Ask Audrey: Bringing Light Into Dark Rooms

Dear Audrey: I have the classic, living-on-a-budget, city apartment view: windows with a view of the brick wall next door. How can I bring more light into my space when no natural light can get in?

Believe it or not, there are a lot of things you can do about this! You are not powerless to your urban “view”! Here are a few ways you can bring light into a dark room:

Light color paint

Picking a bright, warm color will add light to any room - even more so if you have a white ceiling. Try a bright yellow-based white or a minty white to amp up whatever light is coming into your space.

For this to work best, prime your walls first. That means you’ll want to start with a base coat of white paint to even out the surface. Then carefully paint your new color on top, working with even strokes. These techniques will go a long way!

Declutter your room

Nothing can diffuse light quite like clutter can. Declutter your room - but most especially the space in front of the window - so whatever light is coming in can flow in freely.

Use smaller furniture pieces

Next you’ll want to downsize the physical space that’s being occupied by furniture. That doesn’t mean you have to have less furniture, but simply smaller sizes of the furniture you have. (Pro tip: most furniture stores features sections of their website called “small spaces” specifically for this reason. It’s a great way to get the furniture you love in the sizes that make sense for your apartment.)

Remember: the more bright, reflective walls you can see, the brighter your space will look!

Uplighting

A harsh, bright downlight (the light from your ceiling’s light fixture) will make the darkness of your room even more obvious. But if you get a light fixture that shines light upwards and then reflects that light down, the lighting in your room will feel more natural (and comfortable)!

Image by Shannon McNay

When looking for the proper lighting, avoid exposed bulbs and track lighting. If your room has a picture rail (or if you feel like making your own), you can add LED strips to the top and a nice, even wash of bright light to your space - with zero glare!

Stained glass 

Does your room look brighter now - but a little boring? Try hanging a clear stained glass or colored stained glass window pane in front of your window! That way you can keep your walls white but still enjoy a splash of color.

Image by Hobvias Sudoneighm

Solar Tubes

If you’ve tried all of this but your room is still stubbornly dark, then try out solar tubes. They’re not super-cheap or super-expensive, but they will bring in a lot of light - so they can be worth the value if you plan on staying in your apartment long-term.

Remember: Just because you live in a rental doesn’t mean you have to be a slave to the space you’re in! There are always tweaks you can make to improve your space without needing a contractor’s license.

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