6 Clever Tricks to Brighten Up Dark Rooms

First of all, you should think about the relationship between the size of the room and the size of the furniture. When furnishing a home, many people are not aware that they can severely limit the ambience and lighting conditions with furniture that is too big. If you squeeze a bed that is too big into a small bedroom, buy a wardrobe that is far too high and are surprised that everything is suddenly too close together, you will not enjoy a room that is flooded with light. The motto here is: less is more. When buying furniture, you should therefore already have the exact dimensions of the room you are furnishing in mind to choose furnishings that fit perfectly—sofas, beds, shelves, etc. only work if the proportions are right for the room in question.

Most people neglect this detail when it comes to decorating their own four walls: the curtains. These should not only be checked in terms of colour (preferably light and friendly) but also the structure of the respective material (light and breathable) and the length. Because a curtain that is too long, very thick and in a relatively dark colour sucks the light out of any room and will not be an admired eye-catcher. So try to keep the size of the room, the colour and all other elements in mind when choosing all the curtains. Because the curtain will frame the most important source of light in the room, the window, and is therefore automatically the centre of attention as soon as you think about the lighting conditions.

Curtains made of light fabrics in soft colours are particularly popular. Pastel or cream tones are often chosen, as they have a calming effect. Patterned curtains are also popular, as they give the room character. Of course, you don't have to rush your selection—you can often have fabric samples or even the curtain delivered to your home and hang them up in the room to see whether they fit in with the overall look—or not.

In addition to the size and colour of the furniture, its arrangement in the room also plays a decisive role. Not every corner is the right place to place a small table and it is not always advisable to place the sofa area directly in front of the large patio doors. You should be just as creative and patient when furnishing as you are when choosing the furniture—because only those who can think outside the box when it comes to house and living will find the perfect way to perfectly arrange sofas, tables, shelves, etc. in their own home.

Of course, you can't always change the windows in your home—especially if you live in a rented apartment. But if you're in the middle of building a house, you should look for large windows with light frames that allow enough light to flow into all rooms. That makes a big difference and will certainly help you feel completely comfortable in every room—if you're unsure, it's also advisable to ask architects for advice. And even if you have the opportunity to choose the shutters yourself, you should always go for the light alternative. Dark wooden shutters are a thing of the past and are now giving way to delicate alternatives that must not be darker than cream.

If you are a big fan of dark colours, you should always make sure to find the right balance. A dark sofa can look great—provided it is not in a room that is just as dark. Even if you are not a big fan of particularly bright colours, you can still play with attractive symbioses: for example, if you choose a black sofa and place it in a dazzling red room like in the picture above that is sufficiently lit.

Finally, when building a house, you should think about the perfect incidence of light—and this applies to every room. If there are large windows, that is already a great advantage, but it is even more attractive if there are also narrow windows towards the ceiling that let a little light into the room. If your house or apartment does not allow for such details, you can also play with ceiling lights, which, with careful planning, can be a successful substitute for natural light.