3 Tricks to Brighten Up Your Home

Just like the sun’s rays can brighten one’s mood, so can your home when you lighten it! Unless you have ceiling-to-floor windows throughout your entire house, you’ve probably struggled with having enough lighting in at least one or two of your rooms. Especially in smaller spaces like laundry rooms and bathrooms, it can be difficult to find good lighting when there may not be a window in sight.

Thankfully, there are some tips and tricks to bring the sun into your home when windows just aren’t cutting it.

Paint

The biggest way to make a difference in the mood of a room is to change the color scheme. The best way to achieve this is to start with the walls. Compare the walls in your home to the sky in a painting. If the sky is dark blue, then the mood of the painting tends to be more solemn. If the sky were painted a light blue, then the painting might feel a bit more cheerful.

The same goes for the paint on your walls. Since they are the largest space of color in the entire room, it affects the overall mood. On top of this, light reflects off pale colors. The light fixtures in the room will bounce off lighter colored walls, casting more light round-about. In order to brighten your room, try looking at light/pale tones when scanning the paint swatches.

Accent Colors

There are a few ways to add light through the accent colors in your home. Yes, lighter colors lead to brighter rooms, but this doesn’t mean everything in the room needs to be pure white. No need to replace your carpets and furniture (unless you’re looking for a good excuse to ditch that old couch from your in-laws).

Instead, focus on the little things. Find a color scheme that fits the room, and start there. For example, if you want a touch of green, then try adding some plants with light beige or white pots. Then, throw some decorative pillows and blankets on the furniture that match the whites and greens. For bedrooms, consider light-colored bedspreads to set the tone for the room.

Light Fixtures

More light fixtures equals more light, right? Technically, yes. But, you can achieve more with less depending on which kinds of fixtures and bulbs you’re using. Certain kinds of lampshades will emit more light depending on the shade’s opacity. Uncovered bulbs will always be the brightest, which is why many bathroom mirrors will have vanity lights.

To increase the light coming from your ceiling fixtures, take a look at what kind of lightbulbs you’re using. With the way light bulbs are being made energy-efficient now, you can determine their brightness by “lumens” rather than looking at the wattage. The higher the lumens, the brighter the bulb.

With these three simple tricks, your home will be feeling lighter and brighter in no time. Even in rooms with no windows, by using lighter paint, accent colors, and light fixtures, you will have plenty of light. Not only will your home feel happier, but you will too!