Ways to brighten a room while relying less on electric lighting

If a particular room in your house looks disconcertingly dark even when summer sun is shining in abundance outside, the most obvious remedy is buying some new electric lighting fixtures. Still, you might be put off doing so if you are eco-conscious and often struggle to source renewable energy.

Fortunately, through trying the following clever tips and tricks, you can make your room look lighter and brighter while using electric lighting rather sparingly. It’s about making a little go a long way.

Position electric lighting sources strategically

It might not be practical for you to forgo electric lighting completely, especially if the room’s windows are small in both size and number. However, by being careful about exactly where you place electric lights, you can ensure that what illumination they do provide covers a wider area.

The Spruce suggests adding a bedside lamp and, if possible, a ceiling fixture. MADE.COM is an online retailer offering table lamps and ceiling lighting in especially creative designs.

Where white isn’t always all right

You might have bought into the idea that making a room’s walls white can enhance the brightness of the space. However, this theory’s wisdom is, in reality, not borne out as much as you might expect.

Though white walls can be useful in making a small room perceptibly larger, don’t expect them to prove quite as effective in brightening a dark space. That’s because, though white walls can effectively reflect light, your room might lack enough light for reflecting in the first place.

You could actually reap more benefit out of painting your room’s walls in a richly saturated, mid-tone colour instead. Due to the colour’s ability to absorb shadows, you could be pleasantly surprised to see how much more colourful and warm the room subsequently looks.

Mirror, mirror, giving you it all

Though we generally advise against opting for light walls for their supposed reflective ability, you could still benefit from placing a large mirror in the room. After all, it would not only let you regularly inspect your personal appearance, but also make your room look a little shinier. MADE.COM’s stock includes mirrors in various shapes and sizes, making them apt for a range of settings.

Let there be light… through your window coverings

If there is a disappointingly small amount of natural light trickling through to the room, you don’t want to unnecessarily obstruct what little light does enter. Therefore, when decorating the room’s windows, use sheer draperies in place of heavy draperies or other window coverings.

You could always pair the sheer draperies with a blind which, as night arrives, can be lowered to help in preserving your bedtime privacy. MADE.COM offers a choice of light-coloured window coverings.

Add plants to the room

You might not have realised the extent to which a few plants on display can strengthen the dimensional appearance of a space that, otherwise, could come across as overly stark. This foliage could also have the advantage of reminding you of the brightness of the outside world!