Very dark sitting room

[putcustardonit]

We have an old house with a large formal sitting room. It's got smallish stone mullion windows, dark beams, a massive inglenook and stone floors.

We can't have a ceiling pendant so have opted for lighting with lots of table lamps. I've got 4 so far (and the fireplace is lit) but it's still too gloomy to read properly.

I partly blame all these low wattage bulbs that we have to buy but there must be a solution. Any more lamps & it will look like a lighting shop.

The walls are a pale neutral BTW and there's no obvious place for a mirror.

Any ideas?

Apart from wearing a head torch when reading ? Sorry !! Shouldn't joke - could you have one brighter bulb in the lamp nearest where you want to read ?!

I was going to suggest a mirror somewhere. Light coloured rugs on the floors, light soft furnishings. Wall lights and/or down lights? You can get LED bulbs which are low energy but give bright light. Paint the walls white. Paint the window frames white.

Move house? Only joking - just trying to think of as many things as possible.

Similar room here, I have got three small wall lights, a table lamp, a very small table lamp and a standard lamp.

The only way to do it so that you can actually read is to buy decent bulbs and large wattage. My wall lights have led candles in them which are much better than the regular low wattage bulbs and the table lamps have Phillips tornado 23w in them. If I put four out of six lights on I can sew and read no problem at all.

Thanks for the comments.
Ive looked at the bulb recommendations ; 28 & 42 watt maximum, does that sound quite bright?

I can't have wall lights without a palaver but I'd forgotten I was looking for a standard lamp. I might try and find one that swings over one of the sofas.

Not sure what you mean on the bulbs, do you mean that you already have 28 and 42 watt ...... if so there is no hope for you OP as my 23Ws are more than bright enough, unless there is something special about Phillips tornado bulbs which I doubt.

We lived here for a few months before re-plastering and so wall lights were fairly easy.

A standard lamp makes a big impact. I bought an Edwardian one in the end but I have bought a few lights from here in the past which have been fairly decent quality.

www.jim-lawrence.co.uk/filtered-products/16216/floor-lamps

Thanks Lavender, no I've got dimmer ones but can swap to those as maximum.

Jim Lawrence is lovely.

Are they lamps with traditional down shades on them? How about lamps with 'branches' for more than one bulb. I know what I mean, am hoping you do too!

I do know what you mean , I'll have a look.
We've got horrible dark paneling above the mantelpiece, I could find some sort of lighting for that, if such a thing exists.

We've got light reflecting paint on the walls in our dark room. I think it makes a bit of difference.

Can you not fix a mirror to the panelling over the mantelpiece? Double whammy of hiding panelling and reflecting light.

We have a special reading lamp with a natural sunlight bulb (FML 27 watt). It is very bright. ugly and modern ( unless there are new designs) so may look out of place for you - but it is brilliant for reading and sewing
like this
www.amazon.co.uk/Vision-Electric-Reading-Daylight-Energy/dp/B004144PE8/ref=sr_1_12?s=lighting&ie=UTF8&qid=1446591004&sr=1-12

Could you paint the beams? Some look much better painted if it's permissible. Also yay to light reflecting paint.

Mirrors on the window sill (internal or external) to bounce light into the room?

freshome.com/2015/01/23/instantly-improving-lighting-in-dark-rooms-espaciel-light-reflector/

To be honest not sure it would provide enough direct light for reading, but might brighten the feel of the room.