With the grey skies of winter outside your window, is your Chicago home feeling a little drab?  Are your rooms feeling dark and dreary? Brightening up your home also brightens up your psyche, boosts your mood, and lowers your stress level. There’s no need to knock out walls or move – here are some tips that will brighten up your space in no time.

Refresh your Wall Color

While painting seems like a tedious task, changing your wall color will make a huge impact in any room. Obviously, changing your wall color to stark white will certainly brighten up the space, but there’s no need to limit yourself to just white. Decide on a color scheme that will make you happy and will brighten your day. It’s a good idea to go with lighter hues for an open and airy feel in the room. Darker colors on the wall will make a room feel cozy and warm, but won’t brighten up the room.

Rearrange the Furniture

Rearranging your furniture always makes a room feel new. Create conversation areas that allow a natural flow around your larger pieces. By keeping your furniture away from the walls, windows, and doors, you allow in the maximum amount of natural light and are able to see the bright colors on the walls clearly, which will also make the room appear larger and more airy.

Bring the Outside In

Breathe some life into your home by adding plants and flowers to your decor. Plants have a way of making a space feel vibrant and bright. Select pots that are lighter in color, clear, or metallic to keep the brightness going. Be creative and don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Large mason jars are great for smaller plants, or old metallic milk tins are a great idea for larger plants.  Grow some fresh herbs in your kitchen, put some fresh daisies or sunflowers on your coffee table, or group plants together on your windowsill or in a corner.

Add Some Mirrors

By strategically placing framed mirrors opposite your windows or doors, you’re doubling the amount of natural light in the room and making the space appear much larger. It may be fun to do a collage of mirrors of different sizes and different frames on one wall of the room. Besides just making the room brighter, this will also make that wall a focal point.  

Brighten Up Your Furniture

Dark stained wood pieces are beautiful and traditional, however, they make your room seem much darker than it is. Purchasing new furniture can be a budget buster so before you resort to that, you should try painting your existing furniture. By painting your coffee table, end tables, and bookshelves a lighter color, your living space will be instantly brightened. Painting your cabinets will transform your kitchen from dreary to cheery. Add some pops of color around the room with decorative items such as throw pillows, art, or florals, and it will feel like a brand new space.

Change the Lightbulbs

In addition to the natural light that comes into your space, there is also the artificial light you’re using. If the lightbulbs you have create a yellowish glow, it may be a good idea to replace them with bright white LED bulbs, as the yellowish hue can feel cozy but it can also look drab.  Brighten up the space with a twist of a lightbulb.

Brightening up your home will also brighten up your day, so follow these tips to chase the drab away. What tips do you have to make your space feel lighter and brighter?