No one wants to live in a dark and gloomy home. Luckily there are many ways to brighten up a room or even an entire home without having to spend for expensive paint jobs or renovations. Those who are working on tight budget should not despair, because sometimes all it takes is a tweak here or there and that would change the atmosphere of the entire room. Here are some tips and tricks that would help bring some light back to any home.
Colour
Choose a neutral color palette for décor – Most of the time, it’s dark wood floors and doors that make the room seem dark and cave-like. Using neutral colors like whites, light browns, and grays on throw pillows and other furniture or décor items can help bring brightness to what would normally be a room of gloom.
Surfaces
Sparkle and shine! – Reflective surfaces have a way of making a room not only look brighter, but larger as well. To achieve this, there’s no need to bring out the heavy duty mirrors. Some pieces with sparkly or shiny surfaces can also do the trick like hanging up crystal picture frames or artistically assembled mirror art on the walls.
Paint
DIY Paint Jobs – Some rooms simply need a new coat of paint to make it look brighter. The cheapest way to do this is to go the DIY route. One doesn’t need to be a professional to be able to pull this off. Just make sure that the walls are absolutely clean before painting over them and that floor and all the furniture are properly covered. As with all DIY projects, one must make sure to wear proper safety apparel. They can be purchased at any hardware store or online at websites such as Tradefix Direct.
Clutter
Get rid of clutter – A cluttered house is not what people want to come home to at the end of the day. No matter how much re-decorating one does, if the house is cluttered, it will remain dark, gloomy, and a tad bit stuffy for comfort. Make sure to clear out all the junk in the room before making drastic changes to it. The result may be surprising.
Lighting
Choose lighting fixtures and light bulbs properly – In many cases, the brightness or darkness of a room depends on the lighting used in it. Some of the more intricate lighting fixtures may look good, but does not bring enough light into a room to brighten it up.
Also, using incandescent bulbs can also add to the gloomy atmosphere inside a room. Make sure to choose light fixtures that allow the light from the bulbs to shine through properly. It is also advisable to use LED or fluorescent bulbs for maximum brightness. Not only do they make the room look brighter, they also cost less to maintain.
Brightening up a home isn’t supposed to be difficult. All one needs is a little imagination to bring a room to life without having to spend too much.
Article written by Arthur Wilson, a freelance blogger from Manchester. Follow him on Twitter here.