Paint colours that make a dark space feel brighter

It is difficult to choose the right colour for any room of the home, but if you are decorating a dark space, it can be even more challenging. A colour that is too cold or muted will have the effect of making a dark space even less inviting, so you need to choose wisely to bring more natural brightness into the room. Here are some suggestions.

Light yellow

While bright yellows can look too lurid or vibrant, a light yellow shade will mimic the effect of sunlight in your room. Instead of overpowering your room, a pale yellow wall will also reflect light from lamps to bring more daylight into your home.

Light blue

Elegant and classical, a pale blue is a great choice for all kinds of small spaces. With its traditional appeal, it is perfect for living rooms or bedrooms, while its nautical touches make it suitable for bathrooms too. Powder blue will lighten your dark room effectively, especially if it is paired with white furnishings.

Apricot

While orange may be too bright to make your space look classy, a muted tone of apricot will conjure up summer overtones for your dimly lit room. Capturing the warmth of the sun’s rays and also calling to mind natural firelight, this colour will also appear radiant when lit up by lamps.

Pink

Pale shades of pink are perfect for bringing brightness into a dark room. Opt for gentle rose tones in both living spaces and bedrooms, but steer clear of deep or vibrant tones such as fuchsia, as they are likely to be too overwhelming. Light pink calls to mind the brightness of a summer garden and creates the impression of floral elegance.

Grey

Although you may doubt that a grey wall can bring light into your room, in fact if you opt for light dove tones, you will find that your space takes on a brighter and more elegant feel. When paired with light furnishings, grey gives a classical look that works equally well in both sunny and light-deprived homes.

Beige

Beige may have a reputation for being boring, but when used in a dark space, it is actually a lot more effective than going for the more traditional white wall. A wheat-like shade of beige will make your room instantly warmer thanks to its neutral yet classy tones.

Lime green

Anyone who appreciates contemporary and modern touches in their home will love to brighten their dark room with lime green paint. While this shade may be a little too vibrant for a larger living space, it is perfect for energising small bathrooms, utility rooms or bedrooms.

Lavender

More feminine than grey but just as elegant, lavender is a versatile colour which comes in a range of shades to suit every room of the home. With its soft tones, it brings warmth to a dark space and adds a playful touch to both living spaces and bedrooms when paired with dark furniture or co-ordinated with brighter hints of purple.