"snake plants or pothos are pretty forgiving..."
True, pothos are tough, but honestly even they can look sad if the room's too dim. I've found sheer curtains or swapping heavy drapes for lighter fabrics makes a bigger difference than plants alone... just my two cents.
I get what you're saying about curtains, but honestly, I've tried the sheer curtain thing and didn't notice much difference. Maybe it's just my place, but even with lighter fabrics, the room still felt kinda gloomy. I ended up hanging a mirror opposite the window instead, and that actually made a noticeable difference. It bounced the natural light around way better than curtains alone.
Also, about pothos—mine seems pretty content even in darker corners. Sure, it doesn't grow as fast or lush as the ones near brighter windows, but it doesn't look sad either. Maybe it's just luck or something specific about the variety I have? Not sure.
Has anyone tried reflective surfaces other than mirrors, like metallic decor or glossy furniture? Curious if that helps brighten things up too or if it just ends up looking tacky...
I've actually experimented a bit with metallic decor—mostly brass and copper accents—and it can work pretty well if you're subtle about it. A polished metal tray or a few metallic picture frames placed strategically near windows can bounce light nicely without looking flashy or tacky. Glossy furniture, though... I found it shows fingerprints and dust like crazy, so that's something to consider if you're not into constant cleaning.
Totally agree about glossy furniture—learned that lesson the hard way. Got this beautiful lacquered coffee table thinking it'd brighten up my historic-but-dim living room. Turns out, it mostly brightened up fingerprints and cat paw prints... everywhere. Now I'm all about mirrors and brass candlesticks near windows—way less cleaning, way more charm.
Haha, glossy furniture is definitely one of those "looks great in theory" things. I feel you on the paw prints—I swear my dog has a sixth sense for freshly cleaned surfaces. Mirrors and brass sound like a smart move, though. I'm currently trying out sheer curtains to bounce around some natural light without blinding myself every morning. So far, so good... fingers crossed it stays that way.
