ricardo labogle 1
create contrast
lead roll
Opposites can be appealing, but when used in the right proportions, they can also give a bright edge to a room. When in doubt, opt for lots of white surfaces with moody hints of black, like designer Dan Mazzarini did here. “White painted floors reflect light throughout the space,” he says. “I love Sherwin-Williams' Armorseal Rexthane.” Here, the designer juxtaposed stark white floors with black furniture and accents for an edgy, graphic look.
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Choose a bright rug
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Choose accessories that are light as air
Read McKendry/JBSA
If you want your home to look bright and bright, the devil is in the details. In this dramatic bar, Staver Gray from Ward + Gray changes the mood with translucent accessories. “She used amber glassware and delicate bud vases to provide visual interest without adding weight to this moody bar area,” she says. “The mirrored back wall also really helps reflect light.”
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Ditch the heavy curtains
douglas friedman
“I'm going to forego curtains and use solar or Roman shades instead to give the look of less fabric while finishing the windows,” says designer Jesse Schuster. That means getting rid of heavy, dark curtains that absorb light. Here in the designer's own Manhattan apartment, a curtain-less exterior emphasizes the natural light that streams in.
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Make Windows work
werner straub
Or, if untreated windows aren't negotiable, add curtains in a lighter, lighter shade. “In this dark, moody study, we used tall ivory curtains to draw the eye to the windows and brighten the room,” says designer Bryn Olson. To emphasize the high-contrast palette, Olson decorated the room with white gallery walls and bookshelves, complete with books wrapped in ivory paper.
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Dress up with sheer
moor house design
As Blair Moore of Moore House Design points out, having privacy doesn't have to mean cutting off a room from natural light. “Adding a sheer in a slightly lighter shade than the walls can infuse a dark space with a dreamy glow,” she shares. “This dining area faces north and lacks natural light, so she added sheer curtains a foot above the windows to tightly wrap the walls.” A soft, mottled glow that lasts all day.
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Choose bright art
douglas friedman
Dark rooms are cozy, but adding vibrant artwork can enhance the feel and look of your space. To add some brightening properties, “don't forget to add picture lights or spotlights,” says McBurney. In this cozy study in San Francisco, designer Nicole Hollis made bright artwork by Doug Aitken the alluring focal point of a mostly dark room.
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hang a mirror
stephen kent johnson
Double the amount of sunlight in your room by bouncing light off reflective surfaces. “Make sure your walls are completely mirrored or add a decorative mirror opposite a window to let in some light,” says Schuster. This is what Gabriel Hendifar did in the steamy New York apartment pictured here.
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Try a high-gloss ceiling
roger davis
One of the best ways to bring more light into a room is to use high-gloss paint colors. The ceiling is a great place to try out this design choice. “High-gloss paint can add another reflective surface to a dark room,” says McBurney. Here in our Beverly Hills home, designer Oliver M. Firth painted the ceiling with Pratt & Lambert Gunpowder high-gloss lacquer.
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Ten
choose glass cloth
Claudia Kasbarian takes part in Julie Sofer's photo shoot
A high-gloss finish may be a good, brightening option for paint, but what about wallpaper? “You can use wallpaper that reflects light rather than absorbing it, like grasscloth,” says Jackson. Eileen Warren and Kylie Jackson of Warren Interiors explain. This formal dining room sticks to the same tonal color palette throughout, but the glass cloth wallpaper adds an extra touch of luster to the room.
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measure the temperature of the room
stephen kent johnson
When it comes to lighting, color temperature is very important. According to Mazzarini, to get started in the world of LED lights, he recommends 2700K bulbs. “If your budget allows, use dimmable bulbs with warm color technology,” he added.
Lighting designer Lindsey Adelman would know that here in a Brooklyn townhouse, she chose a unique drop system chandelier to create the right atmosphere.
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focus on direction
harris kenger
The direction of the lighting equipment should also be considered. “Use light fixtures that direct light onto the ceiling rather than the floor,” explains Roger Higgins of R. Higgins. “Tourtieres brighten a room better than floor lamps or ceiling lights that cast light downwards.”
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Incorporate metallics
Annie Schrechter
You can easily transform a dark and boring space with sparkling gold and silver accessories. “I've successfully used metal on walls, ceilings, light fixtures, and furniture accents,” says McBurney. “Be careful: too much of a good thing can be too much of a good thing.'' For example, in the bedrooms of a South Florida home, designer Rodney Lawrence used silver in the lamps and de Gournay wallpaper. I incorporated just the right amount of accents.
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Let's lean into the dark side
kirk davis swainhart
Speaking of metallics, a touch of gold can be very effective when using a dark palette. Just ask William Cullum of Jayne Design Studio.
“The entrance hall of our apartment was a small, cramped space with no windows. Rather than trying to brighten up a space when it wasn't supposed to, we leaned into the darkness and painted it with ink blue. '' and collaged it with art,'' he explains. disappeared and many golden frames reflected the light in a special way. ”
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Choose light wood floors
Nick Grimenakis
If you need additional light in your space, it's best to choose light-colored wooden floors to brighten up the room. “The contrast between light-colored floors and colorful walls can push the walls out and make a space feel larger,” says McBurney. Designer Delia Kenza did just that in her recent renovation of the Brooklyn townhouse pictured here.
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hug the white lampshade
philip garcia
White paper wraps stones and everything else if you want to brighten the room. “White paper is your friend,” says Mazzarini. He recommends not hesitate to bring white paper lampshades, lanterns, and pendant lights into dark spaces. Take, for example, this bright bedroom in a Belgian retreat designed by Olivier Dweck.
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Choose a white or neutral color scheme
Sylvia Foz
A dark room is not the place to experiment with a moody, dark color palette. “Light shades on the walls and ceiling can really help brighten up a naturally dark space,” says Schuster. If your walls are neutral, painting the ceiling a lighter shade will help bounce light around the room. This strategy makes this New York apartment, designed by fashion veteran Carly Cushnie, even more airy.
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supplement sunlight
Joshua McHugh
Indirect upward lighting can compensate for a lack of overhead light, especially towards the end of the day. “This is an opportunity to be creative,” McBurney said. “For an interior library in a New York apartment, I created a faux light shaft with iron bars and strategically placed it on a focal wall.”
Another great example? Vintage sconces replace plain task lighting in this small kitchen designed by Cochineal.
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Clean your windows regularly
Amy Neusinger
Yes, I know. This may seem a bit obvious, but simply cleaning your windows can have a huge impact on the amount of sunlight that enters your room. “It's amazing what clean windows can do to a room,” says McBurney. “We recommend doing this every spring and fall, or more often.” See how the strategy pays off in this light-filled living room designed by Nikki Kehoe .
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layer the lights
Photography: Seth Caplan, Styling: Mariana Marcki-Matos
If you want to brighten your home's lighting, one light bulb isn't enough. Instead, her Molly Torres Portnof of DATE Interiors recommends using “multiple light sources, such as table lamps and sconces to supplement natural light.” A sconce here, a table lamp there, and your space will instantly brighten up and shine.
Kelsey Mulvey is a freelance lifestyle journalist who covers shopping and sales for Good Housekeeping, Women's Health, ELLE Decor, among others. Her hobbies include her themed spinning classes, Netflix, and nachos.
Charles Curkin is ELLE Decor's Articles Editor, covering everything related to luxury watches, design, and travel, and has previously written for The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Paris Review.
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