Dark rooms can feel small and unwelcoming. Although you may not be able to add a window, you can brighten them with the right paint choices.
1. Start With Clean Surfaces
Fresh paint will fail at brightening a room if proper preparation isn't first done. Any grime on the walls, from the dust of daily living to oily fingerprints, will eventually bleed through fresh paint and make it dingy and dark. Walls should be thoroughly cleaned before the first coat of paint goes on. Some painting services do this automatically, while others give you the choice to do it yourself for a fee reduction.
2. Choose a Lighter Color
Lighter shades will always make a room look brighter. This doesn't mean you are stuck with dull white on the walls, though. You can still add color, just opt for more pastel and muted tones, such as pale blue or green. You can go a bit darker with bright warm colors, like yellow, without losing too much brightening power. If you find a color you love but it is too dark, ask for a slightly lighter shade of the same color with less pigment instead.
3. Brighten With the Right Finish
Different paint finishes also affect brightness. As a general rule of thumb, gloss and semi-gloss paints reflect light and brighten a space better than matte finishes. Some paint brands list an "LRV" number on their colors, which stands for light reflecting value. The higher the value, the more light reflection the color and finish supplies.
4. "Raise" the Ceiling
A dark room can also seem small and closed in. One way to make it feel brighter and bigger is a simple illusion of a higher ceiling that reflects more light down into the room. To achieve this, paint the ceiling a few shades lighter than the walls. For example, if you opt for sunny yellow walls, then paint a pale yellow ceiling. Or, combine a white ceiling with eggshell blue walls.
5. Paint the Woodwork
Dark woodwork and trim may seem classic in design but unfortunately darkens a room even when paired with light-colored walls. Painting the wood trim a lighter color or even blending it to the wall color will brighten a room quite a bit. You may even opt to paint hardwood floors with light floor paint, particularly if they are not in the best condition for refinishing.
Contact a residential painting service if you are ready to brighten a dark room.
Share3 August 2022
Sure, you might be able to do your own painting job, but do you know how to hang that wallpaper? I made the mistake of assuming that wallpaper installation would be easy, which led to walls filled with uneven seams and unsightly gaps. Fortunately, you don't have to make the same mistakes I did. This blog is dedicated to articles about painting and wallpaper installation, so that you can see why working with a professional is important. By following this advice, you might be able to make your home look incredible, without spending more time on your project than you need to.
