Darkroom Design Features. Given: dark room

Probably, many are faced with such a problem as the correct interior design in a dark room. Some rooms in our apartments or houses become dark for various reasons:

• this may be due to the fact that there is little sun on this side of the house;
• due to closely spaced trees or neighboring houses;
• as a result of the redevelopment of the apartment, if the illumination of the room was not taken into account.

But with the right selection of wallpaper, you can adjust all this and visually brighten the room.

Ways to solve the problem

Of course, the problem can be solved with lighting, but you won’t keep the lights on all day and night, it’s expensive and not necessary. You can choose the color palette of wallpaper for the walls of a small dark room. First of all, the wallpaper should be light colors: peach or golden. It is not necessary that they dominate in the colors of the wallpaper, interspersed with these colors are enough. When choosing wallpaper, you need to take into account that by mixing different shades and colors, you can achieve the feeling of a bright room, but everything needs a measure: if you overdo it, it will turn out motley, the room will become even darker, so you will achieve the opposite effect. We don't need strong contrast.

To achieve the desired effect, you can not use wallpaper with large patterns, this worsens the visual image of the room, it will seem smaller and darker. A small pattern, a small relief and a discreet color are the most suitable. If you decide to use wallpaper without a pattern, then get plain wallpaper in pastel colors.

To increase the illumination of the room, use this method: paste over the wall opposite the window with wallpaper with a small pattern and a light tone. And cover the remaining three walls with wallpaper that has a darker tone that matches the color of the light wall. You will get the visual effect of increasing light. The thing is that the weak light from the street, reflected on a light wall, creates the feeling of two light walls.

Color combination selection

A dark living room can be brightened up by choosing and combining colors so that it turns out original. But do not rely on the contrast of colors, this will only worsen the situation. Apply the same scheme that was given above, just decorate the room with bright and light elements, for example, scenery or pictures, but do not overdo it, because our task is to make the room not colorful, but light. Two or three bright colors are enough to bring a touch of holiday and comfort.

Matte wallpapers absorb sunlight, so they are not suitable for us. You need the opposite: glossy wallpaper that reflects light and illuminates the room. It would be nice if there are sparkles in the wallpaper. Creative individuals can be advised to paint the wallpaper on their own, enjoying the play of colors and admiring the effect made by their own hands. This type of wallpaper, like liquid wallpaper, may well suit you. Light colors, especially yellow, will turn the room into a clearing lit by sunlight. After all, liquid wallpaper contains reflective glosses.

In rooms with windows facing north, it is preferable to use cream-colored wallpaper. White color will be similar to gray tone and will create an unpleasant impression of being in such a room. Adding yellow to one of the walls will give the impression of a sunny day.

Don't be afraid to experiment! If you are not sure about your choice, take a few pieces of wallpaper for a sample (ask the seller) and see how they look in different lighting conditions: in bright sunshine, in cloudy weather, with the lights on. Such a fitting will accurately show whether the colors you have chosen are combined.

The influence of different tones on a person's mood

If you're having trouble choosing color options to lighten up a dark room, knowing how colors affect a person's mood can come in handy. Here is a description of the psychological impact of color on people:

• Peach-colored wallpapers are great for the bedroom, they make the room bigger and brighter. This color is uplifting in gloomy rainy weather.
• Beige wallpapers create a calm and peaceful atmosphere, they are also suitable for bedrooms or a living room. Combined with white, creating light warm tones, when combined with other, slightly darker tones, create a sense of calm.
• Wallpapers in golden colors stand out from the usual color scheme. They add a little solemnity, warmth, tenderness. An overabundance of this color will spoil the impression of the room, use it as small additions to beige or light brown wallpaper.
• Cheerful yellow goes well with almost any other color, creates the effect of a sunny day in the room, great for brightening dark rooms.
• on impression with yellow. Color contributes to the working mood, raises the tone, attracts to communication. It is undesirable to use such wallpaper in the bedroom, it is best to glue them where your whole family often gathers.
• Brown wallpapers can make a person sad, but when combined with light shades, they can make the room look more noble and austere. But they require more artificial lighting as they darken the room.
• Pink color is typical for romance, sensuality. Light pink shade evokes calmness, bright colors excite. These wallpapers are quite suitable for brightening up a girl's bedroom or bathroom.
• Aggressive red should be used in places where splendor and festivity are appropriate. This color stimulates the appetite, so it should be used in the dining room or in the kitchen.
• Purple wallpaper creates a sense of space in small rooms. It would seem that this is a dark tone, but it does an excellent job of visually expanding the rooms.
• Blue color, on the contrary, narrows the space. This cold soothing color reduces activity and causes drowsiness.
• Blue color is the color of romantic people, it gives a feeling of comfort, reduces excitability. In some companies, blue rooms are used to resolve conflicts and disputes. Suitable for small rooms, allowing you to expand the space, suitable for children's rooms.
• Green is compared with life, confidence, visually pushes the walls. In such a room it is easier to cope with anger, irritability, negativity.
• Striped wallpapers affect a person not so much with color as with a geometric pattern. Vertical stripes visually increase the height of the room. Horizontal stripes give the impression of increased width. Bright colorful stripes create a good mood, playfulness. Classic - strict style.

As you can see from this article, the color scheme can be chosen to increase light and space. For this, there are certain colors that can affect a person in different ways. You just need to decide what you want to achieve from a particular room.

The owners of apartments with dark rooms cannot be called lucky. When the windows are located on the north side or the trees outside the window interfere with the access of light, when the window openings are too small or the room has a non-standard shape and size, it will not be possible to achieve the effect of a large amount of light in the room without special techniques. Without this, any room seems uncomfortable and cramped. The design of a dark room must be thought out carefully so as not to darken it even more.

Designers offer some ideas and tips on how to brighten up a dark room. But each advice should be considered in the context of the layout of the apartment you have and the purpose of the room. Before purchasing building materials, decorative elements, pieces of furniture, take samples of them to see how they will look in a particular room, and make sure that they can be returned if they suddenly do not fit.

In order to make an underlit room brighter, you can use a number of professional design techniques, which also allow you to expand the space and add airiness to the room. The design of a dark room does not involve the use of all of the listed techniques, but only those that are suitable for a particular room and will appeal to the owners of the home.

It is hardly possible to get rid of trees in front of the window that interfere with light entering the room or expand the window opening, so we consider only those ideas that can be applied indoors.

Surface decoration

The first and main way to make a dark room brighter is to decorate the walls, ceiling and floor in white. White surfaces will reflect more light. Creating a “white box” effect in a room will make a dimly lit room visually larger, more spacious, especially if large pieces of furniture (sofa, table, shelves, wardrobe) are also white.

If white walls, a white ceiling, a white floor, and even white furniture seem boring, you can add bright accessories or small pieces of furniture in bright contrasting colors. If bright colors on a white background are also not of interest, use a lot of natural color details that will brighten up the room. For example, you can decorate the entire wall with black and white photographs or drawings, put a lot of different accessories “under the tree”. You can also decorate some surfaces with openwork patterns, for example, cabinet doors or a headboard. Such patterns can be combined with patterns on glass, macrame, knitted napkins, etc.

It seems to many that white is a rather easily soiled color, therefore, painting or repairing walls and floors will often be required. But the materials currently on the market (tiles, washable wallpaper, resistant paint, etc.) allow you not to think about it. Naturally, such surfaces should be kept clean.

For those who under no circumstances want to decorate their bedroom, study or living room in a “hospital” color, you can suggest decorating surfaces in the following colors: light blue, light green, light pink, mint, ivory, light yellow. If possible, use the lightest colors in the palette.

Another way to decorate walls in a poorly lit room is to combine light and dark materials. The bottom of the wall is about 1/3 darker, and the top is lighter. This method will add light and allow you to visually make the ceilings higher.

Furniture in a dark room

Firstly, it is not worth overloading such rooms with furniture. Especially avoid placing bulky furniture in the center of the room, as it will absorb light. It is better to use furniture on graceful legs with open space below. Such items make the atmosphere in the room lighter and more airy.

It is desirable to make the surfaces of cabinets located opposite the window glossy. So they will reflect the light. The use of mirrors is also possible, but it is worth remembering that if the gloss reflects only light, then the mirror reflects everything.

It is necessary to correctly position the furniture in an insufficiently lit room. For example, if the light hits only part of the room, that is where the dining table or work area should be located. Do not deprive yourself and your loved ones of natural light, which is already scarce in the room.

dark room lighting

For dark rooms, it is necessary to consider multi-level lighting. The ideal option is a false ceiling with a large number of spotlights. The main task is the location of light sources at different levels.

Instead of a false ceiling, you can make bumpers around the perimeter of the ceiling, in which to place hidden lighting. You can also use floor lamps, floor lamps, hang sconces at different heights. Additional lighting can be built into cabinets or niches, if they are provided in the interior.

Decorative elements and accessories

In the design of a dark room, great importance is attached to wall decor. You can use photographs or posters placed under glass. It reflects light. In addition, it is in decorative elements that you can use bright accents, but without being too zealous. Three or four bright little things will be enough.

In the decor of such a room, you should not use a huge amount of textiles. Do not overload the room with pillows and bedspreads. It is also better to refuse heavy curtains. To decorate the window, use white tulle or thin linen curtains. If possible, the window can generally be made as open as possible and not use curtains.

Common mistakes in decorating dark rooms

Many people think that bright central lighting in such a room will solve all problems, but this is not so. To illuminate as much space as possible, it is worth placing light sources at different levels.

If you approach the issue of decorating a dark room correctly and tastefully, you can make a rather cozy place out of such a room.

Comfort to your home!

Each room in an apartment or house, with the exception of a bathroom and dressing rooms, has at least one window. Insolation is one of the key factors in the microclimate of the apartment and is provided not only for the sake of beauty, but also taking into account the requirements of sanitary standards.

Rule 4: Choose the right lighting

Paradoxically, it is not advisable to use fluorescent lamps in lighting closed rooms, says Olga Kondratova. The fact is that they emit light that is too harsh for the eyes, which does not add comfort to the home environment.

Rule 5: Lighting Zoning

With a lack of light, it is better to organize several lighting scenarios: basic, additional and decorative. Chandelier on the ceiling, sconces on the walls and a floor lamp - with such a set, even in the darkest room it will be comfortable and cozy.

Rule 6: Light wall finishes and bright accents

For background wall decoration and furnishing of windowless rooms, the designer advises using white, as well as light shades of ivory and cream.

Bright colors will be appropriate in textiles and accessories. Yellow, olive, blue and turquoise colors are well suited: they will fill the space with freshness and energy.

Rule 7: No need for aggressive tones

But the designer does not recommend using black and orange colors in closed rooms: they absorb light, which is already in short supply.

Rule 8: Hanging Mirrors

To visually expand the space, mirrors will come to the rescue. The room will seem larger if one of the walls or the ceiling is decorated with a mirror with a facet or sandblasted pattern.

Rule 9: Window Simulation

To simulate a window, in the absence of a real one, a stained-glass window with illumination is capable. And if you arrange it on the ceiling, you get the effect of a second light.

If the windows of the room face north.

my preferences in photos are light green with light furniture or peach with dark furniture

and expert advice

In such a room, most likely, a cool twilight always reigns. “Warm” it with warm tones. To remove the shortcomings of the northern room and visually make the space larger and lighter, it is advisable to decorate the walls in light and warm colors.

This is done, firstly, in order to
better and more reflect the sunlight falling from the window. Secondly, shades of warm colors will create a sunny atmosphere in the room.

Golden, peach, orange, yellow, yellow-green, delicate light green, light beige and similar colors of low and medium saturation will be preferable.
colors should be dull, slightly muted or as if bleached. As the main color, all shades of chocolate are especially good.

You can not be afraid to oversaturate such a room with color, it will only benefit from this, it will become more comfortable.

By choosing the same color scheme for different rooms, you will not feel the mood of the apartment, so it is worth deciding each room in its own color.

In painting walls, there are several interesting tricks that you can easily put into practice. So, for the wall opposite the window, choose a tone or two darker paint, then the light will spread evenly around the room, the rest of the walls will not seem dark.

The walls can be painted in different colors, but it is important not to break the space. Let's say you painted one wall green and the other blue. If this is not supported by anything, the room will fall apart. A sofa, which is placed in a corner where differently colored walls converge, will help to connect the walls, its upholstery should repeat their colors.

you need to decide on the base color - the color of the walls, which will be in harmony with your favorite things and serve as a background for the floor, furniture upholstery, lighting, plants, accessories and curtains. Here it is best to choose one neutral tone: each color has such a very functional shade. It is usually located in the center of the palette of shades of the same color.

you should not make a purchase during the first visit to stores. It is better to take home samples of all the paints you like or, for a fee, a fan-shaped palette of paints produced by the manufacturer.

The selected neutral mini-palette (of 7 shades of the same color) contains two light shades, two dark shades and two shades of medium saturation. Shades of medium saturation are suitable for walls - of the two, designers recommend choosing the one that is darker. When applied to the walls, it will match the lighter version. If the color of the walls is saturated, then with a white ceiling it seems lower than in reality, and there is an illusion of a "stretched giant sheet" in the room. If the height of the walls is less than three meters or equal to three, then the paint for the ceiling should be two shades lighter than the "wall". If more than three meters, then you can paint the ceiling two tones darker than the walls. "Different shades of the same color, applied to the walls and ceiling, will evenly reflect the color throughout the room, as a result, the space will visually expand," says designer Ekaterina Antonova.

And another tip, having painted the walls, it is convenient and correct - to take the selected palette with paint samples with you on a shopping trip. It will help you navigate when buying furniture, curtains, carpets, etc.

As for the choice of curtains, they can be combined with wallpaper. They do not have to repeat the pattern or copy the color of the walls, but the curtains still look the most harmonious, designed in the same color scheme as the wallpaper. All shades of beige, gold and yellow are suitable for beige wallpapers, blue for blue wallpapers, green for turquoise, etc. To prevent walls and windows from merging with each other, it is worth experimenting with shades (one is more saturated, the other is calmer) and with a combination of patterns. If the wallpaper is plain, then it is better to choose curtains with a pattern, and vice versa. It is always difficult to find curtains whose pattern would be a repetition or a successful continuation of the colors of the wallpaper. In addition, there is a risk of turning the room into a motley mess of patterns, from which the eyes will suffer in the first place. The main thing here is not to overdo it.

Ecology of life. Home: A sun-drenched room is the perfect place to work on the interior. However, not every room has such a wonderful property.

A room flooded with sunlight is an ideal field for working on the interior. However, not every room has such a wonderful property. Let's look at the basic principles of light distribution and discuss how a room can be made lighter, and therefore visually more spacious.

1. Turn the room into a "white cube"

Nothing expands spaces like blurred boundaries between planes. Paint the walls and floor white, lay a light-colored floor covering, and your room will turn into a magical “white cube”. Under a fleeting glance, its boundaries will be erased, and a look that has not found contrasting points of contact between walls, ceiling and floor will perceive the space as much larger than it actually is.

Let's now list the materials that can help you bring this idea to life:

Floors - parquet-board, laminate, solid wood, parquet, cork (now it is already produced with all kinds of surface designs), vinyl coating, self-leveling floors.

Walls - paint, plaster, wallpaper, wall panels.

Ceiling - paint.

2. Use the power of mirrors

The mirror has a huge impact on the illumination of the room, if used correctly. Position the mirror so that it reflects the window and the light wall. Thus, you seem to double the effect and increase the amount of light in the room. It doesn’t matter what size or shape the mirror will be - a huge full-length canvas or a small decor made of mirrored glass located at different angles. You need to see in the room its main advantages and winning sides in terms of illumination and, with the help of a reflective object, increase their influence.

3. Use pastel colors

In poorly lit rooms, experimenting with color combinations can be very dangerous. That is why we highly recommend avoiding all dark colors and grays. The property of surfaces to reflect each other will eventually lead to the fact that the low degree of illumination of your room will only worsen. Combinations that could be very noble and interesting in a large bright room run the risk of being withered and depressing in this kind of room.

When selecting materials, choose shades that are even lighter than you would initially like. The lack of lighting and brightness in the room will make the wallpaper look darker than it appeared to you in the store under fluorescent lights or bright sunlight.

4. Don't cover your windows

The window in the apartment is the only source of daylight, and in a poorly lit room it is simply a crime to curtain it. It is not necessary to completely decorate the window. You can hang light-colored but thick curtains on either side of the window so that you can close them as needed. It is better not to hang the tulle at all, or constantly move it closer to the curtains. This will create layering and textiles on the windows will look even more interesting. With this design option, you should take care of the appearance of the window itself, the condition of the window sill and the battery.

There are so many design options for radiators, ranging from retro style to designer novelties using the latest technology. Choose the one that best suits your interior or just cover the existing one (if it's ugly) with a neat decorative grille.

5. Watch out for light reflections

As you know, light rays have the property of being reflected. And the texture of the walls and surrounding objects greatly affects the degree of this reflection. For example, glossy surfaces reflect better than matte ones, and light ones reflect better than dark ones. A smooth surface is more beneficial in this sense than a rough texture.

Remember that every object in the room, and wall coverings - especially (because there is a very large area), affect the surrounding objects and surfaces, and they, in turn, affect them. The more reflections you provide, the brighter the room will appear.

For example, removing a large carpet with a high pile from the floor, you almost double the illumination, and this can be checked using special devices. Think in advance what objects should surround you, and if your goal is to brighten the room, first of all think about the texture and color of these objects. Plan for this, because without accurate calculations, you can end up with a lurid design and poor organization. And only planning will help you correct existing shortcomings.

By applying these simple tricks, you can significantly improve the illumination of your room. In this case, it is quite possible to apply all the tips regarding one room - after all, it is simply impossible to overdo it with daylight. But if suddenly it still turns out to be insufficient, there is always artificial lighting, the decorative possibilities of which are so wide that this drawback at first glance, with the right supply, can be made the biggest plus of your room.

The main thing is not to despair and not to lament, but to accept the circumstances as they are, while firmly knowing that in the end everything will definitely turn out great. published