How to Fake Natural Light in Your Home

By Kailey Walters on November 7, 2019

This article is brought to you by CORT Furniture Rental. We take the hassle out of furnishing your new place so you can do more important things like read this article. Learn more about why furniture rental is the best way to get a great looking apartment.

A really great way to brighten up your living space is to flood it with natural light — but what do you do if your place doesn’t get much natural light? After all, it’s no fun to walk around a dark, gloomy apartment during the day. Rest assured, there are a few ways to brighten up your living space and make it seem as if it’s filled with natural light.

via Pexels

1. Use Edison light bulbs.

There’s some artificial light that clearly looks artificial … and then there’s artificial light that can masquerade as natural light. Edison bulbs are a great way to add some bright, natural-looking light to your space, whether it be in your kitchen, living room, bedroom, or anywhere else. They also add some wonderful decorative flair to any room or ceiling, so you can kill two birds with one stone that way. Another option is to go with full-spectrum light bulbs, which can also help add some bright natural light to your place.

Even if you’re not going for super bright light, there are other ways to add some calm, natural, and peaceful lighting to your living space. For example, you can use small table lamps with warm bulbs, or put up string lights around your bedroom to create a cozy, glowing atmosphere.

2. Decorate with white accents.

Another great way to make your place seem brighter is to decorate with white accents — white furniture, accessories, etc. After all, dark furniture will only make your place look much darker, so white furniture will do the exact opposite by adding some bright spots to the room. Go for white sofas, coffee tables, rugs, throw pillows, lamps, bookshelves, and any other furniture or accessories you can think of. The look you can create with all these white accents is especially desirable if you’re going for a simple, minimalist style.

3. Use light-colored wallpaper.

Wallpaper is another helpful way to add some brightness to your place. If you own your house or apartment, you can certainly paint the walls, ceilings, and even floors white. If you’re renting your living space and can’t paint the surfaces, no worries — you can use removable wallpaper instead. Gone are the days when wallpaper looked tacky; now you have the opportunity to choose from a wide variety of wallpapers. Choosing a very light-colored or light-patterned wallpaper can work wonders for brightening up your space.

4. Don’t use drapes.

Drapes over the windows will only add more darkness to your living area. That means you can forego the drapes and let any and all light come in through the windows. While that may not be a lot, it will certainly be more than if you had drapes or curtains blocking the way.

5. Get some plants.

Sure, plants don’t give off light the way light bulbs do, but they add a bright, vibrant splash of color to your living space. You also don’t need to be an expert gardener to own a few houseplants. Some plants you can get that won’t require a lot of maintenance include pothos, which are capable of thriving in dim or even fluorescent lighting, and spider plants, which can do well in shady environments. That way, you won’t have to worry about placing them in real light for them to grow. If you’re not up for having real plants, you can always invest in some artificial houseplants, which are just as aesthetically pleasing and require absolutely no maintenance at all.

6. Use lots of mirrors.

Having many mirrors in your place will help any natural light bounce around the room — a great trick to make your place seem brighter. Mirrors are great for making your place appear more spacious as well. You can place the mirrors on your walls or get mirrored decor pieces, such as a mirrored accent table. Experiment with different styles and sizes of mirrors, too — they can become a form of artwork on their own.

7. Add gloss to your surfaces.

Adding just a little bit of gloss to different surfaces in your living space, from the floors to the walls to the ceilings, can make a big difference in helping to bounce more natural light around the room. It’s a fairly simple project that is neither expensive nor time-consuming. If, however, you find yourself not wanting to add a fresh coat of gloss on your own, you can also purchase different decor pieces with glossy finishes, which are sure to do the trick as well.

Even if your place doesn’t get a lot of natural light, there are still many ways to create the illusion of a naturally well-lit space. Take advantage of all the options available to you to spruce up your home or apartment, and you’ll be sure to be satisfied with the result.

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