Many rooms have poor natural lighting. Some rooms are even so dark that it makes you question what the builder was doing when they planned the room. Badly placed windows can be to blame, but other times, windows can be in the correct location, but a tree or other object outside will block natural lighting. If you have difficulty with getting a dimly lit room to pop, here's an easy tip that you can use to amplify the brightness of any area.
What's the trick you ask? Simply putting a lamp in front of a reflective surface such as a mirror! This easy trick is one that I find myself using in numerous rooms of my home, as I have multiple windows, but too many outdoor plants that block desirable natural lighting. The concept here is that the mirror will reflect any of the light that the lamp gives off back into the space, essentially expanding your lighting source. Bam - the room is brighter!
My favorite area to use this strategy is in my bedroom. The technique works wonderfully on a dresser or wardrobe. Here are some great examples to help you think of how to leverage this slick trick in your own home.
If your bedroom has enough sunlight, but you went too heavy on dark decor items, then putting a lamp in front of a mirror can be a great way to balance out darker objects. Having the room arranged in this way really helps crank up the spaciousness and warmth of the room.
I find that this also adds a unique style to any room and you can even play around with an antique mirror. I love a more modern style mirror as well, but there's always something charming about old school interior design. This is guaranteed to make your room glow, no matter what time of day.
Author: Ian Mankins