How To Make A Room Feel Less Gloomy

Got a gloomy room in your home that needs brightening up? There are many reasons why a room may feel gloomy, although it can typically be due to dim lighting or an overly dark colour scheme. 

Below are just a few ways in which you can brighten up any space in your home.

Throw Back the Curtains

Drawing the curtains may help to offer privacy, but it will stop light from getting into your room. Throw open the curtain during the day to allow the sun in. If you want to let in light while maintaining some privacy, consider opting for voile curtains or replacing your curtains with blinds.

Add More Artificial Lighting

A single overhead bulb will likely not be enough to illuminate a room (unless it’s a very bright bulb). Consider adding extra lighting around the room to help brighten it up. You can explore all kinds of lighting including downlights and wall lights at sites like ALTI. If you don’t want to install extra lighting, consider simply opting for plug-in lamps.

Install Extra Windows (or a skylight!)

You may be able to let in more natural light by installing extra windows. This could be an extra window in an empty wall or a window in a ceiling. You may need to seek permission to install a window in certain parts of your home, and you need to make sure that it doesn’t negatively affect the structural integrity of the building. 

Frosted glass windows could be great for letting in light while ensuring privacy (adding a frosted glass door or frosted sidelight could be an effective way to illuminate a gloomy hallway). This guide at Family Handyman offers more information on installing windows. In most cases, it’s better to hire an expert to install a new window.

Remove Obstacles Blocking Natural Light

Sunlight may not be able to get into certain rooms due to obstacles in the way. This could include outside obstacles like trees and hedges, or indoor obstacles like furniture in front of a window. You can even consider removing interior walls to let more light into gloomy central rooms that may not have windows.

Paint the Walls White

A room may feel gloomy simply because the colour scheme is too dark. Colours like dark browns and dark greys can make a room feel very dingy if used too heavily. Brighter colours will help to reflect more light - the most effective being white. Painting an entire room white is certain to brighten it up. Paint can become faded over time, so make sure that you’re adding a new lick of paint every few years.

Use Reflective Surfaces

Too many matte surfaces could also leave a room feeling gloomy. Surfaces like laminate wood and polished stone can help to reflect light and make a room feel brighter. You don’t have to add glossy surfaces everywhere, however, it could be worth adding a few reflective surfaces. Mirrors of course are a great way to reflect light and can make a room feel more spacious as well as feeling less gloomy.