Natural light in itself is a great aspect of home décor. In houses graced by a perfect sunlight, it makes up for not only an endearing sight but also adds an element of freshness. So if your house has dark rooms often lit up by artificial lights only, then you can apply some simple décor tactics to allow more natural light into the room.
First, the idea is to understand what is blocking the natural light. If it is dark floors in small spaces absorbing the natural light or heavy luxury furniture. Start by removing some of these culprits. Often an array of luxury furniture in cities like Delhi, Mumbai such as Italian sofas, European wardrobes, imported cupboards, etc from Pinaca Furniture India and Bonaldo furniture India tend to crowd up the house. So the key is to de-clutter and balance in placement.
You can multiply the amount of natural light that a room receives by adopting a few décor tips that take light away from the edges and into the room. Here are a few:
- Mirror Effect
Adding shiny surfaces to rooms actually allows more light to be reflected back into the room. The use of mirrors in décor is one of the best ways to retain the natural light as it creates the illusion of light. Other than that, chandeliers, brass lighting, gold door knobs and silver frames, etc also help bounce light back into the room.
Mounting large mirrors on walls add a decorating touch along with working wonders for light reflection. One can use an antique mirror or beveled, sunburst or Venetian mirrors as items of décor to add a style quotient to the room. These mirrors can be used as a statement piece in the room. Placing a statement mirror by the entry or in the hallway, or by the window actually helps in spreading natural light into the room. Putting multiple mirrors in a dark room opposite one another creates an infinite set of reflections which adds depth to the room making it appear bigger. Also adding a mirror at the end of a short hallway also makes it look longer, or placing mirrors on the opposite wall to windows also helps bring in enough natural light.
The mirror effect could be created using multiple shiny, metallic, or glassy things help amplify the natural light coming into the room. Also adding shiny décor items like brass, etc to a wall painted in darker color also help in lightening up a dark room.
- Transparent is the key
A glass is a great way of letting in more natural light into the house. Frosted or tinted glass puts in the same feel while retaining the privacy.
The type of glass that can be used depends on the style of the house, and preferences of budget and security. Frosted film in windows is a décor hack for especially internal rooms as it allows filtered light in being translucent.
Glass doors keep the light flowing through hallways and entries. Other than that the use of glass in glass tabletops, furniture etc also increase the flow of light across the room. The glass in furniture can be used and placed anywhere and still work wonders in allowing natural light into the room.
- Paint it the right color:
Neutral colors like white, gray, etc light up rooms that receive less light and are comparatively darker. There are certain colors like white, especially that reflects light, lighting up dark rooms. Rich neutrals like lighter shades of brown, gray, tan and warm rust colors, add warmth to a room. Painting your ceiling in contrast to the room color, like a black trim, or a sky blue ceiling works wonders. If there are darker shade furniture or dark wood floors then the shades of neutrals like white and tan, compliment it well.
Along with wall paint, adding light colored floors, or tiles and rugs etc also add light to a dark room. White painted floorboards are another great way of adding light to a room as floors cover a large area of the room.
4. A cure for dark ceilings
Ceilings that are painted in dark colors absorb a lot of light. These stylish options add drama to a room but again reflect much less light. If a room has a dark ceiling, then dark walls and dark floors must be avoided.
Skylights are a great option to let in natural light in a room that has dark ceilings.
Other than that painting dark ceilings in white or a lighter color also works in a way. Recessed lighting fixtures add light to dark ceilings without destroying the real character of dark painted ceilings.
5. Light it with the kitchen!
Dark flooring in a kitchen with dark cabinetry adds drama and uniqueness to the house décor. However, the downside is that much less light comes in making the kitchen appear gloomy, narrow and compact. In that case, making your kitchen countertops lighter with shiny finishes can help break the solid color blocks and make the kitchen seem more spacious with a lot of light. Shiny, metallic surfaces, silver fittings, white sinks etc all bounce back light balancing with the dark kitchen cabinetry. Adding tiles also help make the kitchen feel lighter.
6. Light over some dark bedrooms
If you have a dark bedroom with dark wall colors and dark furniture then a few tricks can be applied to let in more light. Light colored bed cover, linen, cushions, and rugs compliment well with a dark bedroom and so do light colored curtains. Soft lighting in strategic places keeps the mood of the dark room intact while lighting it up subtly, like built-in lighting concealed in shelves, under cabinet lighting, pendant lights and side table lamps. Also, lighter finishes on windows, mirrors, soft furnishings are another great trick. Shiny hardware like furniture stands, mirrors, lighting, etc also plays with the dark-light interface. Painting the ceiling and floors with lighter colors in comparison to the dark wall color also helps let in more light.
These home décor hacks quite interestingly help light up the house, where it is lacking. Along with it, harboring the right luxury furniture in Mumbai, Delhi or other cities from Pianca Furniture India and Bonaldo India is the real deal. The proper arrangement of the same does help in the management of light flow into the house.