Lighter, brighter living spaces

Natural light is an immediate mood booster, so if your home has more in common with a cave than a sunroom, it’s time to make a few improvements. With a little ingenuity, there are lots of ways you can transform a dark, dingy room into sunny space.

Bright white tones

Maximise the natural resources you do have by making sure they aren’t being swallowed up by gloomy wallpaper and furnishings. Accentuate light by using bright white tones to add an immediate lift to your rooms. If you’d rather not change your wall colour, think about painting your cornices and skirting boards white or swapping your heavy curtains for neat, white blinds.

It’s also always a good idea to make sure your ceiling is at least one shade lighter than your walls; this helps lift your room and make it appear brighter.

Get glossy

Gloss surfaces are also a smart trick for creating a bright, fresh appearance, thanks to their reflective qualities. Swap matte paints that swallow sunlight for glossy alternatives, and you’ll immediately increase the amount of light bouncing around your room.

Mirror magic

There are few better ways to increase the appearance of light in a room than by simply adding a few mirrors. Placing a mirror directly opposite a light source, such as a window or table lamp, makes your light work twice as hard for you. If you’re not a fan of large mirrors, don’t worry: a selection of well-placed small mirrors can capture and reflect light just as effectively.

Lovely lighting effects

You can also achieve a great, cheery effect with artificial lighting – especially if you’re careful about where you place your bulbs. A few lamps on high areas, such as mantelpieces or shelves, offer a warming glow, while recessed lighting fixtures can transform an imposing ceiling into a light-giver.

Banish the darkness from your home by trying out a few of these easy home improvements and you’ll have brighter, happier rooms – and inhabitants! – in no time.