Dark rooms

Brightening rooms that never get much daylight, or leaning into them.

• Living rooms13
• Bedrooms3
• Hallways2
• Dining rooms1
• Small spaces7
• Layout12
• Lighting10
• Colour8
• Dark rooms3
• Rugs8
• Storage4
• Choosing help3

• Living roomsHow to make a north-facing living room feel warmA north-facing living room feels cold because flat, blue daylight drains standard neutrals. Here is how to warm it using the right paint undertones, layered 2200K lighting, and tactile natural materials.
• Living roomsHow to light a living roomLighting a living room well means moving beyond the single overhead pendant. The rules for layering lamps, choosing bulb warmth, and balancing light at sitting height.
• Living roomsHow to brighten a dark living roomBrightening a dark living room means layering lamps around the edges, covering light-absorbing floors with a pale rug, and avoiding stark white paint.