​Let in the light: How to brighten a dark bedroom

Kensington Town House, London Home Staging Ltd London Home Staging Ltd Moderne Schlafzimmer
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The sun sets for a reason, and we’re not trying to get into a scientific dialogue here. But imagine having to go to sleep with fresh, bright sunshine pouring in through your bedroom window – not ideal, is it? Thus, for optimum shut eye, the darker the bedroom, the better, as light has been proven to disrupt the brain’s production of melatonin, the hormone responsible for regulating the sleep cycle.

But what if your bedroom is too dark, or doesn’t even get a glimmer of sunshine during the day? Don’t despair, as a dark bedroom does not have to be a permanent problem in your life for much longer!

Let’s focus on some simple decorating tricks (and some trickier renovating tips) to help banish the gloom of a dark bedroom and let in some light…

1. Brighten your dark bedroom: Add more light

The first choice is the most obvious: if there’s not enough light in your dark bedroom, see if you can’t add some more! But don’t add one little table lamp and consider the problem solved. Having just one light source creates a lot of shadow, which can add a creepy ambience to the space.

Layered lighting is the answer, so rather illuminate your bedroom with at least two (three is better) sources of light. A lamp on your nightstand is a given (or a wall-mounted fixture, at least), and if you share your bed with someone, you’ll want one on each side. If possible, add to this a ceiling fixture – and here we recommend a ceiling fan to get twice the benefit: a cooling breeze for hot summer nights and a brighter bedroom.

For an extra touch of ambience, position another lamp across the room, preferably on a diagonal, from your bedside light. For extra interest, make this one a floor lamp.

homify hint: Does your roof profile allow for a skylight? Then get on it! A roof facing east, west or south will welcome in some additional sunlight.

2. Brighten your dark bedroom: Be clever with your wall colours

Think that snow-white walls are the best choice for a dark bedroom? Think again. While light colours can help a small room appear bigger, they aren’t so great at making a dark room feel brighter. White and other soft tones look bright and cheerful when reflecting light, but then there has to be enough light to reflect. Otherwise, your white walls are just going to take on a grey shadowed hue, leaving the colour dim and dull.

We recommend going for a richly saturated, mid-tone paint colour for those walls. You can even go a bit bright. In a dark bedroom, that bright colour will lose some of its shine and not appear that intense. Compared to lighter tones, deeper colours don’t rely on reflected light to look their best; thus, your strong walls will add colour and warmth to the bedroom. 

For a relaxed look, go with cool, moody, deep hues of green, blue, grey or even purple.

3. Brighten your dark bedroom: Focus on the floor

As bedrooms receive considerably less foot traffic than, say, living rooms or kitchens, you can afford to think about going for a lighter coloured floor. Painting and liming are both great choices for timber boards. Gentle colours, such as duck-egg blue and soft grey, can help to reflect light beautifully. And laying down a pale rug will beautifully enhance the softness and warmth. 

If you’re considering carpet for your dark bedroom, choose a soft shade of grey for visual warmth, yet keep the colour of your walls in mind.

4. Brighten your dark bedroom: Add mirrors

Of course a wall mirror is vital for bedrooms, but have you considered mirroring your wardrobe doors as well? A fitted wardrobe with large mirrored panels will add a modern touch, increase the sense of visual space, plus help reflect light.

5. Brighten your dark bedroom: What about your window coverings?

When it comes to a dark bedroom, the last thing you should be buying is heavy draperies or window coverings blocking out the little bit of sun that’s allowed in. Instead, use sheer draperies over a blind you can lower for privacy at night. Stick with light-coloured window coverings (off-white, cream, soft grey, etc.) to add some contrast against the strong walls.

homify hint: A simple blackout blind is your other option – when fully rolled up, it allows a maximum amount of light to flood the room. But should you feel a singular blind is too stark, add some softness by hanging sheer drapes as well – it’ll lend texture and volume to your window treatment.

6. Brighten your dark bedroom: Contrasting bedding and accessories

If you’re not careful, that dark bedroom can swallow up your furnishings and accessories. So, if you’ve opted for a saturated mid-tone or bright colour for those walls, contrast them with furniture in a medium finish. Then, complete the brightening effect with bedding and accessories in white or similar soft hues. 

Doing this will make the most of your gloomy bedroom’s limited light, plus provide enough contrast to keep the look interesting. 

But in your quest to bring more light into your dark bedroom, just remember that any space receiving little natural light isn’t always a terrible thing. After all, it’ll stay cooler in the summer and won’t wake you up with glaring sun on those weekend mornings. 

Ever asked yourself “What ways are there to light my kitchen”? Well, find out now…

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