How to paint a dark room with almost no natural light

6 years ago

This room is getting more than usual light in the photo below. It usually gets none. I tried painting it light to brighten it up but it always looks depressingly grayish. I’m willing to go bold (dark blue, dark gray, etc.) but nothing looks right with the dark wood trim (that I will never paint). Help???

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Sylvia Gordon

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Love those old-fashioned dining rooms! When I was a little girl, some of my older relatives had dining rooms like this, and it seems like the walls were almost always an adobe type color, and the lighting was very subdued, incandescent candle flame looking bulbs. Maybe the goal was to have a subdued, elegant environment for dining. Today, I think I would put in lots of bright full-spectrum bulbs and paint the room a rich warm saturated color. I would try teal rather than blue, and maybe burgundy rather than gray. A rich luscious apricot might be pretty also. The woodwork is very warm, and dining rooms are more inviting with warm colors. Good luck, and have fun!

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Comments (39)

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Patricia Colwell Consulting
6 years ago
So the room is dark and you want to paint it dark , does that make sense to you, it sure does not to me. IMO none of those colors work at all. DRs do not need to be overlly bright anyway but I think a better light fixture would help
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Beth H. :
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
i'm sure that light puts out at least 200 watts, no? what if you picked a very pale blue or lilac from the rug? would look nice w/the dark trim.

try this Raindrops on Roses. it actually looks more gray then pictured
here it is on the walls. It's actually a bit more grayish then shown in this pic, especially in a darker room. it's basically a lilac gray.

this one on the walls is Anjelica,,,BM

or something like this,,,or something in the bottom lower left

try some of these samples and see how it looks. none of what you have on the walls now work.
PRO
Lori A. Sawaya
6 years ago
Full spectrum paint. Ben Moore has Color Stories, C2 Paint or Ellen Kennon.
Erin Ann
Original Author
6 years ago
I have tried light colors. Tons. They don’t work. They look washed out. There’s not enough light in the room. It needs artificial lighting. The light fixture does pretty good. That’s why I’m thinking dark. At least saturated.
Erin Ann
Original Author
6 years ago
Also, thinking of adding mirrors. Maybe a couple sconces.
PRO
Beth H. :
6 years ago
Lori,,,,could you offer your expertise here?

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/paint-color-for-a-dark-j-j-bathroom-dsvw-vd~5084324
Erin Ann
Original Author
6 years ago
Like I said, cream doesn’t work. All light colors end up looking gray.

I figured if it’s going to be dark and gray anyway, better to embrace it. My question is more “which color” not “how do I make it light.” The room will never be light during the day. The most I can hope for is that the color livens up the space.

Decor (once painted) = gold framed artwork, crystal chandelier, mirrors. (Lots of reflective surfaces).
Erin Ann
Original Author
6 years ago
Also, textured plaster walls...
Erin Ann
Original Author
6 years ago
I’m be read that yellow is very reflective and usually will not get gray-ed out. But it did. I tried to go warm because cool colors tend to have those grayish undertones. I think coral would probably work but I hate coral and it would look strange in my house.
User
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Since you’re planning on painting a room that has no or little natural light I would suggest using paint with some metallic to it or wallpaper with metallic that way your light can be able to refract and make the room brighter with whichever dark color you use and also add sconces to the room.
Erin Ann
Original Author
6 years ago
The photo posted is pretty. But I can guarantee lilac would go gray. Color needs light to reflect off of it for it to be visible. I think that’s the issue with the light colors. (The rug is actually cream with a little brown and blue — no lilac). Light colors aren’t saturated enough. My room really only has light at night when I have the lights on. This room has zero windows and gets minimal light from the surrounding rooms. The photo was taken on a sunny day (in the morning) when the surrounding rooms get the most light. Most of the time, it’s super dark.
Erin Ann
Original Author
6 years ago
Exactly. That’s why I’m embracing it. :)
miss lindsey (She/Her)
6 years ago
I love the blue-black posted by Beth. You could colour match the blue in the rug in the adjoining room.
PRO
Beth H. :
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
r hell, just embrace it and do black,,,bring in the mirrors and warm lighting.

maybe do a white wainscot w/the black or dark blue, above

BlackFox. its a black brown. with gold accents or your current light fixture,,,gorge.
too bad you aren't up to painting the trim work in there black. then you could do a nice creamy white on the walls and a black wainscot.

not all light colors look gray. you haven't chosen the right light color.

or dark smokey blue

farrow and ball Black Blue
isabel98
6 years ago
I have read more than once that what you are trying to do is in fact what you should do. don't fight a dark room by trying to go light...just go dark. With that said I'm not familiar enough with dark paint colors to give you suggestions:(

Maybe this will help?

suggestions of dark colors in a dark room
hopingtogetfit
6 years ago
It looks beautiful! Just finish it!
Chessie
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I don't see anything gray or depressing in that first photo. Not sure what you are hoping to accomplish by painting the room dark. I think that would be a mistake.
Erin Ann
Original Author
6 years ago
Love the bronze! Also love the article! I got a color idea from the list. Thank you!!! I think I will need sconces too. Hopefully, with sconces, mirrors, and some colorful metallic-framed art, the room will pop.
User
6 years ago
Is that a dark blue or teal
Chessie
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Every single one of those rooms in that article, has white trim.
Erin Ann
Original Author
6 years ago
It’s a dark blue.
Erin Ann
Original Author
6 years ago
Yes. That’s a big problem — white trim looks great against dark walls but I will not paint my trim. Historic house. I can’t bring myself to do that.
cpartist
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
So the room is dark and you want to paint it dark , does that make sense to you, it sure does not to me. IMO none of those colors work at all. DRs do not need to be overlly bright anyway but I think a better light fixture would help

Actually it makes a lot of sense. Here is the bathroom in my old condo. Painted a brick red. It brightened up the whole space.

Pick a color that is cleaner with very little gray. Try more intense colors.
In fact the new owner painted the walls a beige and now it looks dull.
Connie Stackhouse
6 years ago
I think a deep gold or apricot color would complement your trim. Then add some mirrors, bright sconces and a brighter rug with some creamy white and tones from the wall color you choose.
PRO
Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
6 years ago
Try red, coral, and a more vibrant rug. (That rug is very gray looking.)

Or wallpaper in a warm vibrant pattern--William Morris style paper would look awesome with your wood trim. Here are some wonderful historic wallpapers:
Erin Ann
Original Author
6 years ago
I’m not in love with the rug. It was free from a family member. I think I’ll paint and if I feel like the rug if bringing everything down, I’ll switch it out. I think the rug would work better in my mom’s office in her home.
gtcircus
6 years ago
Id find another rug, that thing is sapping the life out of the room.. get something with color and take it from there.
Chessie
6 years ago
cpartist, I guess it's just different perspectives. I don't think that bathroom looks bright at all. It looks quite dark. All in the eyes of the beholder as they say.
Chessie
6 years ago
And PLEASE don't do those wallpapers. Egads.
Lyndee Lee
6 years ago
If the room is dark and you arent happy with light colors, how about making thr room brighter with additional lighting? If you are in a 1 story, small LED cans are unobtrusive and put out a surprising amount of light. The dining room in my current house is reasonably light, if the only activity was eating. We added a wall sconce directly above existing electrical and added a pull chain to the fixture instead of trying to fish wire to a switch through plaster walls. That room is painted a chambray blue which is one of my faborite paint colors against dark stained trim. I'm not sure if my trim is cherry or possibly walnut but no way would I ever paint such beautiful trim. I stripped the crown molding in a single small hallway and that was enough to convince me to leave well enough alone

I added a pair of wall sconces to a different dark dining room and they make a nice amount of light by themselves if we didnt want to turn on the main light. Sometimes the answer is multiple sources of light, not just a brighter fixture in the center of the room. Wall sconces may be more practical is you don't have attic access but adding led ceiling lights might be easier than you think
graywings123
6 years ago
So what you need to find is a saturated color that goes well with the woodwork. I can see that grays won't work. Nor blues. How about green?
Erin Ann
Original Author
6 years ago
I definitely think additional lighting is needed. I’m in a two-story so I think sconces are the best solution. I actually love the wallpaper idea (especially with metallic detail in it) but I have textured walls so that may be taking on a bit more work than I bargained for. I agree that saturated color is necessary. And I also agree that orange or coral would work — I just hate coral and nothing else in the home works with orange. I’ll definitely keep my eyes peeled for a new rug.
gracie01 zone5 SW of Chicago
6 years ago
I have SW Khaki Shade in my dark hallway and foyer with wood stained trim; also a 1/2 bath with no window. It's not as dark as the on-line color appears and I like it as a neutral.
PRO
RugKnots | Area Rugs
6 years ago
I'd say if you have a room that just will not look light no matter what you do, embrace the room for what it is and make it one heck of a low-lit room. Go with it and use the low lighting to set the mood. Beth H's post with the darker dining rooms is right on track. Use candles, warm tones, a large Persian area rug, and dark woods. Create a soothing, warm, calm space with low lighting and it may end up being one of your favorite spaces.
katinparadise
6 years ago
following
cpartist
6 years ago
Try BM Fernwood Green.
PRO
Jodie White Designs
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Your historic home woodwork trim and french doors are beautiful. Painting your walls dark would be dramatic and beautiful. Inspirations of colors that could work with your wood color. Good luck and post photos.
Sy Huns
last year
Just curious on what you ended up doing?