A dark room is 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, long narrow room, asymmetrical room - in general, if you have a dark room and need to make it lighter, then this article is for you.
Here I will tell you how to make a dark room brighter in daytime, in natural light, but I won’t touch electric light.
It is by no means necessary to use all the design techniques that I will talk about - choose those that suit you best and like them.
The first way to make a dark room brighter is “ white box” – white walls, white ceiling and white floor. In photo 1 you see a kitchen that has a configuration in which daylight falls only on part of the space, and the main part of the room is in the shadow. The “white box” reflects more light.
Photos 1, 2 and 3
In photo 2 you see a room that may seem bright - no, it’s just that when photographing, a window with daylight always seems dazzlingly bright because the rest of the room is shaded. In fact, this room is very dark, if it were not a white box, it would receive almost no daylight, since the window is north and the room is asymmetrical. Due to white“boxes” (floor, walls, ceiling) it becomes much lighter.
There is absolutely no alternative to a white ceiling in dark rooms; Russian consumers are gradually starting to get used to white walls. But the white floor causes protest, because white is the most rarely used floor color in Russia.
But a dark room with a white floor becomes noticeably more illuminated, 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 more spacious, especially if the furniture is white, as in the photo above. It sounds terrible (all white), but it works!
Photo 3 shows a very dark narrow room, which in any color other than white would simply become a crypt. The white floor, ceiling and furniture make it brighter during the day and more elegant in the evening when the electric lights are on.
If a white floor is combined with white walls and white furniture, the room becomes lighter 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 in photo 4 seems large and bright. In fact, it is small and not very well lit - there is one high narrow window and two very small ones, the total window area is small. But white walls, floors and white furniture create a completely different impression. Mentally paint the walls, floors and furniture - and you will understand the difference.
In dark apartments, make white floors, white doors and white walls in all rooms. Everyone immediately thought about the dirtyness in the hallway and corridor. But modern materials(tiles, linoleum, veneer, washable wallpaper and permanent paint) are very easy to wash and do not lose their appearance for a long time. Well, yes, you will have to wash it more often. But it will be clean and bright :)
Many people are afraid of the “white box” solution, and even more so of the “white box with white furniture” solution, because it seems very sterile, boring and “hospital”. But it’s easy to avoid “white silence” in the interior - add bright accessories and small furniture bright colors, as in photo 5-8. If you don't like bright colors, just use more details (photos 9 and 10).
Dark rooms with low ceilings the “white box” is very shown - among other things, this design of background surfaces also creates the feeling that the room is easy to breathe, this is very important in small rooms. To avoid boredom, use varied decor, from which white openwork is especially shown - lace, carving, macrame, patterns on glass, etc.
In photo 12 you see the most beautiful headboard, which greatly decorates a small dark room (note the height of the ceiling) and does not absorb light at all. That is, the room remains white, it is not even used additional colors, but at the same time you definitely can’t call it boring.
Photos 12, 13 and 14
So, the first way to maximize daylight in a dark room is the “white box”. If the room is small, then the furniture and some of the decor can also be made white. For decoration, you can use several bright accessories or accessories in calm tones, but in large quantities.
If this method is completely unacceptable for you, modify it: use the lightest colors you can bear for background spaces, curtains and large furniture. Add white elements and accessories to them rich colors, as in photo 11. This will help reflect the maximum incoming daylight. Contrasting bright elements are needed to give the interior clarity, as in photos 13, 14 and 15, but there should not be too many of them - literally two or three.
Photos 16, 17 and 18
What colors are suitable for walls in dark rooms? From the cold ones: 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 take on a dirty gray tint and look dreary.
It is not for nothing that the turquoise color, as in photo 19, is so often used in bathroom design - it reflects a lot of light and makes the entire design very light.
From 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 suitable for northern rooms, since yellow walls partly compensates for the lack of sunlight).
Peach, terracotta (absorb a lot of light and in cloudy weather also takes on a dirty tint), olive and orange (absorb a LOT of light) are not recommended. In photo 23 you can see how the bright orange color darkens the room.
Photos 22 and 23
In general, in dark rooms, experiments with bright background surfaces (floor, walls, ceiling) almost always fail - especially in northern and eastern rooms. Photos 24 and 25 are an eloquent example. The top of the bathroom walls were painted umber - a beautiful and rich color - and then they were repainted blue. Feel the difference.
Photos 24 and 25
So, the second way to make a dark room lighter is “light + white + bright”: light walls and floors, a snow-white ceiling, white elements (doors and at least a couple of pieces of furniture) plus a couple of bright accessories for contrast.
The third method is for some reason almost forgotten; I don’t even have good illustrations. This horizontal combination wallpaper according to the principle “the bottom is darker + the top is very light.” Something like photo 26, 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 wallpaper combination suits dark rooms well. The lower third of the walls is covered with darker wallpaper, the upper third with lighter wallpaper, the joint is usually covered with molding or wooden trim - white or in the color of the floor or doors.
Photos 27 and 28
Now a few small tricks that will help you make your interior brighter. 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 closet, but there is furniture on the side of the window, make it glossy white. In photo 27 you 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 (photo 28). 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. In short, white gloss reflects only light, but a mirror reflects everything.
Use pastel colors in a dark room. Pastels contain a lot of white/whitish undertones and reflect daylight very well. Plus everything pastel shades They combine perfectly 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 in the article at the link. Pastels are especially indicated if the room is dark because the window is shaded by trees.
Photos 29, 30 and 31
Hang only snow-white tulle and, if possible, white curtains (photos 29 and 30). If it is possible to do without curtains at all, closing only the lower part of the window so that the room is not visible from the street, that’s great.
For example, if your room is shaded by the dense foliage of trees growing in the yard, as in photo 31, or overlooks a non-residential space from where no one can look into your room, you can simply cover the lower half of the windows with transparent film or muslin, or light white tulle - and thus win a little more daylight. This method, of course, is not suitable for everyone.
Photos 32 and 33
Make the most of the window. In photo 32 you see that dinner table placed in such a way that people do not receive daylight at all - there is nothing near the window, and the table is pushed into the most shaded place in the room. Consider arranging the furniture in your room so that you spend maximum time in its brightest place.
In a dark room, wall decor is important. Use paintings or posters in a light, light color. If you want more brightness, let them have bright colors too, but let the background and overall color be light and be sure that the top of the picture or poster is lighter than the bottom. Light flowers are very good (photo 33): orchids, jasmine, white peonies, white lilac, sakura, lilies, etc.
It’s good if you use paintings or posters behind glass (photo 34) - glass reflects daylight, although its disadvantage is that then the painting becomes less visible.
IN dark bedrooms use light-colored bedspreads (photo 35), especially if you use the bedroom during the day. Few people think about this, but a bedspread is a large object, and the larger your bed, the greater the role 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 beautiful, 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 is NOT suitable for dark rooms. All dull, faded, muted colors are contraindicated in dark rooms.
Neither for furniture, nor for carpets, nor for curtains, nor for decoration - for anything, do not use colors like those in photo 36. In bright yellow electric light they can be quite OK, but in daylight, as you can see, they take on this unpleasant “wornness”, especially in cloudy weather. Nothing makes a dark room look more gloomy than colors like these. Moreover, there are very beautiful muted shades of green, lilac, burgundy - it’s a pity, but you simply won’t see their beauty.
Photos 36 and 37
Grey colour not suitable for dark rooms. Gray color, even its light shades, is in very difficult relationships with daylight and especially with its lack. Gray color often takes on an unpleasant, deathly hue during the day, especially in rooms facing north and northeast. In photo 37 you see an example - an elegant gray shade would be very beautiful if it were better lit, but as it is, it became flat and cold. At the same time, notice in this photo how well the light floor works as a reflector.
Pearlescent wallpaper is not suitable for dark rooms. Many people confuse gloss and mother-of-pearl or believe that everything 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 photo 38 you can see how strongly the metallography absorbs light - about two meters from the window the wall is already completely dark. Imagine this wall as simply light, without mother-of-pearl, and you will understand the difference.
So, if you have a dark room, don’t despair. Think carefully about its design and, in particular, its layout, abandon dark and dull colors in favor of white, pastels and pure bright colors; ask for samples of materials in stores so you can look at them at home in daylight (or buy them and return them if they don’t suit you), approach the issue as meticulously as possible - and you will succeed. I hope you found this article helpful - if so, click the +1, “like” button or your icon social network. Thank you!
Owning an apartment is the dream of many young families. Imagination paints it like this Beautiful design interior, cozy rooms, kitchen furnished according to last word technology. But often the reality is not so rosy.
Often, an apartment consists of one room, which is also dark. How to design an interior in in this case, to create cozy atmosphere and at the same time, fill the room with light? There are some design tricks to add light to a room and create a feeling of space.
The choice of wall color plays a big role in creating a bright room. IN small room where there is a lack of light, the background should be light. The walls can be painted with water-based emulsion, coated decorative plaster or cover it with wallpaper. But to prevent the room from looking boring, what can you do? It is recommended to use several bright details.
These can be picturesque objects, original lamps. To create a highlight, part of one wall can be decorated in a dark shade. This move will create volume in the room.
The design of a dark room in an apartment in the photo should include as many light details as possible. So, the floor can be decorated in white. This will create a feeling of light and spaciousness in a small room. Of course, the white gender cannot be called a good decision. You can replace painting the floor with white paint by laying laminate or linoleum in light shades. An effective addition to the design of a dark room in an apartment would be to purchase parquet board from light wood species.
What else can be done so that the dark room in the apartment in the photo does not seem gloomy? Designers recommend focusing on window design. The best choice – long curtains in the floor, which in color will repeat the design of the walls. In this case, window textiles and walls will merge, giving the room a feeling of spaciousness.
How to arrange a dark room in an apartment? It is recommended to choose furniture with thin legs. It is ideal if the lower part of the furniture is open. To create the illusion of light, it is recommended to place large mirror opposite the window opening. Reflected in a mirror surface, Sun rays fill the room required quantity natural light.
One of common problems, which is called by designers, is the incorrect placement of light sources in a dark room. To create a feeling of light, you should not use central lighting. It is better to place several sconces around the perimeter that will illuminate the room with different points. This will create the illusion of light and large space.
Do you have a dark room that receives very little daylight? If you are not planning to move, then you need to do something about it. The gloomy interior is depressing, especially in the fall, when it is not difficult to fall into a depressive state or mood. Therefore, the owners of apartments and rooms have a question: how to make a dark room lighter? We'll show you a few design tricks that will optically help make your interior lighter.
Did you know that not only the location of the room in relation to the cardinal directions, the size and number of windows affect the lighting? This is also influenced by the colors of the floor, furniture and walls, window decorations and other materials used in the interior. If everything is in dark colors, then such a room will seem even darker than it actually is. A bright room looks much more spacious and larger.
How to brighten up a dark room if you have neither the desire nor the budget to replace the furniture? To do this, use less capital-intensive, but no less effective tricks. Start by identifying the darkest areas in the room - highlight the darkest walls and corners that you can work on to make a difference. Let's look at which of these elements can be updated relatively inexpensively.
Repaint the walls or replace the wallpaper. It is not necessary to change the wallpaper in the entire room; you can replace it only on one or two walls. Considering the principle that an interior that is not cluttered appears lighter, should you consider getting rid of some not-so-useful furniture? If you remove a bulky tall wardrobe or a wall of furniture, or at least part of it, from a room, then such a room will instantly become lighter and more spacious.
If renovation is planned:
- remove dark flooring or repaint wood floors in light, pastel colors;
- dark carpet covering with patterns or designs, replace them with smooth and light ones;
- replace solid doors with glazed or sliding doors;
- paint it white window frames and window sills;
- scrape off the darkened floor and cover it with clear varnish;
- if you are planning to change the floor, think about where you can put light polished tiles that reflect light well and “illuminate” the interior;
- old, dark ceramic tiles in the bathroom and kitchen, replace or paint with special paint for tiles light color.
If you are planning to paint the walls a different color, then you should choose the appropriate paint to decorate and brighten the interior.
Of course, the lighter it is, the better. Don't like white walls? Don't worry, good effect can be achieved using other light and bleached shades.
In a shaded room with one window, it may look impressive to use three shades of the same color. The darkest of them should be used to paint the wall around the window, and the darkest light shade place it on the wall opposite the window. We paint the side walls in the third intermediate shade. This way of distributing paint and shadows in the room enhances the daylight that penetrates inside.
You will get a brightening effect by choosing transparent paints to which particles of gold, silver or pearls have been added. A wall painted with this paint reflects more light.
Well-planned lighting has a huge impact on our mood. Plus, the interior looks better when it's bathed in sunlight. When there is not enough sun in the apartment, it is necessary to choose the right artificial lighting. To make a dark room brighter, you need to provide light that is most similar to natural light. When planning lighting in a dark room, you can use the following solutions:
- In addition to central lighting, it is also worth installing spotlights; this is especially important in those areas of the apartment where it is darkest - in the bathroom and hallway.
- It will also be useful spot light in the kitchen, especially when it does not have a window or the window is too small.
- If you want to paint the ceiling in a more dark color, then in a dark room it’s not the best best idea. But if you take care of good lighting on the ceiling, then you can think about such an idea. This can be halogen spotlights or LEDs, preferably dimmable.
- In the bedroom, additional lighting should be installed near the bed - in the case of a double bed - always on both sides. In the living room, you should place a floor lamp in the darkest corner.
- Good results may also give Spotlights, highlighting selected decorative elements - paintings, figurines and other decorations.
Interior design: soft and light furniture
In a dark room, large pieces of furniture with gloomy upholstery greatly overload the interior. To make such a room brighter, it is better to choose light-colored and non-bulky furniture. It is better to replace a large wall of furniture with a chest of drawers that stands on legs; this will immediately make it visually lighter, since lifting the furniture off the floor adds lightness to it. If the seats on the chairs have dark upholstery, it is worth sewing covers for them from light fabric. The sofa can be covered with a light blanket.
Light floors and light doors are ideal in dark rooms. This is a solution for people who love to tidy up and clean. Unfortunately, this type of floor gets dirty much faster than a regular floor, so with a large number of family members this is not a practical solution.
If you are thinking about buying a rug and your sofa or chairs have a patterned upholstery, then it is better to choose a smooth and plain rug. However, in the opposite situation, you can choose a rug (or rug) with a pattern, but not too colorful or bright.
IN dark interior You should not choose solid doors, but rather install folding or sliding ones. Definitely better glass doors or partially glazed, allowing light to penetrate between rooms.
Mirrors help shape and illuminate the space. It is better to choose a location for placing mirrors on the same plane, preferably a large one. The mirror should hang on the wall opposite the window. A large mirror that shows the silhouette of a person in full height It should also hang in the corridor - the darkest room of the apartment.
The mirror frame should decorate the interior and should be light and uncluttered. If you don’t like to look in mirrors while wandering around the apartment, then you can use a lot of mirrors in the bookcase, behind the shelves, and install objects made from clear glass.
Using mirrors you can also disguise the doors of a massive cabinet. You can buy a large mirror or stick a mirror film on the doors.
Not suitable for dark rooms dark curtains with patterned designs and romantic frills. It is better to open the windows as much as possible - let daylight enter the apartment without obstacles.
However, if you don’t like empty windows, you should think about soft white curtains, the best ones made of translucent tulle. If you need to close your windows in the evening from prying eyes, you should choose blinds in neutral, light colors.
Another important point– try leaving the window sills empty. And if you want to put something for them, let it be objects made of transparent glass that will let the sun's rays through.
In all dark rooms, it is better to create interiors with light-colored furniture, preferably with glossy, varnished surfaces that reflect light.
In a dark kitchen, if you have dark cabinets and floors, then you should take care of light ones additional elements. Paint the walls in a light color; tiles should also be chosen in light colors, preferably with a glossy sheen, good option will be thrown off with backlight.
If the apartment is not cluttered or overloaded with knick-knacks, it always seems much lighter and more spacious. Therefore, it is worth removing all colorful and flashy decorations - not only from the window sills, but throughout the apartment. All the trinkets dear to your heart can be installed in the closet and only a third of it can be displayed.
Owners of apartments with dark rooms cannot be called lucky. When the windows are located on the north side or the trees outside the window interfere with the access of light, when the window openings are too small or the room has non-standard shape and size, without special techniques it will not be possible to achieve the effect of a large amount of light in the room. Without this, any room seems uncomfortable and cramped. The design of a dark room needs to be thought through carefully so as not to darken it further.
Designers offer several ideas and tips on how to brighten a dark room. But each piece of advice should be considered in the context of your existing apartment layout and the purpose of the room. Before purchasing building materials, decorative elements, pieces of furniture, take samples of them to see how they will look in a particular room, and make sure that you can return them if they don’t suit you.
In order to make an insufficiently lit room brighter, you can use a number of professional design techniques, which also allow you to expand the space and add airiness to the room. The design of a dark room does not imply the use of all of the listed techniques, but only those that are suitable for a particular room and will appeal to the owners of the home.
It is hardly possible to get rid of the trees in front of the window that interfere with light entering the room or to expand the window opening, so we are considering only those ideas that can be applied indoors.
Surface decoration
The first and main way to make a dark room brighter is to decorate the walls, ceiling and floor in white. White surfaces will reflect more light. Creating a “white box” effect in a room will make a dimly lit room visually larger and more spacious, especially if large pieces of furniture (sofa, table, shelves, closet) are also white.
If it seems that white walls, white ceiling, white floor and even white furniture- this is boring, you can add bright accessories or small pieces of furniture in bright contrasting colors. If bright colors on a white background are also not of interest, use a large number of details in natural colors, which will decorate the room. For example, you can decorate the entire wall with black and white photographs or drawings, and put many different accessories “under the tree.” You can also decorate some surfaces with openwork patterns, for example, cabinet doors or the head of a bed. Such patterns can be combined with patterns on glass, macrame, knitted napkins etc.
Many people think that white is a rather easily soiled color, therefore, painting or repairing walls and floors will often be required. But the materials currently on the market (tiles, washable wallpaper, durable paint, etc.) allow you not to think about it. Naturally, such surfaces should be kept clean.
Those who under no circumstances want to decorate their bedroom, office or living room in a “hospital” color, can be offered to decorate the surfaces in the following colors: light blue, light green, light pink, mint, ivory, light yellow. If possible, use the lightest colors in the palette.
Another way to decorate walls in a dimly lit room is to combine light and dark materials. The bottom of the wall is about 1/3 of a darker shade, and the top is a light shade. This method will add light and visually make the ceilings higher.
Furniture in a dark room
Firstly, you shouldn’t overload such rooms with furniture. You should especially not place bulky furniture in the center of the room, as it will absorb light. It is better to use furniture with graceful legs with open space below. Such items make the room feel lighter and airier.
It is advisable to make the surfaces of cabinets located opposite the window glossy. This way they will reflect light. Using mirrors is also possible, but it is worth remembering that while gloss reflects only light, a mirror reflects everything.
It is important to properly place furniture in a dimly lit room. For example, if the light hits only part of the room, that’s where you should place the dining table or work area. Don't deprive yourself and your loved ones natural light, of which there is already little in the room.
Lighting a dark room
For dark rooms, it is necessary to consider multi-level lighting. The ideal option is a suspended ceiling with a large number of spotlights. The main task is the placement of light sources at different levels.
Instead of suspended ceiling you can make sides around the perimeter of the ceiling in which to place hidden backlight. You can also use floor lamps, floor lamps, hang sconces at different heights. Additional lighting can be built into cabinets or niches, if they are provided in the interior.
Decorative elements and accessories
In dark room design great importance attached to wall decor. You can use photographs or posters placed under glass. It reflects light. Moreover, it is in decorative elements can be used bright accents, but not too zealous. Three or four bright things will be enough.
You should not use a huge amount of textiles in the decor of such a room. Do not overload the room with pillows and blankets. It is also better to avoid heavy curtains. To decorate the window, use white tulle or thin linen curtains. If possible, the window can generally be made as open as possible and curtains not used.
Common mistakes in decorating dark rooms
Many people believe that bright central lighting in such a room will solve all problems, but this is not so. To illuminate as much space as possible, it is worth placing light sources at different levels.
If you approach the issue of decorating a dark room correctly and tastefully, you can turn such a room into a rather cozy place.
Comfort to your home!
Undoubtedly, a dark room has many advantages: the eyes have a rest from the bright light that hits the eyes, and the twilight also relaxes nervous system, also in such a room a person falls asleep 20% faster. However, a dark room in its persistence makes the apartment uncomfortable and significantly reduces the cost of the apartment upon purchase. A dark room is especially dangerous for rooms - offices, children's rooms and libraries. That's why many people ask important issue- how to make a dark room brighter?
- Bright hues.
You can brighten a room with light colors in the design of the room. A dark room, of course, can be made completely white, but it is better to use pastel colors: beige, cream and light lemon. If there is no sunlight coming through the room's windows, the white walls will appear a dirty gray color.
But it is advisable to make the ceiling in the room perfectly white, even mirror white, so that the light color of the walls is reflected in the ceiling and brightens the room.
It is also best to lay it on the floor flooring light color, but you can also throw in a bright yellow carpet so that there is a bright spot against the light walls and enlivens the room.
- Curtains.
For daylight, the choice should be transparent curtains, but the question arises about night curtains. They should be chosen light, but from the densest material that will not transmit the light of night lights and signs.
If the room is very small, then preference should be given to white curtains, but if the room is spacious, but dark because of the trees outside the window, then you need to hang yellow curtains, they will create the impression of bright sun rays.
And as a last resort, you can make a window without curtains in the interior; this is also welcome, so as not to clutter up the daylight with objects.
- Furniture.
The first thing you need to know is no large furniture. Secondly, it is advisable to pay attention to glass furniture or small interior items with polished or mirrored facades. Several small pieces of furniture are better than a huge “wall” or “slide” that weighs down the room.
- Mirrors.
Any decorative mirrors for the interior should be selected according to the principle of less and a few pieces. A pair of mirrors should be placed in such an order that they multiply the light as best as possible; it would be great if a chandelier looked in the mirror.
- Partitions.
If the room has partitions and they are not load-bearing walls- down with them! Due to the absence of partitions, the room will receive additional natural light and will visually appear larger and lighter.
- Accent blue color.
A slight accent of blue or turquoise color will add light to the room, but there is a small rule - do not overdo it.
Otherwise, with an excess of this color, we will achieve a completely different effect - a visual reduction in the room and even “coldness”. But a small accent of blue with the addition of yellow things will create the appearance of the sky with the sun and “warm” the room.
