Usually, lighting up a room can feel like a fairly straightforward process, but that doesn’t so much apply when the room is relatively small. In that room, you are probably already accustomed to striving for natural light and bumping into items due to the lack of floor space.
However, many lighting options are still practically viable for that room – you just need to be strategic with how you place them. Here are some good examples of what you can do…
Allow more light to shine through the windows
To maximise the natural light you do get, try to avoid window treatments that are large, chunky and, consequently, block a lot of that organic illumination. You could, for example, act on the advice of Better Homes & Gardens to layer drapes, a stylish but still minimalist option.
You could come to like the unfussy look of this stripped-down approach anyway – but, for when you want privacy, you could fit plain roller blinds or flat panels of lace or voile.
Bring furniture closer to the window
It might be usual for a window to directly backdrop a bed or chair, but this doesn’t mean you should never strictly arrange the furniture in this way. Forbes shows a photograph of how, in a small loft, a bed can be tucked tidily at the space’s window end rather than left to block the centre.
Vertical blinds across that window still enable privacy when it is wanted – but, when morning comes, imagine being able to open those blinds to give yourself sufficient light for reading.
Install some elaborate lighting fixtures on the ceiling
These fixtures will serve an array of useful aesthetic purposes. For one, they will draw your attention upward, perceptibly opening up the space. “A large, even over-scale ceiling fixture can add illumination and drama,” interior designer Michael Murphy has told Elle Decor.
However, be warned that, if natural light is in short supply, ceiling fixtures alone won’t suffice for fully lighting a room. Therefore, be sure to complement them with other lighting sources.
Use mirrors to help yourself bounce light
While you probably already know about mirrors’ ability to help increase a room’s apparent size, Murphy advocates hanging up mirrors directly across from windows. That way, you can help ensure that the room’s light will bounce off the reflective surface.
It’s an example of making the most of natural lighting – and Murphy further explains that putting up mirrors in this way will “provide the illusion that there are more windows than you really have.”
Use floor lamps to make good use of height
Floor lamps work well where floor space is at a premium, as they will light up the room strongly while taking up conveniently little on the floor itself. Online, it’s easy to choose and buy from a wide range of floor lamps, which can work especially well in narrow, easy-to-overlook corners. There, the lamps can “provide illumination in the otherwise dim nooks and crannies,” explains Murphy.
