Do you wonder why your bathroom looks dark? It is a common fact that bathroom spaces are much smaller than your average room around the house. With the space compromised, they usually end up tiny, bleak, or dark. So, here are 8 easy ways to make a bathroom look brighter.
Here’s How To Brighten a Bathroom
Numerous designs have shown that lighting makes a space feel more airy, bigger, and cleaner. And even though your bathroom has already been allotted a fixed space around your property, there are still ways to make a dark bathroom brighter.
To brighten your surroundings, you need to allow much light to enter as possible. But what if your bathroom does not have any windows? Chances are, it may appear damp due to the absence of light. The good thing is this problem can now be resolved by several promising ideas to brighten a bathroom even without windows.
So, before finalizing your bathroom design or planning to remodel, you may want to consider some well-thought strategies to make a bathroom look bright and cheerful.
1. Paint your bathroom with bright colors.
A lot of people go for the traditional white in painting their bathroom, since it’s the only color that can give the best lighting in any dark room. White paint not only brightens your bathroom, but also stimulates a sense of space, cleanness, and calmness.
However, taken as a single color, it can look empty or dull. This is why some designers add subtle colors to perk up the mood, like beige, cream, or pastel color, or go to deeper shades to add a little contrast.
Choosing the right shade of color can be a big challenge. Even white paint comes in variations with only slight differences. With hundreds and thousands of color pallette variations, the idea of choosing can be overwhelming.
If you’re looking for interior house paint for your bathroom, you need to look at samples, paint swatches, and color combinations. You can do this by using Amazon Paint Finder.
This tool will help you compare bathroom paints side by side and see the digital samples. This is a quick and easy way for you to see the color combination that matches the bathroom theme you are going for.
2. Install frameless bathroom mirrors.
An accessory that can also give you the best lighting for a dark bathroom is the mirror. There is no size or number required in choosing the mirror you use. However, where you put it and the kind you choose are key factors.
To optimize lighting, place your mirror in a way where light can be reflected in the room. It can help if the mirror is placed strategically beside or facing the source of your natural light – like a door or a window.
Another thing to consider is the kind of mirror you will use. While shape and size won’t matter in this case, try to go with frameless mirrors. It not only bounces light back into the room, but it helps the light appear smoother since it blends with its surroundings. And for your added peace of mind, for those who’ve been used to frames, you can try a shatterproof frameless bathroom wall mirror.
3. Choose larger bathroom tiles to make surfaces look smooth.
Another idea to brighten a bathroom is choosing tiles that have a smoother surface like ceramic, marbles, or their counterparts. The glossy finish of its flooring enables light to easily bounce and move across the room.
Also, large tiles over smaller ones are better choices. It makes the impression of light moving about uninterrupted and making the whole bathroom bigger as the surface appear seamless.
4. Use Skylight for a windowless bathroom.
When bathroom space is compromised that a window can’t fit, then a skylight is your best bet. In en-suite bathrooms without windows, a skylight can comfortably fit in the eaves of the bathroom, which can similarly take the place of a lacking window.
To brighten a bathroom without windows, a skylight may be placed directly on top of a bathtub, above a shower room, or a part of the ceiling a narrow bathroom. A skylight can flood a dark bathroom with natural light since it can easily pass through it.
5. Choose a translucent bathroom door.
If your goal is to bring light to your bathroom, then choose translucent materials for your main bathroom door over solid ones. This type of pane acts as a good source of lighting since it enables the light from other rooms to enter the bathroom. If privacy is a bit of an issue, then a transom door is a great solution to a dark bathroom. A transom door is a little window above the door where a little bit of light can enter.
6. Use glass partitions to brighten the bathroom.
A lot of people have a hard time choosing between a glass panel or a curtain to separate a bathroom space from the bathtub or shower. Many opt for curtain over glass partition since it’s cheaper and practical – you can change your curtain design anytime.
However, if the goal is to brighten a bathroom, then a glass panel is best suited to do the job. Glass partitions easily let light bounce around the room effortlessly without any obstruction.
7. Install vanity lights and bathroom LED lightings.
Another best lighting technique to make the bathroom brighter is placing lightings and fixtures in subtle places. Place lights behind cabinets, mirrors, and within shelves in your bathroom. You may even go bold using vanity lights over your mirror like this simple yet elegant and slim vanity light from Amazon.
This is not only an effective way to accentuate the bathroom by making it look more expensive but also makes the room brighter with the added beams coming from more than one light source. I would recommend using LED lightings since it’s cost-efficient like the Kinyota LED vanity light.
Also, better opt for floating vanity counters since it gives the impression that it’s up on the floor making your space visible and light can easily travel around.
8. Go Bathroom Minimalist.
A very easy way to make a bathroom look brighter is simply hiding things that will obstruct your vision. Minimize clutter by making use of drawers, cabinets, and recessed shelving to keep your toiletries and bathroom tools hidden while still within reach.
You may also put all your bathroom stuff in nice wicker baskets, bins, or uniformed organizers that are big or high enough to cover bottle tops of your hair products or toilet cleaning tools.
Keeping your things to a minimum and de-cluttering your bathroom allows light to move and enter even in the smallest “free” spaces. If you can’t decide which organizer would go well with your bathroom, you can try a multitude of designs in the market.
