Small Dark Spaces and Large Light Spaces

While new homes often seem spacious and open, like older homes, they can have their share of decorating issues. These issues often involve small dark spaces and large light spaces, which are hard to decorate, or in the case of an older home, they can be difficult to update or modernize. Here are some ideas to help you deal with the small dark spaces and large light spaces in your home:

Add brightness to the dark. By brightening a dark space, you add a feeling of spaciousness to that area, especially if the darkness comes from the decor. Old wood paneling is a prime example of something that can make a feel small and dark, so by adding or improving natural lighting, you can eliminate some of the small dark feel. Removing the dark paneling is a more common and modern option, but the wood does add a rustic feel to the space.

Tone down the largeness. Make a very large room feel cozy by creating the feeling of a room within a room, or by using furniture as dividers to make the room feel like more than one room. A spacious open room is beautiful and elegant, but it can feel cold and uninviting. In a room with tall ceilings, use furniture that is tall, but create the feeling of a lower ceiling by adding focal points, wall decor and accessories that are all positioned at about the same height throughout the room. Then, utilize your normal décor in the room as if the room was a more conventional height.

Light colors make a small dark room better. Obviously, it cannot add actual square footage to the room, but lighter shades, such as pastels, light neutrals, and especially white, add a feel of spaciousness to the room. Use these shades on the walls and ceiling to make a small dark room feel open and light, and introduce color via accessories. You can utilize darker flooring and dark furniture to keep the contrast modern and contemporary.

Large light spaces need a lot of color. While it is tacky to overwhelm the room in garish colors, you have a wide palette of color choices in this type of space. Consider choosing accessories and décor items that offer a lot of color to a large light space. This adds depth and variety to the room, and will make the space feel modern and cozy. You can use focal points, draperies, modern artwork, bookshelves, and various other methods to add color easily, and many projects require little or no work aside from hanging or assembling.

Small dark spaces and large light spaces need variety. In any room that is oddly shaped or very dark or light, you will need to spice things up on occasion. This keeps the room exciting and adds to the wow factor, which decreases the visibility of any flaws in that particular space. Simple touches like new area rug or a striking contemporary metal decor or Kokopelli metal wall art can really go a long way toward achieving this goal.