How to brighten a dark living room – 6 ways to make a dingy lounge feel light and airy

We all want to live in light-flooded, airy homes with every room illuminated by a constant source of natural light flooding through the windows. But that’s sadly not often the case – at least not for every single room of the house. Sadly, some rooms have to face north or be overlooked by other structures blocking the sunlight. But if that room happens to be you lounge, there are ways to brighten a dark living room.

From the right living room lighting ideas to the best paint colours and finishes, there are several methods you can employ to bring more light into a dingy living space – and our interior experts share what you can change and adjust if the room lacks natural light.

While you can just as easily lean into the darkness of the room and turn it into a cocooning cosy living room idea, we don’t blame you for wanting to brighten up and energise the heart of your home where you host and entertain your guests and gather with your family. So without further ado, these are our 6 top tips on how to pull it off.

1. Choose the right paint for your walls

Similarly to small living room ideas, light-coloured walls are the key to brightening a dark living room, just as it is to making a small one look bigger than it is. But another dark living room paint idea is to go for a paint finish with a slight sheen to better reflect the little light you may have coming in.

‘When using paint to brighten a dark living room, opt for light, neutral colours like soft whites, creams, light greys, and pale blues,’ says Alison Hove, interior designer at Chase Roof Inspections. ‘These shades reflect light and create an airy feel. For finishes, choose satin or eggshell, as they have a slight sheen that helps reflect light without being too glossy.’

2. Layer your lighting

Light layering is not only the latest lighting trend but it’s also a clever way to create a welcoming and warming ambience in any space really. And it works perfectly for brightening dark living rooms.

‘Layered lighting is essential for a dark living room. To fake natural light in a dark living room, use a combination of layered lighting, including ambient, task, and accent lighting,’ Alison says.

Claire Garner, director of Claire Garner Interiors, agrees, ‘Layered lighting is essential for creating a dynamic and inviting atmosphere. Combining ambient lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting can enhance the room's depth and dimension. This approach not only ensures practical lighting for various activities but also adds layers of warmth and luxury to the space.’

3. Install daylight light bulbs

While we’re on the topic of lighting, another living room lighting idea and a way to brighten up a dark lounge is installing LED light bulbs that mimic the appearance of daylight in your light fixtures.

‘Incorporate LED bulbs that mimic daylight and place them strategically around the room,’ Alison says.

Melissa Denham, interior design expert at Hammonds Fitted Furniture, adds, ‘When natural light isn’t available, consider the next best thing – lightbulbs which mimic natural light. Adding in pendant lighting fitted with daylight bulbs can give you an easy source of comfortable light levels for your room.’

4. Invest in light-coloured flooring

Just like the walls, your living room flooring will also benefit from a light-coloured finish to better reflect the light and create a breezy feel underfoot. A natural material like light wood parquet flooring would be our and the experts’ top pick.

‘Flooring can significantly impact the perception of space in a dark living room,’ Ian Tomlinson, managing director at Chaunceys Timber Flooring. ‘I recommend opting for light-coloured wood flooring to make spaces appear brighter and more open, which is especially beneficial in rooms with limited natural light. Consider a light oil finish on oak or ash, or whitewashed fir flooring, to add a subtle tint that reflects more light whilst enhancing the wood’s natural grain.’

Melissa adds, ‘Pale flooring will offset dark features and help to bounce light around the room. Painted or varnished floorboards will be most effective, although white-washed wood and soft-coloured carpets can also work.’

5. Introduce reflective surfaces

You can make a small living room look bigger with mirrors. But you can also utilise them and other reflective surfaces to make a lounge look brighter by strategically positioning them.

‘Mirrors help to reflect light in a space, instead of absorbing it, making a room feel larger and airier. Therefore, consider placing a large wall mirror on one side of your living room, preferably in the path of a natural light source, if there is one. Mirrors don’t always have to be hung on walls either. You can brighten up your living room by placing various sized mirrors throughout the room in different places. For example, you could line the back of a bookshelf with a long, thin mirror or hang several mirrors on one wall to form a collage,’ Melissa says.

Alison continues, ‘Mirrors can significantly help brighten a dark living room. Place mirrors opposite windows to reflect natural light into the room. You can also position mirrors on walls perpendicular to light sources to maximise the distribution of light. Consider using mirrored furniture or decor items for additional reflective surfaces.’

6. Incorporate light pieces of furniture

As lovely and sophisticated-looking as dark wood finishes on furniture can be, it’s best to avoid these in already dark living spaces as they will make the room look even darker. Instead, opt for furniture and accessories made with light wood or ones finished in light colour shades – that includes your best sofa which should ideally be light-coloured, too.

‘Choose light-coloured furnishings to enhance the brightness. Choose a cohesive colour palette with light and neutral tones, and add pops of colour through decor items like throw pillows, rugs, and artwork,’ Alison says.

Our top picks

So say goodbye to your unwanted dark living rooms – it’s time to bring in some light!