There are certain rooms in a home or apartment that present more design challenges than others. The basements, the dens, and smaller bedrooms can all be plagued with little to no natural light. Luckily, the simple act of brightening a room instantly makes a space feel larger and more open. It’s no wonder rooms with large windows typically feel the most welcoming. So, what can be done with those rooms with little to no access to outside lighting? Here at Star Furniture, we’ve compiled these lighting solutions for anyone who wants to learn how to lighten a dark room with no natural light.

Lighting Ideas for Dark Rooms #1: Artificial Lighting

While it may seem obvious, one of the best ways to deal with a home or apartment with no natural light is to incorporate artificial lighting sources like lamps and overhead lighting. Overhead track lighting fixtures with the right bulbs allow for you to highlight certain areas of a room, casting shadows and bouncing light around to fill up the room. You can also utilize stylish table lamps, floor lamps, and other accent lighting to illuminate specific areas of the room and give the room a decorative flair. Not sure how to get started? These living room lighting ideas might help.

Lighting Ideas for Dark Rooms #2: Color Palettes

Another way to brighten a dark room through decorative changes is to choose the right color palette. For the darker rooms in your home, opting for a lighter color palette for the walls will allow for a brighter living experience. You’ll want to stay away from darker colors or richer tones as they will only accentuate the lack of natural light in the room. Instead, we recommend choosing colors with slightly paler shades, as they will help bolster the natural light of the room. Pastels, ivory, and cream are all helpful lighting solutions for dark rooms.

Lighting Ideas for Dark Rooms #3: Reflective Surfaces

Nothing opens up a room and tricks the brain more than wall mirrors, glass, and other reflective surfaces. We recommend first a mirror, as it’s both useful as well as helpful in lightening up a room. Place your mirrors in strategic places so that they’ll catch the most reflective light. Oftentimes, simply having a floor or table lamp near a mirror will do the trick. Adding a subtle, reflective gloss to the walls is another simple but smart way to add reflection to your room.

Lighting Ideas for Dark Rooms #4: A Pop of Life

Adding plants and other greenery can be a smart move when decorating a house or apartment with no natural light. Not only do they give the room a more natural feel, but they can even make a dark room feel brighter. Try choosing plants with bright, colorful pots, which can add a splash of color and brightness to the room. That said, when picking plants, you’ll want to find species that can tolerate low light. Species like ferns, spider plants, and silk plants are best, but you’ll want to speak with your local florist for more information. If you don’t have a green thumb, even artificial plants can do the trick. Now that you know how to lighten a dark room with no natural light, you can move onto other interior design tips and tricks. Check out our furniture blog, where we cover topics ranging from everything you need to know about accent furniture to our favorite home décor trends of 2020. You can also shop Star Furniture in-store or online to find everything you need to create the home of your dreams!