Because we spend so much time in our homes, especially in the fall and winter, we want as much light as possible to reach all rooms. Windows are a priority, but what to do when we want to avoid costly renovations by enlarging the window openings, or not at all? Architect Sylwia Gulewicz-Wysocka answers this question.
Ball lighting over a bright corner Noe
© DOMAR Interior Gallery
Lighting is the basis!
When brightening up the living room, we should also pay attention to the lighting we choose. Instead of a single light source, it is worth betting on several smaller ones. One ceiling lamp is simply not enough to properly illuminate most of the room, especially when it is dark.
I believe that wherever we can, we should put additional lighting in the form of a standing lamp - on the floor, on a dresser or add wall lamps, which will make the lighting of different zones make the living room warmer and brighter. Just remember to keep an eye on the color of the lighting. The most important thing is that it should resemble daylight. Here the possibilities to create such light are many, because we have a choice of a number of different types of leds and incandescent bulbs that give the desired effect. Cold light, which often appears in showrooms, is unlikely to work in apartments or homes, says the architect. Instead of hanging dark, heavy curtains, let's rather choose light and airy curtains, she adds.
Campus collection with a mirror by the ceiling light
© DOMAR Interior Gallery
Mirrors near light sources
A popular tip is to use mirrors when you want to visually enlarge a room. However, when we place a sheet of mirror in the right place - near a light source, it will have an additional function - to illuminate a dark room.
Bright warm colors of furniture are conducive to illuminating the interior
© DOMAR Interior Gallery
Warm colors
The first step that enables you to brighten up your living room is to choose the right color scheme. Of course, these must be bright colors, the application of which is best started from the walls. The best way to adequately illuminate the interior will be warm colors, which will illuminate the room more than cold steel tones. This is not specifically about white, which is uninteresting on sunless days. When it comes to brightening up, pastel shades, soft vanillas, yellows, écru - the so-called pudding colors - or various shades of ivory will work better.
The more daring may also be tempted to paint the entire interior, that is, including the ceiling, with a luminous color - for example, with paint that will have various gold or silver particles in it, which will allow the light to gently reflect, the impression of the sun coming in on cloudy days and create a kind of depth.
Bright colors reflect the light
© DOMAR Interior Gallery
The right furniture
A very good idea that allows you to brighten up the interior will be the furniture. By choosing the right color scheme or material, they will also reflect light and sensationally illuminate the space. The same trick can also be applied to the floor or furniture upholstery. However, when we do not like a lot of gloss, I recommend matte furnishings, but in warm and light tones
However, won't such furniture be too... boring? The architect adds that the claw to such furnishings can be added with well-chosen handles - gold knobs or those transparent ones made of glass. This will also give us the impression of reflecting light.
Remember to stick to warm tones, and use transparent elements with some moderation - for example, in the form of a coffee table with a glass or stone top. If you like vases and accessories, you can use crystal accessories or glass flower containers, filling the space as little as possible with decorative forms that do not reflect light.
For more information, see the company's Galeria Wnętrz DOMAR page on the PdD portal.