How to Brighten a Dark Kitchen with These Low-Cost Solutions: If you have a dark or small kitchen, or perhaps a kitchen that faces west and gets little natural light, making it feel even darker, you’ll want to make the most of the space you have.
It can be challenging to get the most out of your small or poorly lit cooking space but fortunately there are plenty of low-cost tricks that don’t require much work to implement. Let’s face it: we all tend to spend more time cooking and eating in our kitchens than in any other room in the house.
But what may come as a surprise is that many people actively dislike their kitchens! According to recent research, this is primarily because they are often small and hence lack storage space, cupboards may not be conveniently placed, lighting can be uninviting and uncomfortable, and because they are often windowless with little natural light coming in.
Add Windows and Skylights
If you want to brighten up a dark kitchen, the first thing to do is to make sure it has windows. If you don’t already have them, you can add a window or two. Open windows are great for letting in natural light, which you can enhance even further with sheer curtains or blinds.
If you have a west-facing kitchen and it is particularly dark, a skylight is an excellent way to bring in extra light. If you have the roof space, you can install a skylight that will bring in natural light from above. Alternatively, if you don’t have roof space, you can use a solar skylight, which brings in light from the side of the roof.
Change the Colour of Your Walls
If you have dark or dated kitchen walls, changing their colour or covering them with wallpaper can make a dramatic difference to the look and feel of your kitchen. Particularly if you have a small kitchen, brightening up the colour of your walls can make it feel much bigger.
It also helps if your kitchen faces west as these types of walls can help to trap in more warmth. A warm colour like yellow, orange or red will make the kitchen feel more inviting and spacious.
If, like many people, you don’t have the budget to change the wall colour, and you want to keep the kitchen more subdued, then consider coating the walls with wallpaper. This is a quick and inexpensive way to bring colour to the walls, and can also be removed if you want to try something different in the future.
Hang Flourish to Increase Light
If your kitchen is particularly dark, one of the most effective ways to bring in more light is to hang vines and flowering plants from the ceiling. Flourishes like vines and flowers are excellent at bringing light into dark rooms because they are so reflective. The light from a nearby source bounces off them, unlike other objects, which absorb the light and, therefore, don’t reflect it back.
If you have a dark kitchen with little or no natural light coming in, and you want to make it feel more like a bright and welcoming space, a flourish is a perfect solution. You can still achieve this look in a smaller space by hanging vines and flowers from the cabinets.
While it might be necessary to do some DIY, it is possible to purchase pre-made vines and flowers that are specially designed for this purpose.
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Add LED Strip Lights or Under-Cabinet Lighting
These are excellent ways to bring more light into a kitchen that is either dark or lacking in natural light. By placing LED strip lights along the edge of the work surface, or under the cupboards, you can bring more light right up to where you need it.
This will be particularly effective if you have a tiny space or a kitchen that faces west. You could also consider adding under-cabinet lighting. This is a more permanent fixture that brings in light from above the work surface but, in a very effective way.
If you have space above your work surface, but no natural light coming in, you could also consider adding a light fixture or a light panel. But be sure to choose one that is designed to be used in a kitchen because they tend to be designed for a long lifespan.
Install a Smart Fan With Built-in LED Lights
If you have a small dark kitchen, consider installing a ceiling fan. Not only will this bring in more light, but it will also help to keep the room more comfortably heated and reduce your energy bills. Alternatively, if you want to add more light to a specific area, such as a table, you could install a smart fan with built-in LED lights.
A smart fan is an excellent addition to any kitchen, particularly small ones. It is a convenient way to control airflow, temperature and light throughout the room, and allows you to automate settings, so they are set exactly how you like them.
A smart fan with built-in LED lights is a particularly useful tool in the kitchen. It can be programmed to turn off when you are not in the room and to switch on automatically when you enter the room, providing just the right amount of light for reading a recipe or eating at the table without having to turn on the overhead lights.
Use Smart Technology and Automation
If you want to brighten up a dark kitchen but don’t have the resources to install new lighting – or perhaps you want to use your limited funds for something else – you can take advantage of smart technology and automation.
Smart lighting is a quick and easy way to change the ambiance of any room. You can program lights to come on and off at certain times, or according to a schedule, and even control them remotely from your smartphone.
The same goes for smart blinds and curtains – perfect for blocking light when you are trying to catch up on some sleep during the day. Smart technology and automation is one of the best ways to brighten up a dark kitchen without having to do a lot of work.
You can simply program your lights and other smart devices to come on at certain times, or whenever you want them to. This will make your kitchen brighter, more welcoming and more energy efficient.
Conclusion
A dark kitchen can be off-putting, and it can be challenging to get the most out of your small space. Fortunately, there are plenty of low-cost solutions that don’t require a lot of work to implement. From adding windows and skylights to changing the colour of the walls to adding LED strip lights, there are numerous ways to make your kitchen feel more spacious and inviting.
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