6 ways to lighten up a dark apartment

Many apartments have ill-situated windows and can feel dark and closed in. Whether the building across the alley blocks all your sunlight or there just aren't enough overhead lights, there are ways to make any space feel lighter and brighter. Here are a few to try in your home:

1. Change your lighting

The first step to try is to address your current lighting. You may find that just swapping out all the light bulbs for a higher wattage (one that follows the correct restrictions for each fixture) can make a huge difference. If that still doesn't do the trick, add lighting. It's best to have illumination coming from several sources at once to light up an entire space and not just a small area, so opt for larger or more overhead lighting to start. Then, add in

and task lighting in places you may need to see extra well at night.

2. Consider different furniture

A lot of people wouldn't think that their furniture has anything to do with the brightness of a room. In reality, dark hued

,

and

can really bring down the mood, especially in a room that is already rather dark. To test this theory in your home, place a light-colored sheet over your darkest piece of furniture and tuck it in as if it were a slipcover. How different does the whole space look and feel? If you like this change, consider replacing the dark furniture with brighter tones of the same color or completely swap out the entire style.

3. Check your floor

Take a look at the ground in the room you're trying to refresh. Does it have dark wood, carpeting or rugs? These coverings can almost suck the light out of a room. Cover mahogany and other similarly stained woods with lighter rugs, and do the same with carpet. Switch out rugs in deep shades for the natural wood floor or just different hued rugs.

4. Swap out wall coverings

One of the largest features in any room is the walls. Their color can make a huge difference in how bright or dark the space feels. Paint the walls in a lighter color or use wallpaper to spruce things up. You can even find temporary adhesive wall coverings like decals if you rent and are not allowed to paint. Consider painting the ceiling as this massive portion of the room is often overlooked. A dull coat of paint that was applied a few years ago can bring the lighting down a few notches. Give it a fresh look and you'll notice the change right away with a shade of paint that's just a shade or two lighter.

Make sure your furniture arrangement doesn't interrupt the natural light.

5. Rearrange the furniture

Are there any pieces of furniture that block the light? A large

might infringe on natural illumination from a window, for example, or perhaps your couch faces a wall instead of the view. Consider the walking flow of the room as well as how to get as much natural light as possible. Move around any

to ensure every part of the space has necessary artificial light to counter the darkness outside.

6. Change your window treatments

While privacy is important, having window treatments can sometimes limit your natural light. Using vertical blinds can offer some seclusion from prying neighbors while still letting in light if you set the blinds to an angle instead of fully closed. Or, use half blinds that only cover the bottom portion of the window if you live on an upper floor. This keeps nosey neighbors from peeking yet allows you to bask in some sun.