Quick Tips to Make A Room Feel Brighter and Cheerier

Many factors affect the way a room feels, and how you feel when you're in it. One of the most significant factors is how well-lit and bright the space feels. More light and brightness generally makes a room livelier and happier, and even makes it seem more spacious. So, here are some tips to make a room feel brighter and cheerier, so that you, your family, and your guests will be the same.

How to Brighten Up a Room

• Use light fixtures that give off ambient light, rather than focused spotlights.

• Don't block any of the windows with furniture or décor items, or obstruct them as minimally as possible if you're short on wall space.

• Keep the blinds, curtains, drapes, or shades open.

• Mount a mirror on the wall where it reflects natural light (or artificial light if that's easier in the space). It'll even make the room feel bigger.

• Clean your windows regularly—inside and out—to maximize the bright light that comes in from outside.

• Trim foliage outside if it's preventing sunlight from getting in through the window.

• Add a reading nook to the room with an extra floor lamp to add light to a dim corner.

• Paint the walls a bright, light color.

• Replace darker-colored furnishings and décor with paler, brighter colors.

• Get some furniture made from light-colored wood to brighten things up and enjoy the mood benefits of having natural elements in your living space.

• Give older, dull-looking furniture a coat of fresh paint.

• Use sunny color like red, orange, or yellow as accent colors in the room.

• Add some shiny metallic elements to the room's décor.

• Lay down a bright, colorful area rug.

• Place live plants in the room to create a brighter, cheerier, more natural atmosphere.

• Light candles at night.

• And, for one of the less obvious tips to make a room feel brighter and cheerier, don't let the room get cluttered, as this creates a darker, more closed in, more chaotic, more stressful environment.