does this condo need brightening and lightening up as
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Painting cherry cabinets to lighten up kitchen -- long post, sorr
Comments (27)As a few people have mentioned before, posting a picture of your current space would really help! Painting your cabinets is, of course, an option (milk paint and chalk paint are two durable low-VOC options). However, I'd try a few simpler strategies first. 1. Backsplash. Try cutting sheets of beadboard to fit in that space. If your current backsplash is anything other than white, white beadboard will brighten it up quite a bit. 2. Mirrors. Do you have an area of wall where you can hang a mirror? To outsiders it may seem vain to hang a mirror in your kitchen, but reflecting what little light there is can really make a difference! 3. Appliances. Someone mentioned it before - black appliances will make the space seem darker. 4. Window. If you have any valances or window hangings, take 'em off! And check outside, too, for anything that's blocking light. 5. Upper cabinets. If you have ample storage space, consider removing a section of your upper cabinets. This is especially true if they're hanging over a peninsula or island. Other options in this vein include removing the doors on a couple sections, using glass inserts (frosted if you're worried about keeping things tidy), or replacing a run of uppers with open shelving. Or you could paint them. 6. Lowers. Cherry darkens over time/exposure to light, so it might be possible to lighten the tone by refinishing them and then sealing without a stain. 7. Counters. Replacing perfectly-good granite would likely be as expensive or more so than for professionally painted cabinets, but I think it would yield better results. Not an ideal solution, but still keep it in mind. 8. Flooring. Short of replacing your floor (what is your flooring, by the way?), try a couple of light-colored throw rugs. 9. Connections. How does your kitchen connect to the other rooms in the house? You mentioned you are in an historic district, so chances are you don't have an open floor plan. Do any of the adjacent rooms have natural light to spare? "Borrow" light with French doors or transoms above. Or remove a door completely (where it makes sense, of course), leaving a cased opening. 10. Declutter. A lot of extra stuff can make even a well-lit space seem claustrophobic. However, a few well-placed objects (especially reflective surfaces like a silver platter, or a small lamp for a dark corner) can brighten the room without having the overhead lights blazing. Let us know what you decide to do!...See Moresmall dark shaded by tree master bedroom needs brightening up
Comments (11)It is interesting the different perspectives that we all have re: the feeling we wish to have for a room. Still since it is a master I wonder if what you are really missing is a sense of "warmth" to the room vs the natural light. The white in a north facing dark room would be pretty dismal and not feel warm at all. I think with proper lighting and color you can create the "mood" you want with any color that speaks to you. Every single person who sees my mstr bedroom asks how I came up with the color after saying they love it but are certain they would never choose it. DH was sure he wouldn't like it but loves it too. I agree that on the chip it is questionable but in the room it creates a beautiful tranquil feeling that is warm and light at the same time. It mixes beautifully with silver tones and that adds a lot more light to the room - silver plated drapery rods, white murano glass pendants with silver leafing beside the bed over simple mirrored night stands - all help create the mood. It is an east facing room with full sliding doors that are covered with heavy silk - also light reflecting - drapes to allow sleep past 5:30 in the summer months! Light is not really an issue but as someone above mentioned we are in the room mostly at night and I don't want to feel like I am in a dark cave reading in bed at night. Anyway, I would recommend looking through inspiration photos of room here and on HGTV - figure out which ones create the mood you want for your room - avoiding any that seem require full natural light - and incorporate the colors into your room. Think about everything in the room and how it contributes to the feeling - bedding can make a huge difference. So many of the new designs incorporate silks and other reflective materials that can add to the warmth and light in the room....See Morelighten up dark dining room
Comments (40)Lighting brightens up a room, not paint. One chandelier will not solve the problem. Unless you install recessed lighting, you will struggle to keep this room lit up at night. A dining room is usually in use late in the day and into the night, so what you do with the windows will have less impact then what you do with the lighting . You’ll need brighter lights to clean and set up the room, and moodier lighting for dinner. The chandelier needs bright lights on a dimmer switch, and you’ll need a buffet with lamps at either end on the wall opposite the windows....See MoreNeeds lightened up
Comments (5)You may need more light closer to the floor where people are. I don't think it's a big deal if the ceiling is dim. It's hard to light a high-ceilinged room with lights up high. You need end tables with lamps and/or floor lamps. Can you get under this floor to install floor outlets? Before doing this make sure you have the right arrangement of your furniture. If you post a floorplan and the dimensions of the furniture you have (or tell us if you will be buying new) this is a good place to get advice on your furniture placement. The commenters will also need to know if there will be a TV in this room....See MoreRelated Professionals
Centerville Interior Designers & Decorators · Huntersville Furniture & Accessories · Philadelphia Furniture & Accessories · Rancho Santa Margarita Furniture & Accessories · North Bellmore Furniture & Accessories · Centreville Lighting · Fort Salonga Fireplaces · Dedham Flooring Contractors · Germantown Flooring Contractors · Hugo Flooring Contractors · Jacksonville Flooring Contractors · Somerset Flooring Contractors · Jacinto City Furniture & Accessories · Fort Washington Lighting · Stanton Window Treatments- 2 years ago
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