Summer is here. This can only mean one thing: cozy, dark spaces are out; light and bright spaces and living areas are in. Letting the light in, whether fabricated or natural, can work wonders for your mind and body (thank you vitamin D) as well as contributing to an overall welcoming and enjoyable living enviroment.
So, how can you give your interior spaces a quick freshen-up and less dreary? Well, here are 8 easy tips to get your home looking brighter, fresher and ready for summer.
1. A New Splash Of Basic Color
With millions of paint hues and color schemes available, painting your wall with neutral or stark white may seem a little boring. However, there’s no better color to brighten and lighten a room than white. And although other color schemes can change the look of your home, swapping some bright white paint, or just freshening up some current white walls with a splash of paint, can instantly make your home inviting airy, fresh and brighter. If you feel that plain and bright white looks clinical like hospital walls, there are other neutral hues with a whitish scheme you can try. If all else fails, painters Somerset West will definitely have tons of ideas and suggestions of what would best fit your home.
2. Clean Those Windows
If you can’t even remember the last time you cleaned your windows, it is high time to do it. Something as simple as giving your windows a splash of water and a good scrub, both outside and inside, can seriously change the amount of light that can shine through. And without all the grime and dirt blocking out the sun, your space will be a brighter and crystal clear.
3. Mirrors Everywhere
It might feel a bit egotistical to hang several mirrors in your bedroom and living room, however, they aren’t for staring at yourself all day long. Their main purpose? Bouncing the essential light around your space. With mirrors, even the darkest room that lacks natural light will look and feel lighter and brighter due to its reflecting properties, adding a touch of brightness to even your darkest corners.
4. Plants Are Your Friend
It is amazing how a little greenery can add a welcoming and brighter vibe to any space. So, consider heading outside, and bring home bold and big plants that you can place all over your home, whether that is fiddle leaf figs, dracaena, birds of paradise or monsteras. And if you don’t have a green thumb, don’t worry. There are lots of low-maintenance plant varieties, particularly succulents that don’t require regular watering.
5. Go With Light Woods
Although dark wood offers an undeniably luxurious and classic touch, whether it is your seating furniture or tables, light woods are what really brighten up a space. Rather than choosing stained and dark options, go for pieces that are made from something lighter such as hickory, birch, ash, maple, or oak. Or you can always give dark cabinets a paint makeover to totally transform the space.
6. Hang Light Curtains
Winter days are gone, so you won’t be needing insulation anymore. This means taking down those heavy, dark draperies and curtains that hardly let natural light in and swapping them for lightly-colored and sheer fabrics. This way, even if you want some privacy, you will still be able to allow some happiness-inducing sunrays into the room.
7. Get Light-Colored Furniture
A dark brown or pitch-black couch definitely looks pretty and luxurious, however, it really dampens a space. So, next time you go furniture shopping, consider getting light colored furniture. I’m not saying go with bright whites which might get dirty and grimy after a week, but light grays, beiges, and creams should do the trick. And if new furniture doesn’t fit into your budget right now, you can always revamp your old pieces with some quality covers.
8. Open Up Shelves
Some things are better tucked away in cabinets, however, opening them up and transforming them into shelves can make your room look airy and bright. Plus, it allows you to show off some of your most-prized collections, whether it is your most-read novels in the living room or toy and figurine collectables in your bedroom.
