One trick I always suggest—if you’re up for a little DIY—is swapping out your window trim for something glossier or even just painting it a bright white. It’s wild how much more light bounces around with a shinier surface. I know some folks swear by mirrors, but honestly, too many and it starts to feel like a funhouse. Also, if you’ve got bulky furniture near the windows, try pulling it away a few inches. Even that tiny gap can help light sneak in and spread out.
I’ve definitely noticed the glossy trim trick works, especially in older houses where the woodwork tends to suck up light. I’d add a couple more tweaks that have made a difference for me:
- Use semi-gloss or satin on baseboards and doors too, not just window trim. The extra reflection adds up.
- If you’re repainting walls, try a very pale gray or off-white instead of pure white. It still bounces light but feels less sterile.
- For furniture, I’ve had luck with lighter upholstery or even just tossing a pale throw over a dark chair near the window. Sounds silly but it helps.
- Plants with shiny leaves (like rubber plants) can reflect a surprising amount of light if you keep them dusted.
I’m with you on mirrors—one or two is fine, but more than that and it gets weird fast. Also, if you’ve got heavy curtains, swap them for sheers or just pull them back as far as possible during the day. Even a few extra inches of exposed glass makes a difference.
I know glossy trim gets a lot of love for bouncing light, but in my experience with our old house (late 1800s, lots of original woodwork), sometimes that extra shine just highlights every little imperfection or old paint drip. I actually went with eggshell on the trim and baseboards—it's got just enough sheen to catch some light but doesn't make all the wear and tear stand out like a spotlight. Maybe that's just me being picky about the quirks of old wood, but worth considering if your place has a lot of “character.”
On the wall color thing, I get the appeal of pale gray or off-white instead of pure white, but I found that in rooms with north-facing windows, even the slightest gray tint can make everything feel gloomier. Ended up repainting twice because what looked soft and inviting in the store turned icy blue at home. Warm whites worked better for us—something with a hint of cream.
The plant tip is interesting—I’d never thought about shiny leaves reflecting light. My rubber plant mostly collects dust (oops), so maybe I’ll try giving it a wipe-down.
Curtains are a whole debate in our house. Heavy drapes look right for the style, but they do eat up daylight. We tried layering sheers behind them, which helped a bit, but honestly, I just started tying them way back during the day and living with the slightly mismatched look. Not perfect, but it’s brighter.
Mirrors are tricky too... I agree too many can start to feel like an amusement park funhouse. One big one opposite a window did more for us than three little ones scattered around.
Funny how much trial and error goes into making these old places feel brighter without losing their charm.
- Totally get what you mean about glossy trim—
. With our 1910 place, I went satin for the same reason. The nicks and bumps look more “patina” than “oops.”that extra shine just highlights every little imperfection or old paint drip
- North-facing rooms are a pain. Warm whites help, but I’ve also tried bouncing light with lighter rugs and swapping out dark lampshades for something neutral. Makes a surprising difference.
- Plants: wiping them down is a game changer, but I never remember until the sun catches a dust bunny mid-morning.
- Curtains—yeah, heavy velvet looks right but just eats light. Ever tried cafe curtains? They’re not perfect for privacy, but they let in way more sun.
- On mirrors: one big one always wins over a bunch of small ones for me too.
Curious if anyone’s tried painting the ceilings anything other than white to brighten things up? I’ve heard pale blue can work, but haven’t been brave enough yet.
Tried pale blue on a ceiling in one of my rentals—honestly, it turned out way better than I expected. It gave the room this sort of airy, daylight feel even when it's cloudy. I was worried it’d look like a kid’s room, but if you keep it subtle, it just reads as fresh. Haven’t experimented with anything bolder yet... anyone done something wild, like blush or soft green? Curious if that works or just looks odd.
