Uh-Oh, You Bought a Cave: 7 Ways to Lighten Up a Dark Home
How one homeowner used windows, doors, mirrors and skylights to bring light into her dark, dark home
When I was a girl I was a tree hugger, and that’s no metaphor. My childhood home was in a clearing surrounded by beautiful woods, which I loved. Had you told the younger me, when my face was pressed against the trunk of my favourite maple tree, that I would one day see trees as an enemy, I wouldn’t have believed you.
1. Add windows to bring in natural light
Our family room faced the right way, but the only light came from the sliding doors. Even after we added a large tubular daylighting device or TDD (more on that later), the room was bright but didn’t feel right.
We added a pair of double-hung windows on either side of the door, doubling the total. We also made plans to install two more square windows on either side of the fireplace.
Keen to brighten up your interior? Find designers near you on Houzz with clever, custom solutions for every budget
Our family room faced the right way, but the only light came from the sliding doors. Even after we added a large tubular daylighting device or TDD (more on that later), the room was bright but didn’t feel right.
We added a pair of double-hung windows on either side of the door, doubling the total. We also made plans to install two more square windows on either side of the fireplace.
Keen to brighten up your interior? Find designers near you on Houzz with clever, custom solutions for every budget
In our kitchen, which also had a sunny exposure, there was only one small window above the sink. We left that alone when we renovated the kitchen, but a couple of years later when we had some other work done, we removed a large double cabinet to expand the existing window and add two more.
This is definitely something to consider if you are renovating your kitchen. And if you’re able to swap windows for a wall of bi-fold doors, that’s even better.
This is definitely something to consider if you are renovating your kitchen. And if you’re able to swap windows for a wall of bi-fold doors, that’s even better.
Kitchens and living rooms are obvious places to add windows, but stairways and landings are great places to consider, too. They’re frequently dark and windowless spots, but they don’t always have to be.
2. Use Tubular Daylighting Devices (TDDs) or skylights to create the feeling of daylight
The very first thing we did was have tubular daylighting devices installed. These are like mini skylights. TDDs are reflective cylinders or pipes installed between the roof and ceiling, with a clear plastic dome. The bottoms of the tubes are diffused or glazed to prevent glaring beams of light and to ensure a soft glow.
The very first thing we did was have tubular daylighting devices installed. These are like mini skylights. TDDs are reflective cylinders or pipes installed between the roof and ceiling, with a clear plastic dome. The bottoms of the tubes are diffused or glazed to prevent glaring beams of light and to ensure a soft glow.
We had three installed; one in the living room, another in the kitchen and a third in our foyer. They worked beautifully, and to say the difference was like night and day for those rooms isn’t just a figure of speech.
In the bathroom a need for privacy makes having no windows almost a benefit, but in other rooms a lack of windows gives a feeling of being shut in, even when the TDDs bring bright and sufficient light.
In the bathroom a need for privacy makes having no windows almost a benefit, but in other rooms a lack of windows gives a feeling of being shut in, even when the TDDs bring bright and sufficient light.
3. Choose glazed doors to brighten up a dark interior
Our original front door had side lights with amber glass in a bottle-bottom pattern so popular in the 1970s and our foyer was dim and dark. It led into our windowless dining room, which flowed into the kitchen. Standing at the island bench, that dark entry was my view. Ugh.
We installed a solid wood 15-pane glass door with matching five-pane sidelights. You might choose from contemporary glazed doors or traditional designs to suit the style of your home while letting natural light in.
Our original front door had side lights with amber glass in a bottle-bottom pattern so popular in the 1970s and our foyer was dim and dark. It led into our windowless dining room, which flowed into the kitchen. Standing at the island bench, that dark entry was my view. Ugh.
We installed a solid wood 15-pane glass door with matching five-pane sidelights. You might choose from contemporary glazed doors or traditional designs to suit the style of your home while letting natural light in.
If privacy is a concern, there are many options, such as etched, frosted, fluted or reeded glass, for maintaining privacy while allowing light in.
Interior doors help provide soundproofing, something that’s very important in the open-plan living spaces prevalent today. However, French doors, sliding doors and even bi-folds provide a way for rooms to share light and to avoid shutting rooms off, especially when they’re glazed.
Interior doors help provide soundproofing, something that’s very important in the open-plan living spaces prevalent today. However, French doors, sliding doors and even bi-folds provide a way for rooms to share light and to avoid shutting rooms off, especially when they’re glazed.
In this space, the glazed French doors with sidelights and transom windows create a wall of glass that opens up the room with light and views. If the threshold shown here was a solid wall, it would look like an interior dead end. Instead, the glazed doors make both rooms feel light, open and beautiful.
Browse more beautiful dining rooms for inspiration
Browse more beautiful dining rooms for inspiration
4. Install skylights – and don’t stop at just one
Skylights are every architect and designer’s secret weapon for brightening up even the darkest cave. While we didn’t install them in our home, this kitchen illustrates how dramatically a series of skylights can brighten a space.
With skylights there can be a risk of leakage simply because of the large hole cut in your roof. Another consideration is the heat they can let in. Make sure yours conform to Australian standards for the best quality possible – and install as many as practical.
Skylights are every architect and designer’s secret weapon for brightening up even the darkest cave. While we didn’t install them in our home, this kitchen illustrates how dramatically a series of skylights can brighten a space.
With skylights there can be a risk of leakage simply because of the large hole cut in your roof. Another consideration is the heat they can let in. Make sure yours conform to Australian standards for the best quality possible – and install as many as practical.
5. Widen doorways and demolish unnecessary walls
The entrance to this home doesn’t feel dark because of the wonderful fanlight above the front door, the side lights and the generous width of the hallway. But imagine it with only a narrow hall and it would be a different story entirely.
The entrance to this home doesn’t feel dark because of the wonderful fanlight above the front door, the side lights and the generous width of the hallway. But imagine it with only a narrow hall and it would be a different story entirely.
When we renovated our kitchen, we tore down the wall between the kitchen and the living room, which opened things up tremendously. We also raised the large archway that led into the dining room.
Moral of the story? Open-plan is always better than individual rooms when it comes to brightening up interiors.
But what do you do if all of the above is outside your budget? If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.
Moral of the story? Open-plan is always better than individual rooms when it comes to brightening up interiors.
But what do you do if all of the above is outside your budget? If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.
6. Embrace the darkness and paint your rooms deep colours
The inclination with dark rooms is to paint them light to try and brighten things up, but sometimes the best thing to do is to embrace the shadows and go for deeper, moody hues that make a dark room feel cosy.
The great thing about the enduring popularity of rich hues, charcoal and black is they allow a person to surrender to a dark room and it looks awesome when done well. Just remember to bring in some contrast so it’s not all dark.
The inclination with dark rooms is to paint them light to try and brighten things up, but sometimes the best thing to do is to embrace the shadows and go for deeper, moody hues that make a dark room feel cosy.
The great thing about the enduring popularity of rich hues, charcoal and black is they allow a person to surrender to a dark room and it looks awesome when done well. Just remember to bring in some contrast so it’s not all dark.
Trying to find a colour for our dining room was impossible. I bought so many samples and slapped them on to the wall. I tried to go dark, then warm and then happy. Eventually, we settled on robin’s egg blue, which worked – for only about three weeks in summer.
If I could turn back time, I would have hired a colour consultant or decorator at the start – our local paint store has a paint colour consultant available at very reasonable rates. The money I would have saved on samples could have more than paid for it.
If I could turn back time, I would have hired a colour consultant or decorator at the start – our local paint store has a paint colour consultant available at very reasonable rates. The money I would have saved on samples could have more than paid for it.
7. Hang a well-placed mirror or two to lighten dark interiors
And finally, here’s something so simple that anyone can do it.
In my living and dining rooms, I hung large mirrors to reflect light and the beautiful view of the woods. You can do it in an afternoon – in fact, it’s even easier than pruning the trees outside that might be blocking your light in the first place.
And finally, here’s something so simple that anyone can do it.
In my living and dining rooms, I hung large mirrors to reflect light and the beautiful view of the woods. You can do it in an afternoon – in fact, it’s even easier than pruning the trees outside that might be blocking your light in the first place.
Your turn
What have you done to bring light into your dark home? Tell us your favourites in the Comments, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Ready for your next dose of practical advice? Read this Renovation Insight: How to Choose an Interior Designer
What have you done to bring light into your dark home? Tell us your favourites in the Comments, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Ready for your next dose of practical advice? Read this Renovation Insight: How to Choose an Interior Designer
From the day we took possession of our home until it burnt down (!) we steadily worked to increase and maximise its natural light – here’s what we did (and what you can do) to improve your home’s light.
This story is illustrated with images of beautiful homes from the Houzz archives, which have skilfully maximised natural light.