How to brighten up a living room with dark furniture? Proven tricks
A living room with dark furniture is a classic choice that brings elegance to the interior. However, with an ill-considered arrangement, the aforementioned combination can create the impression of an overwhelming and gloomy space, especially in the case of smaller rooms. To avoid this, it is worth using bright wall colors that optically “enlarge” the interior, creating a neutral background for deep shades: mahogany, walnut or black. In turn, subtle accessories, such as pastel pillows, natural greenery in the form of potted plants or a variety of decorative elements, not only brighten the living room, but also emphasize the sophistication of dark furniture, giving the space lightness and harmony. If you want to find out how to brighten up a dark living room and make your living room arrangement come alive with full brilliance, read our guide.
What will you learn from this article?
- How to brighten up a living room with dark furniture and walls?
- What colors will brighten a living room with dark furniture?
- How to combine dark furniture with contrasting accessories?
- What curtains for a living room with dark furniture?
- What lamps to go for in a living room with dark furniture?
- How to brighten up a living room with dark furniture? Summary
How to brighten up a living room with dark furniture and walls?
Light wall colors paired with dark furniture are not the only right choice. Although they have their undeniable advantages, dark walls can also create an arrangement full of character and depth.
Light walls, reflecting natural light, optically “enlarge” the space, making even a living room with dark furniture seem “lighter”, more open and friendly. Thanks to them, dark furniture is not overwhelmed by its surroundings, and the interior is accompanied by an impression of harmony, as well as subtle elegance.
On the other hand, choosing dark wall colors – deep navy blue, graphite or shades of gray – we can get a stylish living room, full of refinement and unique atmosphere. The described background wonderfully emphasizes the dark colors of the furniture. In addition, it exposes their details and structure, and also allows you to boldly introduce bright accessories that will create a contrast, and furthermore “enliven” the space. Do you prefer a living room drowning in light, or rather full of theatrical atmosphere and sophistication? Each of these options has its own unique superlatives.
Whether you choose dark or light walls, you can brighten up your living room with bright skirting boards from Mardom Decor. We offer white skirting boards that you can paint any color you want. This will help you decorate your living room with dark furniture, while giving it a brighter and more spacious look.
You can use the following skirting boards from Mardom Decor in your arrangement:
- Narrow width skirting boards: premium skirting board MD235P, premium skirting board QL021P, premium skirting board MD001P,
- Medium width skirting boards: Premium skirting board MD008P, Premium skirting board MD258P, Premium skirting board MD8300P,
- Wide skirting boards with decorations: Premium skirting board MD360P, Premium skirting board MD361P, Premium skirting board MD020P,
- Lighting profiles: QL007 lighting profile.
What colors will brighten a living room with dark furniture?
Dark furniture gives the interior a distinct character and elegance, but it is the choice of the right colors that determines the final effect of the living room arrangement. What colors will best compose with the depth of dark furniture? How can they simultaneously emphasize their charm and bring freshness to the space?
The key to success is contrasting shades that will give harmony to the interior, and at the same time allow subtle brightening of the living room. Both bold color accents and soft pastel shades can completely change the character of the interior and optically “enlarge” the space.
What colors will complement the living room arrangement with dark furniture?
- Bottle green – a deep shade of green in accessories, such as decorative pillows or potted plants, emphasizes the elegance of dark furniture and adds natural warmth to the interior,
- warm browns – shades of caramel and copper in the form of textiles or decorative accents create a cozy atmosphere and perfectly match the dark colors of the furniture,
- light accessories – beiges, écru and shades of gray in curtains or carpets reflect light, making the interior more spacious, as well as luminous,
- shades of gray – delicate grays, especially in light textiles such as pillows and plaids, give the living room a subtle character and bring harmony,
- pastel shades of pink – accessories in delicate pinks, such as vases or decorative boxes, enliven the space without overwhelming it and introduce a touch of finesse,
- vivid colors – intense accents, such as yellows or blue accessories, in the form of table lamps or picture frames, break the monotony of dark furniture and give the interior a modern look.
Combining the right colors with dark furniture allows you to create an interior with an unusual atmosphere – elegant, yet cozy. Well-chosen colors and accessories will help expose the charm of dark furniture. So make your arrangement both stylish and functional.
How to combine dark furniture with contrasting accessories?
How to arrange a living room when you dream of dark furniture? Living room arrangements using proposals in which an elegant, massive chest of drawers in the shade of walnut or black lacquered coffee tables lead, can be a real decoration of the interior. However, without properly selected accessories, they can give the impression of heaviness. In order to preserve their refined character, and at the same time give the space a lightness, it is worth introducing light pillows in pastel shades of pink – these will perfectly complement the classic dark sofa, alleviating its visual weight. In turn, potted plants with lush green leaves, such as monstera or ficus, will perfectly enliven the interior arranged around a dark dining table. At the same time, they will create a harmonious contrast between dark wood and natural greenery.
For black modern lounge furniture, which will include a minimalist sofa, mirrors with shiny frames in silver are a great match. The proposed solution will optically enlarge the space and brighten the room. In the case of brown retro-style furniture in dark wood, such as a low chest of drawers, it is worth betting on decorative accents in the form of ceramic vases in shades of powder mint – these subtle details will introduce freshness and break the dominance of deep tones. Want to make dark corners more luminous? Consider floor lamps, which will not only warm up the interior, but also emphasize the natural texture of the furniture, illuminating dark rooms. With such accessories, you can create a stylish living room full of contrasts, where dark furniture remains in the foreground, but in an environment full of light and harmony.
What curtains for a living room with dark furniture?
How to combine the elegance of dark furniture with color harmony to create a cozy space? Light curtains in shades of écru, creamy white or pastel pink gently reflect light, subtly brightening the living room and optically “enlarging” the space. Meanwhile, curtains in deep colors, such as bottle green or anthracite gray, perfectly emphasize the distinctive character of dark furniture. In addition, they introduce a touch of mysterious elegance to the interior.
If you want to introduce contrasts, choose curtains in distinctive colors – intense navy blue, mustard yellow or even brick red. They will add extravagance to the interior. In addition, they will become a decorative accent against the background of dark furniture and light walls. In turn, textiles with a delicate sheen, made of silk or velour, will give the living room a refined look, breaking the matte finishes of the furniture and adding depth to the space.
Curtains will not only warm up the interior, but also give it character, especially if they are juxtaposed with natural light coming through the windows. The choice of fabrics, their texture and color, should harmonize with the entire layout of the living room.
Regardless of the choice, the right curtains can become an element that will emphasize the unique atmosphere of your living room with dark furniture.
What to hang curtains on in the living room?
- Curtain rods with fins: D150 curtain system set with frogs, S150 curtain system set with frogs, D250 curtain system set with frogs,
- Car curtain systems with safety pins: D100 curtain system set with safety pins, S100 curtain system set with safety pins, S150 curtain system set with safety pins,
- Multi-functional curtain systems: MD110 curtain profile, MD105 curtain profile, QL027 curtain profile ,
- Curtain profiles to which you can add LED lighting: curtain profile QL035, curtain profile QL046, curtain profile MD156.
What lamps to reach for for a living room with dark furniture?
The choice of lamps for a living room with dark furniture is not only a matter of lighting function, but also an opportunity to give extravagance to the interior. By choosing the right lamp, you can add sophistication to the interior, which will be remembered for a long time.
Floor lamps with gold, copper or black matte finishes will perfectly emphasize the character of the living room arrangement, harmoniously harmonizing with dark furniture. At the same time they introduce warm light, which will not only illuminate, but also “warm up” the interior and create a cozy atmosphere. Shiny surfaces in the form of metal lampshades or crystal accents perfectly reflect the light, optically “enlarging” the space. It is worth noting that in this way they also level out the heaviness of dark corners.
For lovers of more daring solutions, table lamps in pastel shades of pink or bottle green will be a good choice. They will introduce colorful, lively accents. In this way, they will give the interior an original character and provide a contrast with black or brown furniture. If you want your living room to get a modern expression, reach for lamps with geometric shapes, which, placed against the background of dark furniture, will add elegance and extravagant dynamics to the room. In such a living room, the light plays an indispensable role. Natural light during the day and properly selected sources of artificial light in the evening together will create an unforgettable atmosphere.
How to brighten up a living room with dark furniture? Summary
Brightening a living room with dark furniture is the art of subtle contrasts and conscious selection of accessories. It is they that can bring out the hidden potential of the interior. Light walls, delicate pastel shades of pink or shades of gray provide a neutral background that perfectly balances the depth of dark furniture. Natural light reflecting off the shiny surfaces introduces an impression of spaciousness, while colorful accents – bright pillows or potted plants – give the interior coziness and character.
Dark furniture in the living room, so, for example, a massive chest of drawers in a deep walnut shade or black lacquered coffee tables, is the foundation of elegance and sophisticated style. Even if you opt for dark walls or dominant deep color tones, you can create an interior that is both cozy and spacious – all you need to do is apply thoughtful design solutions. Light textiles, i.e. pillows in shades of pastel pink or mint, perfectly break the dark background of sofas or armchairs, giving the interior lightness. In turn, LED lighting in warm tones, placed at various points, can evenly brighten the space, highlighting the subtle details of furniture and decorative elements.
In addition, brown furniture, which will include a classic solid wood table, works well with natural accessories. When planning the arrangement of the room, keep in mind that it will go well with braided baskets or potted plants with lush green leaves, which enliven the interior. In addition, even in narrow living rooms, dark corners can be effectively brightened with table or floor lamps with soft, warm light. The proposed combination of elements will provide the interior with both elegance and comfort, without overwhelming it, but rather giving it a pleasant, consistent character. You don’t have to settle for light-colored walls to decorate a modern living room and give your interior elegance.
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