10 Luminous Ways to Bring Light Into Your Dark Living Space
If you have a dark, uninviting living room, these ideas could help you make it a bright and welcoming area
Eva Byrne
19 November 2017
I'm an Architect + House Consultant based in Dublin. I specialise in House Consultations to maximise Space, Light and Storage in your home. Whether you are planning a Renovation, Extension or New Build project, I aim to help you get your project off to the best possible start and to make best use of your cents and centimetres.
I'm an Architect + House Consultant based in Dublin. I specialise in House Consultations... More
From major to minor, there are lots of ways to improve light in a dark room. A two-pronged approach is best: think firstly about how to maximise the amount of light coming into the room – this may involve structural alterations, internally or externally; then think in terms of how to reflect and multiply this light within the room. Here are 10 ideas, of varying scales, to consider on your mission to make the most of your dark living room.
1. Bring the outside in
Enlarging the window, no matter what its orientation, will maximise the amount of light that enters the room. From the most dramatic solution of replacing the wall with full-length glazed doors, to easier tricks, such as lowering the height of the windowsill, increasing the area of glass will enhance the flow of both light and space in the room.
The materials and colours you choose for your outside space can also play a significant part in your mission to increase light in your living space. For instance, the white furniture and fencing and the tall mirror in this courtyard garden all help to boost the light.
Enlarging the window, no matter what its orientation, will maximise the amount of light that enters the room. From the most dramatic solution of replacing the wall with full-length glazed doors, to easier tricks, such as lowering the height of the windowsill, increasing the area of glass will enhance the flow of both light and space in the room.
The materials and colours you choose for your outside space can also play a significant part in your mission to increase light in your living space. For instance, the white furniture and fencing and the tall mirror in this courtyard garden all help to boost the light.
2. Borrow light
Avoid the dreaded ‘inner room’ when adding a rear extension by emphatically linking the existing back room with the new. Roof lights in the extension can bounce light directly back into the space, creating a sociable area with muted but pleasant light.
Glazed double doors to the front room would boost the effect, allowing the middle room to borrow light from two sides.
How to Borrow Light for Dark Areas of Your House
Avoid the dreaded ‘inner room’ when adding a rear extension by emphatically linking the existing back room with the new. Roof lights in the extension can bounce light directly back into the space, creating a sociable area with muted but pleasant light.
Glazed double doors to the front room would boost the effect, allowing the middle room to borrow light from two sides.
How to Borrow Light for Dark Areas of Your House
3. Keep it simple
Choose simple pieces of furniture to keep the room light in both look and feel. Space and light are inextricably linked: the better each flows, the more airy the room will seem.
Choose simple pieces of furniture to keep the room light in both look and feel. Space and light are inextricably linked: the better each flows, the more airy the room will seem.
4. Open up from above
In the case of a top-floor space or a room in a single-storey property, strategically placed roof windows will bring in good-quality light and, hopefully, plenty of sunshine.
In the case of a top-floor space or a room in a single-storey property, strategically placed roof windows will bring in good-quality light and, hopefully, plenty of sunshine.
5. Dress your windows with care
Keep window frames and window dressings light to ensure maximum quantities of light enter the room at source. Roller blinds offer a simple and effective window covering solution for any dark room: use pull-up blinds for privacy if needed.
When adding curtains for texture or warmth, position the tracks so the curtains sit fully clear of the window when drawn back.
10 Cool New Treatments for Fashionable Windows
Keep window frames and window dressings light to ensure maximum quantities of light enter the room at source. Roller blinds offer a simple and effective window covering solution for any dark room: use pull-up blinds for privacy if needed.
When adding curtains for texture or warmth, position the tracks so the curtains sit fully clear of the window when drawn back.
10 Cool New Treatments for Fashionable Windows
6. Max out on white
For the most seriously light-challenged room, the more white you can add – to all surfaces and finishes – the better. Choose wall colours from the array of warm, off-white paint shades available to keep it cosy (cool or brilliant white can make a dark space feel dingier).
Consider the room a light-reflecting blank canvas: add colour to taste with cushions, rugs and accessories.
For the most seriously light-challenged room, the more white you can add – to all surfaces and finishes – the better. Choose wall colours from the array of warm, off-white paint shades available to keep it cosy (cool or brilliant white can make a dark space feel dingier).
Consider the room a light-reflecting blank canvas: add colour to taste with cushions, rugs and accessories.
7. Sacrifice a solid wall
Where space and light are limited, combining adjacent spaces, such as a front living room and entrance hall, can yield dramatic results. A more low-key solution is to swap the solid door between the hall and living room for a clear or frosted glass one.
Where space and light are limited, combining adjacent spaces, such as a front living room and entrance hall, can yield dramatic results. A more low-key solution is to swap the solid door between the hall and living room for a clear or frosted glass one.
8. Come to an arrangement
The way in which you arrange furniture in a room is key to optimising the flow of light and space. Try to position large pieces away from the window so light isn’t blocked. Even if the furniture wouldn’t obstruct any part of the window, by sitting it underneath your main light source, it will generally be in shadow, and the effect of this – especially with major pieces of furniture – is not insignificant.
Read more stories about living rooms
The way in which you arrange furniture in a room is key to optimising the flow of light and space. Try to position large pieces away from the window so light isn’t blocked. Even if the furniture wouldn’t obstruct any part of the window, by sitting it underneath your main light source, it will generally be in shadow, and the effect of this – especially with major pieces of furniture – is not insignificant.
Read more stories about living rooms
9. Accessorise reflectively
Choose pieces that will shine out. A single white cushion on a dark sofa in a dark room, for instance, will reflect light, so maximise this effect with pale and light-reflecting pieces. Cushions, rugs, throws, art and furniture can all be essential elements in your battle to brighten your living room.
Choose pieces that will shine out. A single white cushion on a dark sofa in a dark room, for instance, will reflect light, so maximise this effect with pale and light-reflecting pieces. Cushions, rugs, throws, art and furniture can all be essential elements in your battle to brighten your living room.
10. Polish up
Polished surfaces also reflect light brilliantly. An oversized mirror will work hard in a dark room, amplifying the sense of both space and light, but other shiny surfaces, such as a glossy coffee table, will also help. And polished windows are a must!
Tell us
What are your tips and tricks for maxing light in a dark room? Share them in the Comments below. And if you enjoyed this story, like it, bookmark it, save the photos and share your thoughts below. Join the conversation.
More
Browse enclosed living rooms for inspiration
Polished surfaces also reflect light brilliantly. An oversized mirror will work hard in a dark room, amplifying the sense of both space and light, but other shiny surfaces, such as a glossy coffee table, will also help. And polished windows are a must!
Tell us
What are your tips and tricks for maxing light in a dark room? Share them in the Comments below. And if you enjoyed this story, like it, bookmark it, save the photos and share your thoughts below. Join the conversation.
More
Browse enclosed living rooms for inspiration
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I had a problem very small lounge in a small cottage. Painted it white but HATED the little white cell that resulted so went with some advice I had received: to think of the "feel" I wanted in that room. As it was a room I used in the evening with a fireplace and TV, and book shelves, I went for red! A rich textured crimson on the walls, white ceiling and trims, black leather snuggly couch and my rocker, found an Arabian-style colourful light fitting and went all out cosy and warm. Thus emphasizing the small cosy feel, rather than trying to make it something it wasn't! It was my favourite room! Not all rooms need to feel large, and evening rooms can be dark, moody or warm enveloping spaces. Think of when you use the room and what for, before desperately trying to find light.
I have recently been doing a range of improvements to my home. One of the challenges I faced was that it is an old but very large double brick townhouse with very enjoyable large deep decks both upstairs and downstairs. This means that my downstairs windows are largely "shadowed" by the upstairs deck. The situation was further complicated by the fact that it was not possible to install a skylight in the living area downstairs because the ceilings are concrete (eg. they are also the floors upstairs). So after a LOT of research I had my electrician install one of the Illume shaftless solar skylights (which are actually very sleek LED panel lights! see link:http://illumeskylights.com.au ). The result has been astounding. What was once a very dingy corner is now pleasantly light and bright all day long. In fact, I am so pleased with the result I am planning to install another larger one in the kitchen when my budget allows. It was the first time my electrician had ever seen or installed one and he was blown away by the result and plans to recommend them to his clients in the future.