10 Things You Can Do (Right Now!) to Brighten Your Home
Categories: Decorating
As the evenings are turning darker earlier here in the Midwest, I'm craving every last bit of sunlight I can muster up. I suppose I have two options: Hop a flight to California and bask in the bright, sunny rays... or I can make do with what I've got. Ever the resourceful one, I'm opting for the latter with these 10 easy-to-implement tips for brightening my home:
1. Lighten your load
Take inventory of your home. Do you have knick-knacks gathering dust on your shelves? Clutter absorbs light and steals the spotlight, so why not simplify your home and let the light shine on cleanliness?
2. Fabricate
Switch out throws, pillows and curtains for lighter, breezier fabrics. As the weather gets colder, we're tempted to hole up in our home with thick, heavy fabrics like flannel, tartan and wool. Keep your textures light and simple, and if you prefer heavier wools, keep the color scheme a lighter palette. Your home will appear brighter in a pinch!
3. Go monochromatic
A handy designer trick for making small spaces appear larger is to keep your color scheme simple. Did you know this also makes your home appear brighter? Try sticking to an all-white color palette with a few light gray accents in the form of textiles. Not only will your home look clean and bright, but you'll be channeling a Swedish trend that's very in these days!
4. Open up
Keep your curtains open! I can't stress this enough. Natural lighting is always best, and I always frown when walking into a home with the curtains drawn. If there's even a hint of sun shining, open those curtains as high as they'll go. A little Vitamin K never hurt anyone.
5. Mirror it
If you have a space with few windows or (gasp!) none, work with what you've got and hang a mirror or two. The light will reflect on the mirrors, not only making the space brighter, but also making it appear larger in scale.
6. Hole up
This requires some handiness, but if your room has no windows, consider borrowing light from an adjacent room. Cut a few "windows" into a connecting wall to let the light shine through. You'd be amazed at how much the natural light will shine through even the tiniest of windows.
7. Switch it out
Opt for a more natural-looking light bulb in each of your lighting fixtures. Lowe's has an excellent light-bulb buying guide to choose which kind is right for your space.
8. Freshen up
Incorporate a few fresh flowers into any room for an instant pick-me-up that will brighten your home... and life.
9. Rearrange
Does your sofa face the window, or is it turned away from it? Rearrange your favorite seating areas so you're closer to windows, doors and brighter sections of your home.
10. Maximize surface area
Forget floor-length tablecloths and lengthy draperies and choose shorter designs that minimize bulk. Natural light will often reflect whatever is on the floor, so keep the space light and airy.
Pretty easy transformations, right? Incorporate a few of these into your home and you'll be basking in the sun's rays...all throughout the chilly season.
For additional ways to transform your home (easily!), read more:
-How to Hang Photos on Any Wall
-No Dining Room? No problem!
-White Beneath Your Feet: Paint Your Floors
1. Lighten your load
Take inventory of your home. Do you have knick-knacks gathering dust on your shelves? Clutter absorbs light and steals the spotlight, so why not simplify your home and let the light shine on cleanliness?
Light, breezy fabrics reflect light, rather than absorb it. Photo: Sweet Home Style
Switch out throws, pillows and curtains for lighter, breezier fabrics. As the weather gets colder, we're tempted to hole up in our home with thick, heavy fabrics like flannel, tartan and wool. Keep your textures light and simple, and if you prefer heavier wools, keep the color scheme a lighter palette. Your home will appear brighter in a pinch!
When it comes to color, K.I.S.S! Photo: Sweet Home Style
3. Go monochromatic
A handy designer trick for making small spaces appear larger is to keep your color scheme simple. Did you know this also makes your home appear brighter? Try sticking to an all-white color palette with a few light gray accents in the form of textiles. Not only will your home look clean and bright, but you'll be channeling a Swedish trend that's very in these days!
Open those blinds and let the light in. Photo: Sweet Home Style
Keep your curtains open! I can't stress this enough. Natural lighting is always best, and I always frown when walking into a home with the curtains drawn. If there's even a hint of sun shining, open those curtains as high as they'll go. A little Vitamin K never hurt anyone.
5. Mirror it
If you have a space with few windows or (gasp!) none, work with what you've got and hang a mirror or two. The light will reflect on the mirrors, not only making the space brighter, but also making it appear larger in scale.
6. Hole up
This requires some handiness, but if your room has no windows, consider borrowing light from an adjacent room. Cut a few "windows" into a connecting wall to let the light shine through. You'd be amazed at how much the natural light will shine through even the tiniest of windows.
7. Switch it out
Opt for a more natural-looking light bulb in each of your lighting fixtures. Lowe's has an excellent light-bulb buying guide to choose which kind is right for your space.
8. Freshen up
Incorporate a few fresh flowers into any room for an instant pick-me-up that will brighten your home... and life.
Move your seating arrangements near windows and doorways to bask in the sunlight. Photo: Sweet Home Style
Does your sofa face the window, or is it turned away from it? Rearrange your favorite seating areas so you're closer to windows, doors and brighter sections of your home.
10. Maximize surface area
Forget floor-length tablecloths and lengthy draperies and choose shorter designs that minimize bulk. Natural light will often reflect whatever is on the floor, so keep the space light and airy.
Pretty easy transformations, right? Incorporate a few of these into your home and you'll be basking in the sun's rays...all throughout the chilly season.
For additional ways to transform your home (easily!), read more:
-How to Hang Photos on Any Wall
-No Dining Room? No problem!
-White Beneath Your Feet: Paint Your Floors
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
_dom 10-03-2009 @ 5:41PM
Lovely suggestions, especially with the mirrors. I was able to inherit several mirrors from work that were damaged in shipping. (Just minor aesthetic scratches around the frames). I covered my entire basement in them, and used christmas lights to light up the room instead of the overhead tube lights. The entire room glows, and guests prefer to be down there instead of upstairs.
Reply
Kim 10-17-2009 @ 9:32PM
Great article! Love the idea of using mostly white to make small spaces appear bigger. And the mirrors..... just one thing I'd change, I think Vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin, not K.....
Kim :)
Reply