Make your drab, dim room a bright, happy place
A dim room can seem really uninviting. It feels small. It feels cramped. And unless you’re about to take a nap on a lazy Sunday afternoon, it doesn’t feel too useful. Whether you’re selling your home or simply looking for ways to increase your home’s value, brightening up a dark room can be give your home an instant boost.
Here are five tips you can use to make a dark room look brighter and more inviting.
1. Let the natural light in
If your room has one or more windows, then the easiest place to start is allowing more of the natural sunlight into the room. Replace old drapes and solid curtains with sheer panels or mini blinds that can be adjusted to let in the light. First floor rooms may benefit most from mini blinds, as this option allows daytime sunlight and night time privacy.
Give the windows a good cleaning, inside and out. If you rely on your home’s heating and cooling systems year-round and don’t open your windows often, then you might even consider removing the screens and tucking them away in the garage. This really makes a surprising difference!
If bushes or trees block your window, trim them enough to allow sunlight through. Keeping shrubs and trees from growing too closely to your home not only lets in more light, but also helps avoid moisture damage and unsightly markings on your home’s exterior paint.
2. Paint the ceiling white
Painting the ceiling is another great way to brighten up a drab room. You can keep the walls a darker color, if that’s your preference. A white ceiling really opens the space visually, illuminating the room.
Be sure to use a matte finish paint for the ceiling. It might seem more logical to use glossy paint, since it’s more reflective, but glossy paint on the ceiling may cause glare and be harsh on the eyes.
3. Improve the lighting
Dim rooms need better lighting. Fortunately, that’s not too hard to fix. Position multiple lights around the room to balance out the light. Experiment with warm or cool bulbs, and place lighting at various levels, such as overhead, recessed and lower level lighting.
If you have a white ceiling, a great lighting option is to use bright lamps that aim the light upwards. This bounces the light off the white ceiling and spreads it around the room more evenly, eliminating those harsh shadows created by some overhead lights.
4. Brighten your dim room from the bottom up
Dark wood floors are beautiful and luxurious, but they make dim rooms seem dreary and small. If it’s within your budget, switch out dark flooring for floor coverings in lighter, neutral tones.
If finances prohibit changing out the dark floor, try adding some light-colored floor rugs instead. Avoid intense colors, and stick with pale, neutral tones and patterns for your flooring.
5. Make use of reflective surfaces
Reflective surfaces, like mirrors and glass tabletops, are excellent vehicles for spreading available light around an otherwise dim room. Even shiny picture frames and decorative pieces can catch those highlights and brighten your space.
Improve your dim room with doable steps
It’s easy to improve your home by brightening up a dim room, even on a budget. If you’re selling your home, you don’t have to go all-out with a massive, expensive renovation; you can make a positive impression by using a few of these tips in moderation.
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Are you interested in learning how to get your home ready for the current real estate market? Contact me today at 408-472-0817, or click the image below.
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