white, would be just a crypt. White floors, ceilings and furniture make it lighter in the daytime and more elegant in the evening when the electric light is on.
If a white floor is combined with white walls and white furniture, then the room becomes both brighter and visually more spacious. Then the lack of contrast and transition between background surfaces (floor, walls, ceiling) and furniture makes the space more homogeneous (the boundaries of the room seem to blur), and, in turn, because of this, the space seems wider.
The room on the left appears large and bright. In fact, it is small and not very well lit - there is one tall narrow window and two very small ones, the total area of \u200b\u200bthe windows is small. But with white walls, floors and white furniture, a completely different impression is created.
Paint the walls, floors, and furniture in your mind and you'll know the difference.
Dark apartments have white floors, white doors and white walls in all rooms. Everyone immediately thought about the soiled in the hallway and corridor. But modern materials (tiles, linoleum, veneer, washable wallpaper and resistant paint) are very easy to wash and do not lose their appearance for a long time. Well, yes, you will have to wash more often. But it will be clean and light
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Many people are afraid of the “white box” solution, and even more so the “white box with white furniture” solution, because it seems very sterile, boring and “hospital”. But to avoid “white silence” in the interior is simple - add bright accessories and medium-sized furniture of bright colors, as in the photo on the left and below.
If you don't like bright colors, just use more details:
For dark rooms with low ceilings, the "white box" is very much shown - among other things, such a design of the background surfaces also creates the feeling that the room is easy to breathe, this is very important in small rooms. To avoid boredom, use a variety of decor, from which white lace is especially shown - lace, carving, macrame, patterns on glass, etc.
In the photo on the right you can see the most beautiful headboard, which greatly adorns a small dark room (pay attention to the height of the ceiling) and does not absorb light at all. That is, the room remains white, it does not even use additional colors, but it certainly cannot be called boring.
So the first way to maximize daylight in a dark room is with a white box. If the room is small, then the furniture and part of the decor can also be made white. For decoration, you can use several bright accessories or accessories of calm tones, but in large quantities.
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If this method is completely unacceptable to you, modify it: use the lightest colors you can stand for background spaces, curtains and large furniture. Add white elements and accessories to them in saturated colors, as in the photo on the right. This will help reflect as much of the incoming daylight as possible. Contrast-bright elements are needed to give the interior clarity, as in the photo below, but there should not be too many of them - literally two or three.
What colors are suitable for walls in dark rooms?
From cold: light blue, light green and mint, light turquoise, light light pink - these colors reflect a lot of light.
But light lilac, light blue and light gray are not recommended in dark rooms - with a lack of daylight, these colors acquire a dirty gray hue and look dreary.
Turquoise color, as in the photo below, is not without reason so often used in bathroom design - it reflects a lot of light and makes the whole design very light.
Of warm colors, dark rooms are suitable: milky white, cream, the lightest beige and ivory, light warm pink, very light pistachio, vanilla and all light yellow shades (they are especially shown in northern rooms, since the yellow color of the walls partially compensates for the lack sunlight).
Not recommended are peach, terracotta (they absorb a lot of light and in cloudy weather it also gets a dirty tint), olive and orange (they absorb a LOT of light). In the photo on the right, you can see how the bright orange color darkens the room.
In general, in dark rooms, experiments with bright background surfaces (floor, walls, ceiling) almost always fail - especially in the north and east rooms. The photo below is an eloquent example. The tops of the bathroom walls were painted with umber - a beautiful and rich color, and then they were repainted in blue. Feel the difference:
So, the second way to make a dark room brighter is “light + white + bright”: light walls and floors, snow-white ceiling, white elements (doors and at least a couple of pieces of furniture) plus a couple of bright accessories for contrast.
Third way for some reason almost forgotten, I don't even have good illustrations. This is a horizontal combination of wallpaper according to the principle "Darker bottom + very light top"... Similar to the photo on the right, only the colors don't have to be contrasting. But the furniture against the background of the lower part of the walls should, of course, be light.
This combination of wallpaper works well in dark rooms. The lower third of the walls are pasted over with darker wallpaper, the upper third with lighter ones, the joint is usually covered with molding or wooden platbands - white or in the color of the floor or doors.
Now there are some small tricks to help you brighten up the interior.
Make some surfaces glossy white... If your room has a built-in wardrobe opposite the window, make the doors glossy and at least one of them mirrored. If there is no cabinet, but there is furniture on the side of the window, make it glossy white. In the photo on the left, you can see how well the white gloss reflects the light.
A similar role can be played by a mirror placed in the same way - on the side or opposite the window. But do not overuse mirrors - contrary to popular belief, an excess of mirrors is not so positively perceived in the interior - read more about this here... In short, a white gloss reflects only light, while a mirror reflects everything.
Use in a dark room pastel shades ... Pastels contain a lot of white / whitish undertones and reflect daylight very well. Plus, all pastel colors are perfectly combined with each other and allow you to create very light, visually light, but at the same time not boring color combinations, as in the photo on the left or in the photo in the article at the link.
Pastels are especially indicated if the room is dark because the window is shaded by trees.
Hang only white tulle and, if possible, white curtains .
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If it is possible to do without curtains at all, closing only the lower part of the window so that the room cannot be seen from the street, great.
For example, if your room is shaded by dense foliage of trees growing in the courtyard, as in the photo on the right, or overlooks an uninhabited space, from where no one can look into your room, you can simply close the lower half of the windows with transparent film or muslin, or light white tulle - and thus gain some more daylight. This method, of course, is not suitable for everyone.
Make the most of the window... In the photo on the right, you can see that the dining table is set so that people do not get any daylight at all - there is nothing near the window, and the table is pushed into the most shaded part of the room. Think over the arrangement of furniture in your room so as to spend maximum time in its most illuminated place.
Wall decor is important in a dark room... Use pictures or posters in light, light colors. If you want more brightness, let them have bright colors too, but let the background and overall color be light and it is imperative that the top of the picture or poster be lighter than the bottom. Light flowers are very good: orchids, jasmine, white peonies, white lilacs, sakura, lilies, etc.
It's good if you use paintings or posters behind glass - glass reflects daylight, although its disadvantage is that then the picture becomes less visible:
Use light bedspreads in dark bedrooms.especially if you use the bedroom during the day. Few people think about this, but the bedspread is a large object, and the larger your bed, the more important the bedspread plays in the overall color of the bedroom. Therefore, if your bedroom is dark, choose not only the curtains as light as possible, but also the bedspread. Light colored bedspreads can be very pretty, as you can see in the photo on the left. In general, bedspreads of the “light background + beautiful exquisite pattern” type are an excellent choice for any bedroom, but especially for a dark one.
Now a little about what does NOT suit dark rooms.
All dull, faded, muted colors are contraindicated in dark rooms..
Not for furniture, not for carpets, not for curtains, not for decor - don't use colors like the one on the right for anything. In bright yellow electric light, they can be quite ok, but in daylight, as you can see, they acquire such an unpleasant "shabby", especially in cloudy weather. Nothing makes a dark room as gloomy as these colors. Moreover, there are very beautiful muted shades of green, lilac, burgundy - no matter how sorry, but you simply will not see their beauty.
Gray is not suitable for dark rooms... Gray, even its light shades, has a very difficult relationship with daylight and especially its lack. Gray during the day often takes on an unpleasant death tinge, especially in rooms facing north and northeast. In the photo on the left, you can see an example - an elegant gray shade would be very beautiful if it was better lit, as it became flat and cold. At the same time, notice in this photo how well the light floor works as a reflector.
Pearlescent wallpapers are not suitable for dark rooms... Many people confuse gloss and mother-of-pearl, or believe that anything that glitters and reflects light is good for a dark room. This is not true. Gloss reflects light without distortion, while mother of pearl distorts and darkens it. Silk-screen printing and metallography are not suitable for dark rooms - they darken the walls even more. In the photo on the right, you can see how strongly metallography absorbs light - about two meters from the window, the wall is already completely dark. Imagine this wall just light, without mother of pearl, and you will understand the difference.
So, if you got a dark room, don't despair. Think carefully about its design and, in particular, the layout, give up dark and dull colors in favor of white, pastels and pure bright colors; ask for samples of materials in stores to look at them at home in daylight (or buy with a subsequent return if they don't fit), approach the question as meticulously as possible - and you will succeed.
Apr 3, 2017 Sergei
If fatigue constantly seizes at home, stress is experienced, bad mood persists, then you should take a close look at the room. It is the lack of light that is the reason for this condition. It has been proven that people feel better in a room that is well lit by natural light and furnished in light colors. We offer 10 ways to make a dark room brighter thanks to additional sources of natural light and a bright interior.
1. Walk around the room and identify especially dark areas
Those who have been living in the house for a long time can easily identify dark areas. These can be poorly lit rooms, the walls of which are painted in dark colors, and furniture in most cases is also dark in color. These are some kind of "black holes". Before you can brighten the room, you need to find the source of this darkness. You may need to change windows or paint the walls a light color, or change the upholstery on furniture.
2. Bright colors can be diluted with pastel colors or white
If the interior lacks warmth, then you should opt for shades of coffee, camel color or reddish-brown tones. Brown, coffee and white look great in decor and go well with dark floors, doors and furniture.
3. Complement the dark ceiling with recessed lights
Many modern homes have dark ceilings or even wood paneling. This not only gives the room a certain character, but also creates the feeling of being in a cave. Built-in lights will brighten the ceiling and will not be annoying with harsh light. It may be worth installing a dedicated switch to control the light intensity.
4. Combine light work surfaces with dark kitchen cabinets
If the floor and cabinets in the kitchen are dark, then it is worth installing light work surfaces. This simple trick will transform the kitchen - it will become lighter and more spacious.
5. Use pendant lights in the kitchen
If the kitchen has dark areas, then it is worth installing pendant lights above them. They will not only illuminate dark corners, but also make the room stylish and modern. You can install a glass, stainless steel or mosaic pendant light above a table or in a corner.
6. Bright light in a dark bedroom
The dark bedroom should also be mentioned. If the walls, bedding, floor and accessories in the bedroom are dark in color, then this is not a bad thing when you need to relax after a busy day. You don't have to make drastic changes to the decor, just install a lamp with soft light in especially dark areas to create a certain atmosphere and make the bedroom more attractive. You can install lighting for shelves or cabinets, a suspended chandelier with dim light to play shadows and transform the room.
7. Maintain a balance between dark and light
The bedroom is considered a personal refuge, which is not shown to strangers, but still, for your own sake, you should adhere to the basic rule and maintain a balance between dark and light. For example, if the walls are dark, then it is better to use light ecru bedding, oil yellow, you can throw light pillows on the bed. Create an atmosphere of comfort and relaxation.
8. Correct use of dark colors in decor
Don't be afraid to use dark colors in your decor, as this is a great way to add character and personality to an interior. First of all, you need to determine the source of natural light. The more light in the room, the darker the walls can be. If the windows in the room are small or few, then the color should be lighter by several tones so that the room does not look like a cave.
9. How to make dark furniture lighter
The darkest room in the house is the dressing room. If it has no windows, then there is a good way to make it lighter. First of all, additional lighting fixtures can be installed, including pendant lamps or recessed lights to illuminate cabinets. For the same purpose, you can install additional mirrors that will reflect light and the room will become brighter.
10. Access to daylight in the dressing room
Instead of regretting that the dressing room is very dark, have a window appear in this room. Even a small skylight will provide daylight access to the dressing room, if this is not possible, then it is necessary to install light wells on the roof that will collect sunlight and direct it into the room. However, installing windows is not such an easy task; you need, at least, to pay attention to