It can be difficult to know how to make a dark, dreary room brighter when you move into a new place. This is especially true if your new home lacks any large windows that would let in natural light. We can’t really help you bring the sun into your home, but fortunately, there are a number of simple tricks you can use to decorate your house to make it feel lighter.
And don’t forget to tell us which of these tricks fits your house the most! We would love to hear about your experiences if you try any of these. Join the discussion in the comment section below.
1. Choose light beige/gray curtains
Choose light curtains on both sides of your windows to keep the coverings simple. Make sure the drapes are a light shade of beige or gray, whether you choose blackout curtains or sheer drapes. If you also have a pretty small room, try to pick pastels for both curtains and walls. Dark colors usually make the room appear even smaller.
But if you’re a fan of burgundy or navy blue, you can sprinkle some decorations here and there to add a small pop of color to your room.
2. Hang drapes and shades at least a foot above the window
Your little windows will suffer if you don’t hang your curtains as close to the top as you can. Mounting your drapery rods or roman shades at least a foot above the top of a window will both visually enlarge the space surrounding your windows and give the impression that they’re way taller than usual.
3. Pick minimalist, low-to-the-ground furniture
The decorations you choose for your space can have a significant impact on how your windows look to the eye. Large pieces of furniture crammed into a dark space will cast more shadows, making the space even more gloomy. Place smaller or low-profile tables or chairs next to or under your windows to deceive the eye with proportion! And forget about that massive bookcase you always wanted to bring into your bedroom, no matter how cool it looks.
Leave enough space between your furniture because all the empty spots will offer lighting opportunities.
4. Always use fabric with a vertical pattern
We’ve already established that picking light colors for your curtains can make your windows appear longer and brighter. To stay on track but also to add a bit of height perception to your windows, go with a curtain that has a vertical pattern. You can either choose a long curtain with small flowers on it or one with simple strips. If your space allows it, choose a horizontal design if you want to draw attention to the width.
5. Stretch out the window with floor-length curtains
Regardless of the size of the room you are decorating, designers always recommend lowering curtains to the floor (if it is practical for the space). Because the abrupt end of a curtain, like the end of a window frame, is unattractive. The elegance and gentleness that floor-length curtains bring to a space is one of the simple tricks for making a window appear larger.
For an even more outstanding look that suits best in a bedroom, always choose natural fabrics like velvet, for example. Just remember that this type of material usually adds a lot of weight to the wall, so make sure you firmly secure the curtain pole. If you prefer a lighter look, choose cotton or linen instead. The effect will be the same, just a bit softer and more sophisticated.
6. Paint a border around your window
If you want to give a proper enhancement to your room but also visually increase the size of your windows, besides using all the tricks mentioned above, you can also paint a small portion (or maybe the entire wall) around them. Add a bit of thickness around the edge with a bright color, but choose one that isn’t found anywhere else in the room. After that, your windows will make a huge and awesome impact on the room and will definitely appear larger than usual.
7. …but stay away from white paint
I know that we stress a lot about keeping your walls painted in bright hues, but if your window frames are also white, it’s time to look for another color for the walls. Your window will stand out and the walls around it will retreat if you paint them a darker, colder color. However, as this picture shows, you can also blend the frame into the color of the walls. This will create an outstanding effect, making even the room bigger.
For 2023, a lot of designers recommend blue as the best color for your room.
…psst! If you’re looking to redecorate or simply refresh the look of your house, you might be interested in this article.
8. Don’t bother with multiple curtains; one is enough!
Avoid overcrowding a small room with fabric because the windows there are more likely to be close together. Instead, hang two drapes on either side of a curtain pole that is placed along the top of each window. If you have two small windows next to each other, use one curtain rod to treat them as one. This will give your windows and the entire room a great extended impression. If the layout of your space permits, you may add a straightforward beveled-edge mirror beneath the windows to provide depth and balance.
What do you think about this? Do you think you can re-create a similar effect in your home?
9. Get creative with the texture and fabrics
What are the best textures for window curtains? That’s a question a lot of people ask before they start redecorating their home. And because we care about our readers and love writing useful tips and tricks for them, we got some answers directly from the most famous designers. Linen is by far the best fabric and is among the most popular ones used because it fits very well in almost every room shape.
Besides being durable and strong, linen is also one of the oldest natural fabrics. Real linen is often quite expensive, but polyester-based fake linen may be purchased for considerably less money. However, if you want to create an interesting look that is also chic, you can get creative a bit by layering two different fabrics on top of each other. For example, linen looks very good under a velvet layer. This will create a sense of movement and depth.
10. Deep clean your windows
I bet you haven’t thought about this one because it’s something that’s more common sense than a tip. In the same way that wearing your glasses with specks makes them feel unclean, stained windows make a space appear dim and hinder visibility. Get a high-quality glass cleaner and clean the inside and outside of your windows. You’ll be amazed at how much natural light your space was able to attract, and you’ll quickly enjoy the sense of renewal that it brings!
We can’t really help you fake sunlight, as we mentioned at the beginning of this article, but making the most of your windows (even if they’re small) will undoubtedly change the entire environment. So after making all these changes, or at least one of them, don’t forget to give your windows a thorough cleaning because they deserve it.
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