Ways to brighten up a house?

[bigstripeytiger]

I live in an old terraced townhouse. Its pretty big, with lots of rooms, but doesnt seem to have much flow to it, IYSWIM. It feels like it is a collection of individual rooms rather than the more open feel that more modern houses seem to have.

The house is listed, so knocking down walls isnt really possible (and the ones that I would most like to knock through are supporting walls).

Is there anything I could do to brighten it up a bit and make it feel more open and 'flowing'?

Paint every room cream and get wooden floor throughout??

We have that already, every room is a pale colour, mostly cream, and floors are all wood or tiled.

(Sorry, I should have included that in the OP)

Same flooring throughout and get all the colours to blend. Cream's good, but you could go for, say, green throughout, which will help to unify it.

Lots of big mirrors.

The same flooring all through helps

So can having the same accent colour in different rooms

So rooms in cream/beige/aqua could all have vivid blue or red or chocolate accents

The mirrors are a good idea, now you say it I can imagine a couple of huge mirrors in strategic places helping. Thanks.

Lots of white paint and wooden flooring (not laminate unless it's very good quality) would definitely help no end. Are the floorboards in good condition?

Take the doors off and make it open plan

The floorboards are lovely, but dark parquet which probably doesnt help. Not something I would be willing to rip out.

x posts. 'twas the baby's fault...

Mirrors are always good and the same curtains in all the rooms would really help too. IMHO a mish-mash of different floors is probably the main culpret of the in giving a disjointed feel.

x again...

TBH I think a darker floor almost always looks better than a lighter one anyway. White with a pale floor is is far too wishy-washy for my taste

Thanks

Looks like mirrors are the way forward then. Maybe thinking about the lighting would help too?

Dulus space and light in a colour called morning is amazing.

How about removing the varnish from the parquet and applying a colourless one instead? (I have no idea if this is possible!)

Ive just had a look at the dulux website noddy, thanks, that paint looks like a great idea.

I dont think I can make the parquet any lighter than it is, it is dark wood, with a clear varnish on it.

I love the look of downlights set along skirting boards in dark corridors.

I think you can get LED ones that use hardly any power so you can leave them on all the time.

I think the idea of having a colour that repeats throughout the rooms is good. I have the same wallpaper in my front room on one wall that I have in my hall, but in diferent shades.

I was in B&Q yesterday and their lighting section is fab. Loads of really funky table and standard lamps.

You could have a standard lamp in the same style as a table lamp in different rooms, so the rooms link more.

We live in a north facing victorian semi. To get more light in we:

Painted all woodwork and ceilings same colour throughout.

Roman blinds which can be pulled up to let in light.

Big mirrors. We have one above the fireplace and one in the hall opposite the sitting room door. I also have about 8 vintage mirrors half way up the stairs on the landing.

We got a company in to re sand and varnish the floor boards. Still quite dark colour but now have a fantastic light reflective quality.

Removed the door treads to allow floorboards to run uninterupted between the different rooms when the doors are open.(fit draught excluders to bottom of doors).

Removed the door between the dining room and hallway.

Fitted opaque glass panels to the door in the downstairs loo to let more light into the hall.

I always keep the outside storm doors open during the day. The door between the hall and the vestibule is half glazed and lets in loads of light.

I have just redecorated one of the rooms with the Dulux light and space paint.

The room looks much bigger. We painted it in a lighter colour that it had been, but even with that I think that the paint made a difference, IYSWIM. I think I will use the light and space paint if we paint any more rooms.

That light and space stuff is fab isn't it - we did our hall and it looks loads better.

If you are thinking about doing anything with lights, go to a good lighting shop for advice. We visited one which had a series of little white boxes with the same stuff in each but different light sources - the difference in tone was amazing, and they were so helpful in finding the best lights for us

I bought one of these funky lamp shades for my little ones bedroom - www.loopy-lu.com/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=7 everyone that visits comments on it

Glad to see the reviews of that dulux paint as was not sure how that would work, think my bedroom will need it!

Again to say pale colours, mirrors, lamps and I think introducing textures in the same colour add depth and interest but not make the room feel smaller.

lisanew, that light fixture is so cute! I might get that for my laundry room as it is a funky room.

bigstripeytiger, your parquet floor could be lighter. If it is dark, it is because a dark stain was used. You could have it sanded, restained, polyurethaned.

But it is a big undertaking. I too like and suggest mirrors. Would you like a sparkly chandelier?

If you style the rooms in symetrical ways so if two rooms have a fireplace, decorate them in the same way. Use the same colours, so maybe a cream on three walls and a lovely rich green on the fire place wall. Nice mirrors - the same rugs on the flooring for example. I hope that helps.