34 The Courier sun • at home • september 17, 2015 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com at home LIGHTEN UP By Tresa Erickson Generally, the lighter the paint color, the airier and more open a room will feel. Some rooms, however, look dark no matter how light the color on the walls. Basement rooms, in particular, can be dull and dreary. How do you lighten up a room when the paint on the walls in not the issue? Let there be light Light is one of the easiest ways to make a dark room brighter. Study the lighting in the room. Where could you add more? Could you light up a dark corner with a floor lamp or add more task lighting with a table lamp behind the sofa? If youÕve got the budget, you might want to replace all old light fixtures. At the very least you should replace the light bulbs with brighter, more efficient ones. Does the room have windows? Use them. Throw open the blinds or drapes and give the windows a good cleaning to let in as much natural light as possible. You might also want to look into adding some skylights to the room. Let there be space Nothing can make a room feel darker and more closed in than clutter. Take stock of the contents of the room. Is there anything you no longer need or want? Get rid of it! Have a yard sale or make a donation. Pay particular attention to the furniture in the room. The more pieces in the room, the tighter it will feel. Donate or sell what you donÕt need and give the room space to breathe. Let there be color You may have a light color on the walls, but what about elsewhere? Caramel-colored sofas and chairs set against caramel-colored walls will make the room look dark and drab. While replacing the furniture might not be in your budget, adding some colorful accessories should not cost you too much. You can shop for inexpensive accessories or pull them from other parts of your home. Sheets make great slipcovers and a vase of flowers from the yard will really perk up the fireplace mantel. Add some colorful throw pillows, books and prints, and a rug underfoot, and you might be surprised by how much lighter the room feels. Let there be personality Does the room speak to you and your tastes? Could someone walk into the room and learn something about you? No? Time to change that. Think about what you love most and find a way to incorporate it into the room. Do you love to travel? Display some vacation mementos or photos. Do you love animals? Bring in some of your favorite animal photos or statues. Give the room some personality, and it will feel brighter. Let there be music Music can dramatically change the feel of a room and help you see it in a different light. Bring in a radio or stereo and turn it on often. Making a room feel brighter doesnÕt always require a complete remodel. The simplest of changes can make a world of difference. Give these suggestions a try and see what happens. That once dark, unappealing room might just become your favorite place to be. Retirement, Ready or Not! Join Industry Experts: Salvatore Candela, EA, The TaxAdvocate Group LLC. Anthony Ringston, Investment Advisor, RIIS Financial Alice Tseng, Licensed Loan Originator HECM Specialist, US Mortgage Corp. For an in-depth talk on Tax, Investment and Financial strategies for securing your Retirement. Tuesday, September 22, 2015 @ 7pm Lenny’s Clam Bar 161-03 Crossbay Boulevard • Howard Beach Seats are Limited — Refreshments will be served RSVP to 646-543-9262
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