Interior Design For Dark Rooms – Bright Ideas

by Paul Ciocoiu · July 17, 2015

We showed in a different article that natural light is extremely important, with direct effects on our health, comfort and performance, especially since studies show we spend in average 90 per cent of the time indoors. Research done over time reveal natural light makes us more active and productive at work while, on the other hand, its absence leads to sleeping disorders, addiction to stimuli such as caffeine, nicotine and medicine while decreasing our professional performance. But what do we do when we have dark rooms at home, beyond the usual impulse of seeking to use artificial lighting? We find other answers in the interior design for dark rooms, arranging colors, accessories, furniture and lighting fixtures so that they enhance natural light inside.

Some designers say we don’t necessarily have to turn to the solution we find the handiest: using strong colors to enliven the room. So don’t rush to apply this recipe! If a space doesn’t receive much natural light, there is no jolly yellow or bright white on earth that will remedy it.’ Instead, opt for a deep navy blue, or a seductive oxblood. The result will be room that envelops you. The same applies to dreary rooms with no apparent features; a well-chosen dark color can be transformative.

Interior design for dark rooms – dark shades are a first answer

Of course, now is the turn of those vivid colors that break the dark chromatic monotony. Use them in accessories such as pillows, curtains, lamps or paintings on the walls. The room becomes balanced and gets a dash of vitality, just as seen in the images below. Red and its hues, not necessarily used in abundance, but well placed in the room, give a gloomy room a note of dynamism.

Interior design for dark rooms – strong colors fit in well

As we said it before, white is the color that expands the space, leaving the impression of a room whose physical limits go beyond what our eyes can actually perceive. If we add a mirror, then the space is even wider and, along with it, the luminosity in the room. White also goes well in combinations with neutral colors to have the similar effect.

Interior design for dark rooms – white enhances space and light

Use lighting fixtures so that light is uniformly spread across the room such as can lights in the ceiling, as we see in the image below.

Interior design for dark rooms – ceiling lighting fixtures

At the same time, since we mentioned lighting, another recommendation is to add soft lighting in strategic areas to still keep the mood but to aid in seeing and appreciating your bedroom. This will thus create light focal points that will keep the room in a perfect visual balance.