10 Ideas to Brighten Your Home This Winter

As we swiftly approach the shortest day of the year, it is easy to get caught up in the seasonal darkness that comes along with it. You may be looking around your house and noticing that the interior is almost as dark as the exterior. Now is the time to correct it! We at Bazaar Home Decorating Center are ready to help! We share 10 ways you can brighten your home and fend off seasonal darkness. As you settle into the evening, you will be surrounded by light!

1. Choose Light Colors 

If you are considering painting any room in your home, we recommend exploring colors like beige, gray, pink or blue. It is known that lighter colors make a space feel bigger and brighter. The reverse is true for darker wall colors. They tend to make a space feel smaller. Ultimately, it is important to remember that the color you choose for the walls determines the atmosphere of the room. As you select your paint color and start painting the walls, you will be thankful that you chose a light color for the walls. 

Rolling roman shades in a light colored bedroom.
Vignette® Modern Roman Shades

2. Consider Sheen 

Sheen is an important factor to consider when you are choosing your paint. For a quick refresher, the sheen is the glossiness of the finish. It is stated that the higher the sheen, the brighter the shine. To combat seasonal darkness, we recommend avoiding matte or flat finishes and choosing an eggshell, satin, semi-gloss or high-gloss finish. This is because matte and flat tend to absorb the light while higher sheen finishes not only reflect more light off the paint but are also more durable. 

3. Bring in More Light 

Back in the day, one lightbulb in a room was sufficient. It provided enough light without fully illuminating a space. Now, times have changed. We acknowledge that one light in a room can result in shadows being cast throughout and it does not feel as inviting. When deciding, consider overhead lighting, sconces and lamps. For starters, overhead lighting is a great addition to any home because it can provide a sharp look to a room. If you are looking to fill in dimly lit areas, adding wall sconces or lamps will provide the perfect amount of light. No matter how you choose to style your space, the atmosphere you create based on your selection will be bright and welcoming! 

uniquely shaped Arched window in milwaukee living room
Design Studio™ Roman Shades & Draperies

4. Utilize Lightbulbs 

Higher-wattage lightbulbs are an excellent way to combat seasonal darkness and brighten your home. If you are trying to determine what wattage is best for your space, start by taking the temperature of a room. You can do this by utilizing Kelvin. If you’re unfamiliar with Kelvin, it is used in lighting to measure the color temperature of a particular lightbulb. For instance, home offices and kitchen that utilize 3,000K-4,500K is ideal. Any wattage that is higher than that will definitely make the space feel more bright. As you determine what lightbulbs work best and you start placing them throughout your house, you will instantly feel better as your space becomes brighter! 

5. Think of the Exterior 

It is important to remember that combatting seasonal darkness does not start and end with the interior of the house. As you look around at your windows, you may see that certain shrubs and trees are blocking natural light from entering the space. Take some time by going outside and trimming your landscaping. When you make your way back inside, you will see that this simple step was a great way to brighten your home.

Nantucket™ Sheer Shades from the exterior of the home and landscaping around the windows.
Nantucket™ Sheer Shades

7. Decluttering is Key 

Look around your space. Do you see any dark shadows that are being cast? If the answer is yes and it is caused by furniture or items that you do not use anymore, now is a great time to go through, declutter and donate these items. You may realize that all you needed was to clean out your space to allow for ample sunlight to bounce off of the walls and illuminate your space. 

You can take bringing light into your space to another level by strategically placing artwork in mirrors in locations that will maximize the light reflecting off them. This is a great way to easily brighten your home!

7. Add in Area Rugs 

If you have dark hardwood floors, you may see that darkness is more prevalent in your home than in houses that have lighter-colored floors. A great way to brighten up your home is to add in area rugs! We recommend a lighter color rug so it contrasts nicely with the wood floors and breaks up the darkness. You will be thankful for the extra coziness that it adds to your home this season! 

Living room with white roller shades
Alustra® Woven Textures®

8. Transition from Dark to Light 

Having contrasting pieces in your home is a great way to create visual interest. However, dark items like tablescapes, blankets and pillows are creating darkness in areas that you would not expect. To combat the seasonal darkness, start swapping out some of these items for lighter-colored pieces. You will find that your space feels brighter while still providing the contrast that you were going for originally. 

Window Treatments are a Must 

Now, we cannot forget how much window treatments impact the look and feel of a home. As you start to combat seasonal darkness, you may start by completely opening up all of your curtains and blinds. However, the amount of natural light flooding your home may be a lot to handle at once. Fortunately, we have a variety of window treatments that will provide just the right amount of light that you are looking for! 

9. Top-Down Shades 

Top-down shades are a perfect way to bring in light while also maintaining privacy. With top-down shades, you can lower them just enough to let light cascade through and reflect off the ceiling. This is a great option as you want to let in some natural light but not all of it. 

thermal window treatments top down bottom up shades Hunter Douglas Waukesha 53188
Vignette® Modern Roman Shades

10. Sheer Fabrics 

Sheer fabrics are a great addition to any home. When it comes to combatting seasonal darkness, sheer fabrics let soft, diffused light into your space. This is an ideal option for you if you are wanting to diffuse the natural light that comes through your windows. 

dining room pirouette shades floor to ceiling blinds
Luminette® Privacy Sheers & Pirouette® Shades

Let Us Help! 

At Bazaar Home Decorating Center, we are ready to help you combat seasonal darkness and brighten your home. We ensure that our designers will assist you in finding the best solution to make your home feel like yours. Contact our team today to schedule a virtual or in-person free consultation.