7 Handy Tips to Make a Room Brighter, Even If It Has No Windows

Let there be light!

Having a bright room can offer various advantages, both in terms of comfort and functionality. For instance, bright spaces can provide better visibility, allowing you to see objects and details more clearly. Bright rooms can also lend the illusion of spaciousness, making your room appear larger and more open. This can be particularly advantageous in small or cramped spaces.

However, whether you live in a condo or a bungalow, not all of your rooms are blessed with ample light. If you are dealing with a part of your home that looks gloomy and dark, here are some tips to help brighten things up without making structural changes like hacking down walls or installing additional windows or skylights!

1. Paint your room in a light-coloured palette

Painting your room with a light or bright colour palette is one of the most common ways to brighten up a room. When you use bright colours, they might reflect light that does enter the room, making it feel more open and bright. Plus, in a dark space, light-toned paint can make a room appear classy. Take a cue from this condominium renovated by Newman iDesign, where the white walls lend an extra-airy feel to the space.

White is an obvious choice for brightening up a space, but you can also consider other light tones such as creams, pastels, or light greys. The type of paint finish you use can also affect your room’s brightness. For the best effect, go for a paint with a glossy finish.

2. Have a combination of ambient, task and accent lighting

Painting your room white is a good place to start, but you should also experiment with lighting to create a well-lit environment. Ideally, your room should have a combination of ambient, task, and accent lighting.

In a bedroom, for example, in addition to ceiling lighting, a table lamp or sconce on either side of the bed, and ideally on the dresser, is essential. Consider adding a floor lamp or table lamp to the bedroom if it is spacious enough for a comfortable chair or sofa. This guarantees that all areas of the space are adequately illuminated, especially at night.

To create the most impact, try shining light on walls or towards the ceiling. This will cause the light to spread across the room and bounce off these surfaces, creating a brighter environment. When projected on light-coloured walls, it can enhance its reflective abilities.

Take a note from this condominium, where Beinner Design Atelier installed LED strip lighting on the bed frame, pendant lights on each side of the bed, and accent lights on the open shelves to illuminate different areas and highlight key features of the room.

3. Decorate with mirrors

While most people are aware that mirrors can help to amplify a small space, it's less well-known that they can also help to brighten up a gloomy room.

This is accomplished by reflecting light to the mirror; therefore, place mirrors near a light source, such as a window or a lamp. This will create the illusion of space as well as reflect the light you do have, distributing it to a greater degree.

To maximise the amount of light in your dimly lit room, go big with your mirror and use it as a large wall piece, as seen in this dining room designed by Livspace.

4. Incorporate metallic or glossy surface materials

Aside from mirrors, you can also liven up a drab, dreary space with metallic touches or glossy finishes. These features, whether expressed through a light fixture, decorative objects, furniture, countertops, or the legs of a table, will reflect light, improving the brightness of the room, just as The Grid Studio accomplished in this sultry-looking condominium pictured here.

Despite the dark-toned materials that adorn the room, the reflective surface serves to illuminate the space when light is introduced, preventing the space from looking gloomy and dull.

5. Use light-coloured, natural materials to brighten up a room

Another creative way to brighten a room is to use natural materials that are bright and light in colour. Consider a light-coloured oak floor, rattan chairs, a jute rug, or a white marble countertop. These materials have a timeless appeal and can trick the eye into thinking the space has plenty of natural light.

This living room, created by Studio Pandan, is a great example of this point. To create a light-filled home, the designer decorated the room with rattan, hardwood, and leather furnishings in light neutral tones.

6. Go for see-through furniture

Besides natural materials, consider outfitting your space with see-through furniture like lucite, acrylic, or glass. These features do not cast shadows, and they can allow light to travel through, making your area feel bright and open.

This living room is a great example. Poco Atelier added a lucite coffee table and replaced the original metal handrail on the staircase with a glass handrail, which contributes to the overall feel of bright and spaciousness.

7. Ditch the heavy, blackout curtain

If your room has a window, consider maximising the amount of light that enters the space. Blackout curtains are a great way to tie your room together, but they can also block off natural light in a dark room, making the space feel gloomy.

Consider swapping heavy material with a lighter, more breezy alternative, such as sheer curtains. Aside from curtains, there are other different types of window treatments, such as roller or venetian blinds, that can provide privacy while still allowing light into the room.

This bedroom designed by EMPT Studio for instance, achieves a bright and spacious atmosphere by eliminating bulky curtains and substituting them with white blinds.

Explore: A Guide to Selecting Window Treatments for Your Living Room

Get professional help to renovate your home

Simply fill up the form here and let us know your renovation requirements and we can connect you with up to four interior design firms to assist you with your kitchen remodel based on your budget (no hidden fees!).

All recommendations made by Qanvast will be protected under the Qanvast Guarantee scheme that covers 50% of your contract value, up to RM50,000, in the case that the recommended Contracting Service Provider becomes insolvent.

Meet interior designers. Get quotes. Based on your requirements, we will recommend you up to 5 firms with the Qanvast Guarantee. Get Free Quotes