Any ideas how to brighten my dark living room? Pics included

[lustforlife]

This is probably outing but I suppose the only way I can gain proper advice is by posting pictures of my living room.

As you can probably tell, my living room is in the middle of the house and gets no natural light to it/has no windows. I'm desperately trying to brighten it up but am stuck. I have to have 2 lamps on all day everyday as it's so dull! Has anyone been in a similar boat and found anything that appears to add some natural light to a room?

Doe it have no window because an extension has been added?
We had a similar room but we got planning permission to knock a window in, it made a huge difference. Is knocking a window sized hole in the large sofa or fireplace wall a possibility? If not you could put a glass divide above the small sofa to let light through from whatever is the other side.

@OhTheIronyOfItAll thank you for the suggestions, I like the idea of knocking through above the small sofa... we have a conservatory on the other side of the living room which is really bright but the light just doesn't seem to come through. I would be more than happy to get rid of the conservatory and have extra garden space/put a window in the living room but the OH won't budge

You definitely need more light, so either add a window or knock through to another room. If you can't do that, your only option is to decorate it in much lighter colours, add mirror and perhaps add in a lot of light bulbs that are meant to give off the equivalent of natural light.

Can you put a large mirror on the wall above the smell sofa to reflect the natural light that seems to be coming in from the next room/Consevatory?

Is the only outside wall where the conservatory is? If so, I agree with you - you need to knock it down and have full length windows there.

As your furniture is quite dark I'd paint it white. Then put a large mirror on the wall above the sofa next to the door the reflect the light. Maybe one if those window type mirrors that look a bit like they have panels.

Do you like colour? You could add colour to brighten it too. In the cushions and accessories.

I'm not sure the up lighter style lamps help much. As they highlight its gloomy. I think something where the light is more diffused and cast over a bigger area would be better. As you have some bright spots but it doesn't light the room much.

Big mirror on wall opposite the conservatory to reflect day light into the room. Light colours on walls.

Or embrace the dark and have it as a cosy snug with dark walls and moody lighting. (I’d not go with that option though)

Straight away it needs to be painted white and a mirror on the far side would defo help

Some really good suggestions, thank you all so annoying as we only moved in last year and so everywhere is freshly decorated. I don't think we realised at the time that all the grey would make it look much darker. Think I will buy some daylight bulbs, get a bigger mirror for above the fireplace and then work on OH to get knocking some walls down our conservatory is also still filled with bits from moving house last year so maybe I could fashion it into a second living area with more light...

Do you have another living area? If you have or could use the conservatory I'd go all out and embrace the darkness, paint it really dark to halfway with dramatic wall paper on top and some statement lighting. I think it's nice to have a really dark living area on an evening, as long as you've somewhere bright for the day.

Painting over the grey with a light fresh colour is the first thing to do! Then agree - large mirror, more light, pops of colour, lamps.

@lustforlife

Some really good suggestions, thank you all so annoying as we only moved in last year and so everywhere is freshly decorated. I don't think we realised at the time that all the grey would make it look much darker. Think I will buy some daylight bulbs, get a bigger mirror for above the fireplace and then work on OH to get knocking some walls down our conservatory is also still filled with bits from moving house last year so maybe I could fashion it into a second living area with more light...

Yes I think yiu could make your living room more of a TV room and the conservatory a day living room as another option.

We have a DD who is 9 months old so I would quite like to make the conservatory into a nice play room/extra living room. I do find it cosy at night but in the day it's just too dark. My partner likes the privacy of it but I wish we had a huge bay window with lots of light streaming in

Also side note, we had Dulux Egyptian Cotton in our old house and I looooved the colour, it was so bright but cosy. But we have two large dogs who make such a mess and I was constantly scrubbing the walls so we agreed we would go grey in the next house. But obviously it doesn't help making it brighter

You need to put an internal window on the wall above the leather setter let in some light from the other room. My kitchen is like this and it makes a difference. Also have the doors into the room half glass at the top .

Big mirror above the sofa on the wall opposite the conservatory for brightness in the daytime and embrace the coziness for nighttime. It looks lovely.
Make the conservatory in to a second living space with a couple of comfy chairs

I agree with mirrors but several as they will bounce off each other. Also glass internal doors?

Agree with everything said, also, you can get light-reflecting paint which can make a big difference. We got ours mixed at a Dulux centre.

Some more good suggestions, thank you! I like the sound of the light-reflecting paint. It's hard to tell but the door in the first picture leads to the entrance hall, so behind that wall is the front door and we have a small downstairs toilet. I never shut the doors in the living room as it makes it even darker

My friend has a light therapy lamp in her living room which does a great job

I used to have a room like that, and used yellow to create light. I got a few testers and put them on paper, which I pinned to the wall. I chose the colour that looked like sunshine even on a dark, wet afternoon. Grey must be the worst colour for that room, but luckily it's cheap and easy to repaint

Add 4-6 recessed lights to the ceiling, using bulbs that replicate daylight. Perhaps on two circuits and with dimmers so you can control them. Will be messy but will give more light.

I'd go big mirror and a statement Lamp. Mine is dark through choice but I've added a gold lamp from Rockett St George. It also has gold bulbs which is beautiful.