Six tips to lighten up a dark room

Early spring vignette free from clutter. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

Let me ask you a question…What is your favorite room in your home? Why do you love that space so much? Well, okay, that was two questions! But bear with me…

Chances are you don’t even realize the effect lighting has on how you react to—and interact with—your favorite room. Is it a warm, cozy room with soft lighting? Is it a light and airy space with banks of windows that let in all that precious life-giving natural light? 

Light—or lack thereof—creates a mood in a space. It can make you feel content, invigorated, romantic, charged…or depressed. 

While exploring the natural lighting in my living spaces, I addressed the black hole called my dining room. This space receives so little direct natural light that growing live houseplants is impossible, and it occurred to me that spending time in this room made me feel depressed. A makeover was overdue, and lighting would be pivotal in bringing the space back to life. But that—as I found out—was only part of the equation.

Dark dining room before lights and decor. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

​So, let me share tips and ideas for bringing dark spaces into the light…literally!



Use lighter or brighter colors

Bright colors—such as orange or yellow—tend to give a space warmth and a sense of vibrance and energy. A bright color can “lift” the vibration of a room and make it feel lighter and more welcoming. There is a school of thought that if you go loud with your decor—for example, hanging large, colorful art pieces in space—the space will come alive and feel lighter. I guess that depends on the art piece! But, in the end, it’s all about how color makes you feel when in the space.

If you are looking for something more tame--and you like the cooler side of the color wheel--you could opt for a light blue or green. This approach would create a serene environment that mimics nature and lifts the spirits.

The most popular options right now are neutral light browns, cool grays, warm grays, or white throughout interior spaces. This approach makes it easy to coordinate furniture and accessories to create a light and airy interior.

Image by FollowTheFlow on Adobe Stock.

Use lightweight furniture

Heavy, bulky furniture and furnishings will always make the room feel heavy, especially if the color scheme and wood are dark. Traditional bulky furniture can make a room feel dark and heavy, but this doesn’t mean you have to go out and buy sleek modern furniture. A traditional-style dark wood chair with slimmer lines, for instance, can go a long way to lightening the overall feel of a space. Even if the chair wood is dark, slender lines lessen the impact, creating more negative space through which light can travel.

Of course, if you like sleek modern furniture, I say go for it!

Image by Andrey on Adobe Stock.

Declutter your space

When creating a lighter feel to a room, sometimes less is more. The minimalist style aesthetic stresses clean, uncluttered spaces, and those interiors tend to feel airy and light. It’s not necessary, however, to go to that extreme if it’s not your thing. It’s worth noting, though, that having a lot of knick-knacks and furniture in a space will make the room feel heavier and claustrophobic. If the room is full of furnishings and accessories, there is less space for light to travel, so if your goal is to lighten up the room, it's worth getting brutally strategic about how much decor and furnishings are on display.

Last year's early spring vignette lit by a table lamp. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

Use reflective surfaces

We all know reflective surfaces can make a room feel stylish and glamorous. Shiny surfaces allow light to bounce outward into the room, amplifying the luminance of the space. High gloss or metal furnishings and finishes can brighten up a space in a passive way without having to use more electricity.

One of the most effective reflective surfaces to use is mirrors. Mirrors reflect the light and create the illusion of double the space, making the room feel larger.

Layered mirrors in my dining room expand the visual space. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2023.

Maximize natural light

The best—and cheapest—way to lighten up a room in the daytime is to maximize the natural light entering the space through the windows. 

Take advantage of the natural light by using sheer curtains and removing window coverings and furnishings in front of the windows. Also, remove anything outside the window that blocks the windows, such as trees or bushes.

If you live in a more modern home, add a light shelf. A light shelf is a small shelf installed within a foot of the top of your window that bounces that upper-level light deeper into the room. So instead of the natural light just illuminating the first few feet of the room, you could increase the reach several more feet into the space, decreasing the reliance on electricity. Most of us in more traditional homes probably can’t do that, but it’s worth a mention!

Image by J.A. at Adobe Stock.

Assess artificial lighting

There’s no way of getting around the reality that we rely on electricity most of the time. The best way to maximize light in a space—and dispel the shadows in those dark corners—is to create a layered lighting plan. Your lighting plan should utilize overhead or ambient lighting, task lighting, accent lighting (such as wall sconces and table lamps), and mood lighting. The more options you have to light up your room, the lighter the interior space will feel in the evenings or on those cloudy, rainy days.

Details mean everything, so examine all the ways light is needed in the space to find ways to maximize the use of your indoor lighting. Anything that requires a lamp shade (such as table lamps, wall sconces, and chandeliers) could benefit from switching to light-colored covers to allow light to pass through better. If you have decorative lighting with crystals, those should be kept clean to maximize the reflective properties. Use uplighting on stairs or other architectural features to highlight artwork or increase the general lighting in the space. And finally, add in strands of LED fairy lights, white Christmas lights, LED candles, or real candles to create a romantic “hygge” mood.

Dining room and living rooms all lit with the warm glow of lamps. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

​So, those are my six tips for creating an interior space that feels lighter and brighter. What do you think? Did I miss anything? Have you tried any of these ideas in your own space? Leave a comment below and let me know! 



Related blogs you may want to read:
Eight tips for assessing natural light in your home
Five ways to create light layers in a room
Does bringing nature into the home improve your mood?
How to reupholster a dining room chair in 9 simple steps
Eight tips for creating spring vignettes
A spring decor makeover for my small rental bathroom
Small houseplants that love bathroom humidity
How to care for faux florals
Eight health benefits of decorating with plants
11 interior decorating tips that help reduce anxiety and depression
Nine hygge decor ideas
Winter color palette ideas for your home decor
Eight ways to create cozy winter interiors after the holiday decor comes down
A little project with jute twine and an old foot stool
DIY refurbishment of a dining room cabinet
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Let’s talk about houseplants
How to clean a fabric lampshade

This article may contain a few items or commercial mentions, but I only used them for demonstration purposes only. I am not endorsing any particular product or receiving any monetary gain for this blog.
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