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Community Corner

How to Make a Dark Room Appear Lighter

Here are a few easy, low cost tips to lighten up a room.

Most houses and apartments have at least one room that is continually dark.  Not only is this a mood changer, but also it can lead to eye strain and possibly accidents. There are things you can do that do not require major remodeling or big hits to the bank account.

Add more lights. This seems obvious, but many people rely solely on the standard overhead lights for illumination. Room lighting should come from three levels – low, middle, and high. You can create a much brighter and more comfortable room by adding lamps on the tables and up lights behind furniture or plants.

Use eggshell or semi-gloss paint on the walls. These finishes tend to reflect light in the room whereas a matte finish soaks up the light making a room seem darker.

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Keep the ceiling color light. I love painting the ceiling of a room and treating it as a fifth wall. The standard has always been “builder white” and while boring, it does lighten up a room. If you want to paint your ceiling and your room doesn’t have much natural light, using a light color will keep the room brighter.

Hang a mirror. Mirrors, especially large ones, reflect light back into a room.   Hanging a large mirror opposite a window is very effective.

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Shiny surfaces reflect the light. Metallic finishes are very popular right now so there is no shortage of metallic accessories in the stores. Put glass over your artwork, add a mirrored tray on a dark table, and set out a grouping of shiny glass vases in a vivid color.

A brighter room will mean a brighter mood so make sure your home is getting all the light it can get.

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