Lighten Up: Cost-Effective Ways to Brighten a Dark Room

Have a light-challenged room that you’d like to make more airy and uplifting? You’ve come to the right place

Using mirrors to reflect light is an age-old interior designer trick, and can be used to brighten a room and create an illusion of enhanced space. Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

Bright rooms with a wealth of natural light have a host of benefits: They’re healthier, happier, will make you more productive, and—best of all—they feel more spacious, making the overall house seem larger.

You’ve probably heard the old adage, “A gallon of paint is the most inexpensive way to transform a room”—and it’s true here, as well. White paint on the walls, ceiling, or floor can enlarge the smallest room. Warm whites perk up a space, yet keep it cozy, while cool whites are serene and calming.