Tips To Brighten Your Home

Does your home seem so… BLAH?

Luckily, brightening up your home is one of the easiest home improvement projects you can do. You may need to brighten a room that is dark colored or doesn't get enough natural light, or you may need to brighten a room that has a dated or stale look to change the mood. Luckily, these solutions will help in both situations. Usually, a little creativity and design change are all you need.

Furniture Fixes

You probably don't need to go buy all new furniture…unless you want to! But sometimes swapping out a piece or two can do wonders. Here are some tips.

• Rearrange the furniture. This can let in more light or just open it up for a fresh look. Tall furniture should be away from windows. Removing some furniture from a room can visually open it up, leaving more room for light.
• Use white or light-colored furniture. That doesn't necessarily mean everything has to be white. Just changing one or two pieces may help.
• Go for balance so dark furniture isn't overpowering. Add metallic pillows to a dark sofa or metallic and glass accessories on top of a dark dresser.
• Use built-ins. They keep clutter and bulky furniture from adding visual weight to the room, keeping things open and brighter.
• Go for minimalist pieces. Again, this is about bulk and clutter and the visual weight it adds to the room.
• Acrylic pieces or glass-top tables can help. Not only do they look less bulky because they are clear, but it also adds a reflective surface to spread light around the room.
  

Decor Fixes

Changing up the accessories in a room is usually a budget-friendly home improvement fix. Think about pillows, rugs, vases, artwork, throws, and any other accessories you have.

• Choose different colors. To brighten up the room, go for white, light-colored, bright, or metallic accessories.
• Choose different materials. Glass, crystal, mirrored, acrylic, white ceramic, or metal accessories all reflect light, helping make the room brighter.
• Change window treatments. Use sheers or translucent blinds instead of heavy drapes, Stick to white or light neutral colors. You may even want to skip the curtains entirely.
• Use white lampshades. Fixtures with glass covers should have clear, white, or frosted glass. Avoid giving the light a yellowish cast. It makes the room darker.
• Go for brighter light. Light fixtures should have all the bulbs, and they should be the maximum wattage. Changing to LED bulbs will also give you brighter light.
• Add plants. Plants give the room a double brightness boost. The plant adds color, and a carefully selected pot or vase can add even more brightness.

Paint It

A fresh coat of paint is almost guaranteed to brighten a room. The usual recommendation is to go with white. You could paint everything, use white on only one wall, or paint trim and baseboards white. If the room is a darker color, you may just want to go with a much lighter color instead.

Go All In

As a last resort, you could add new or bigger windows, skylights, or knock out a wall to allow more light in. These are all major home improvement projects, and you'll need to call in a professional if you go this route.

Brightening up a room or even your whole house is one of the easiest things you can do to make it feel like a happy and inviting home. You'll love showing off the new look to family and friends too!

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