10 Things You Can Do (Right Now!) to Brighten Your Home

1. Lighten your load

Take inventory of your home. Do you have knick-knacks gathering dust on your shelves? Clutter absorbs light and steals the spotlight, so why not simplify your home and let the light shine on cleanliness?

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2. Fabricate

Switch out throws, pillows and curtains for lighter, breezier fabrics. As the weather gets colder, we're tempted to hole up in our home with thick, heavy fabrics like flannel, tartan and wool. Keep your textures light and simple, and if you prefer heavier wools, keep the color scheme a lighter palette.

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3. Go monochromatic

A handy designer trick for making small spaces appear larger is to keep your color scheme simple. Did you know this also makes your home appear brighter? Try sticking to an all-white color palette with a few light gray accents in the form of textiles.

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4. Open up

Keep your curtains open! I can't stress this enough. Natural lighting is always best, and I always frown when walking into a home with the curtains drawn. If there's even a hint of sun shining, open those curtains as high as they'll go. A little Vitamin K never hurt anyone.

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5. Mirror it

If you have a space with few windows or (gasp!) none, work with what you've got and hang a mirror or two. The light will reflect on the mirrors, not only making the space brighter, but also making it appear larger in scale.

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6. Hole up

This requires some handiness, but if your room has no windows, consider borrowing light from an adjacent room. Cut a few "windows" into a connecting wall to let the light shine through. You'd be amazed at how much the natural light will shine through even the tiniest of windows.

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7. Switch it out

Opt for a more natural-looking light bulb in each of your lighting fixtures. Lowe's has an excellent light-bulb buying guide to choose which kind is right for your space.

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8. Freshen up

Incorporate a few fresh flowers into any room for an instant pick-me-up that will brighten your home... and life.

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9. Rearrange

Does your sofa face the window, or is it turned away from it? Rearrange your favorite seating areas so you're closer to windows, doors and brighter sections of your home.

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10. Maximize surface area

Forget floor-length tablecloths and lengthy draperies and choose shorter designs that minimize bulk. Natural light will often reflect whatever is on the floor, so keep the space light and airy.

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