How can I make my hotel room brighter?

A bedroom deserves to be a place of light, warmth and comfort, a place to relax after a long day and prepare for the day to come. 

Brightening a dark bedroom may seem like a difficult task, but there are steps that can be taken before needing to make any drastic measures such as installing new lighting fixtures.

Instead, there are much easier solutions available. The key is to decorate the bedroom strategically. A few design changes and mindful furnishings will bring light and warmth into the room, creating a welcoming space for rest and relaxation.

In this guide, we highlight six tips for how to brighten a dark bedroom, using simple but sophisticated techniques.

How to Brighten a Dark Bedroom

There are two simple ways to bring light into a dark bedroom. One is by offsetting the darkness in a space with elements that maximise the light available. Secondly, using mirrors throughout the bedroom can create new sources of light without needing to install new fixtures.

Tip 1 | Offset Darkness with a Bright Colour Scheme

Carefully planning the colour scheme of a room is the first step in offsetting the natural darkness of a space. If the bedroom is filled with shades of grey, black, brown or other dark colours, the room is going to feel darker and smaller than it really is.

Instead, consider a palette of bright, or light colours and add touches of white to the elements that already exist in the room. One may also want to consider adding:

• Vibrant and lively artworks such as spring and summer landscapes, sunrises, or colourful and abstract pieces.

• Energising wall colours that complement the artwork and add an extra dimension of light within the room.

• Bold linen & bedwear that matches or pairs well with the colours of the walls and works of art.

It’s important to remember, that sometimes, less is more – so when working with vibrant colours, do so sparingly. Extra light is good, too much light is blinding. 

To reduce the overall brightness of the room while still welcoming new light, try painting the walls a pale colour. These are great at reflecting light and provide a neutral palette that pairs well with more vibrant signature colours for the rooms individual colour scheme. 

Visually speaking, such an approach can make a bedroom appear more expansive. Regardless of the bedroom’s size, a brighter colour scheme can work wonders.

Tip 2 | Amplify Light Strategically With Mirrors

Once a palette of bright colours has been introduced to the bedroom, mirrors can be strategically placed to direct light into dimly lit corners. 

Hanging mirrors adjacent to bedroom windows adds depth and accentuates the light already coming into the room. This is a guaranteed method to instantly brighten any space. 

Additionally, darker rooms lend themselves well to focal or gallery walls, so consider hanging several mirrors of different sizes throughout the bedroom to see which best suits the overall aesthetic.

Tip 3 | Select Furniture That Naturally Brightens the Bedroom

When considering the floor plan for any bedroom, it’s important to think about which pieces of furniture will be best suited to the space. Try to select pieces that complement the bedroom’s shape and overall design while naturally guiding light through the space.

Of course, the first piece of furniture to consider is the bed. Opting for frames supported by thin, short legs — such as the Andersen Bed — adds an airiness to the room that allows light to easily crawl beneath the bed and eliminate shadows. 

The Andersen Bed’s sleek lines and raised base gives the illusion that it’s floating, making the room feel bright and airy | Designed by Rodolfo Dordini for © Minotti London

With a sleek, mid-century style, the Andersen Bed frame and headboard are elevated above the ground on four corner legs. Pairing this design with the Shinto-inspired pieces featured in the Torii collection will help bring a sense of weightlessness to the furniture as pieces appear to float above the ground. 

Choosing furniture with raised and reflective legs or bases also helps to reduce the dark shadows that can form around the bottom of larger pieces, which in turn welcome light and brightness to the space.  

Some pieces among the Torii collection include:

• Inclined sofas with a combination of two different depths

• Stationary armchairs

• Swivel armchairs

• Lounge chairs

• Ottomans

• Coffee tables

• A slender, oval-shaped console table

The extensive Torii collection features many different styles of sofas and chairs, all of which are supported by a similar leg design that works to keep light unobstructed | Designed by nendo design for © Minotti London

Each of these pieces includes thin, finely detailed legs that are raised 25mm from the ground. These can be oriented at a straight or diagonal angle, both of which help to naturally draw attention toward areas of greater light. 

Styling Tips: How to Decorate a Dark Bedroom

Decorating a dark bedroom effectively with delicate curtains, strategically arranged furniture and indoor plants helps to make the light entering the room appear more natural, adding an extra layer of comfort to the bedroom. 

Tip 4 | Opt for Delicate Curtains 

Curtains play a significant role in determining how bright a bedroom is. Heavier and darker curtains, while often luscious, are prone to excessively darkening a room. On the other hand, lighter curtain colours and materials allow more light to enter the room.

Three types of curtains to consider when brightening a bedroom include: 

1. Translucent curtains; 

2. Sheer curtains;

3. Curtains made of iridescent materials, such as chenille. 

These curtain choices allow more light to filter into the room and reflect off of the mirrors and bright colours that have been installed.

Tip 5 | Strategically Arrange Furniture To Brighten a Dark Bedroom

Another element to consider is the positioning of furniture as this can have a considerable effect on how bright or dark a room feels. 

Minimize Clutter & Opt for Sleek Designs

A bedroom with too much furniture can feel overcrowded and appear cluttered. This is particularly true when there are multiple large pieces of furniture such as bed frames and armoires, which tends to trap and restrict the light moving through the room. 

This sense of clutter can work against one’s best efforts to brighten a room as it will likely appear darker than it truly is.

By avoiding ‘blocky’ furniture and opting for more sleek and streamlined pieces, like the Andersen bed or pieces from the Torii collection, the room will become immediately brighter.

Amplify Light With Reflective Surfaces

Additionally, angling furniture to face sources of light, including windows and light fittings, allows the light to reflect off those surfaces and move more freely through the room.  

However, light can easily become trapped within and around furniture. While a neutral colour scheme and sleek furniture designs are essential, non-reflective furniture surfaces can trap light and create pronounced shadows around the piece.

The Kirk Nightstand sits high above the flow with non-obstructive legs that allow for light to flow underneath it | Designed by Rodolfo Dordini for © Minotti London

While pieces in the Torii collection serve this purpose well, so does the Kirk Nightstand. This unique piece uses a hybrid of reflective and sleek elements with a raised structure. In doing so, the Kirk nightstand naturally diminishes shade and radiates an elegant aura of contemporary style. 

Among its most prominent features are:

• Elegant metal legs, painted with a bronze finish;

• A lacquered granite finish for its structure;

• A glossy ebony finish on the front of the drawer. 

Considering the strategic use of reflective materials like metal, lacquered granite, and ebony for other pieces will ensure brightness throughout the bedroom. 

Tip 6 | Add Indoor Plants to Elevate Light Naturally

Bringing indoor plants to the bedroom is an effective way to energise and brighten the space. For example, eucalyptus hues are known for bringing serenity and harmony, making it the perfect plant for livening up a dark room. They also reflect light into the room while adding beautiful greens to an interior design.

Indoor plants pair especially well with a bright colour scheme. Choosing plants with colours that match the walls and artwork not only adds new light into the room but creates a sense of unity that brings calm to anyone who enters.

Even a small and simple bouquet can go a long way in bringing an understated vibrancy to a pale room, giving it an added freshness that makes it feel brighter. Interior design by Louise Holt, featured by © Minotti London

To avoid using real plants in the bedroom, it is possible to achieve a similar effect by introducing green accents to a room. One may even consider hanging large leafy prints on the walls instead of living plants that require watering. 

Final Thoughts on Brightening a Dark Bedroom

Brightening a dark bedroom is not as difficult as it may seem. By applying the tips above, any dark space can be transformed into a sanctuary of light. 

To summarise, here are our top six tips for brightening a dark bedroom:

1. Introducing a bright colour scheme allow for light to reflect off surfaces and move more freely through the room.

   
   

2. Well-placed mirrors can help to direct the light into all dimly lit areas.

   
   

3. Selecting furniture that elevates and amplifies light helps to reduce shadows around pieces of furniture.

   
   

4. Strategically arranged furniture ensures light can move freely through the room.

   
   

5. Using delicate materials for curtains and draperies will allow more natural light into the bedroom

   
   

6. Indoor plants add life and vibrancy to dark spaces

By following these tips it’s possible to bring out the beauty in any low-lit bedroom, without needing to install new light fixtures or windows.

Want to read more? Find out how to decorate a room in general, or more specifically how to turn your room into a hotel room.

When browsing for accommodations online, future travelers are looking for rooms that reflect modern comfort and value for money. Naturally, better-looking rooms lead to more bookings. It’s as simple as that.

So, how do you tackle dated accommodations to meet the quality stay guests expect to enjoy? It’s actually easier than you think because it’s the small details that count most. Here are five affordable ways to improve the look (and feel) of your rooms, encouraging travelers to book, not bounce, when they see your property online.

#1 Change patterned linens

Chain and independent hotels alike often suffer from tacky, patterned linens that also happen to be flat and synthetic. Don’t be one of them.

Since your property’s website and online profiles shows multiple room images, future travelers are certainly going to focus on the bed linens. To update those on a budget, swap old, patterned blankets for new, solid-colored ones. Choose neutral tones, or go for plush, white duvets to play it safe. White is practical for cleaning purposes, and it also works well to brighten up a room to make it feel more spacious.

Tip: According to Gallup.com’s study From Economy to Luxury, What Matters Most to Hotel Guests, travelers from all price ranges look for accommodations that have comfortable beds. Given that the quality of your linens impacts the perception of comfort significantly, go with textiles that are made of natural fibers, like cotton and down-feathers, over synthetics. This doesn’t mean you have to break the bank doing so, but the upgrade in fabrics will help to improve profits as more and more guests are likely to post positive reviews of a satisfied stay.

Promote your website rates to drive direct bookings

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#2 Paint walls with neutral tones

Gone are the days of soft yellows, contrasting accent walls, and dated wallpaper patterns. It’s easy to give rooms a much-needed, inexpensive facelift by simply painting them with pale pastels or neutral tones. This color palette also helps to make space feel brighter and roomier.

Guests value chic, modern interiors that feel warm and relaxing after a long trip. So much so that a trend emerged on how to “hotelify” the home. That’s right, travelers love contemporary hotel interiors, and they want to incorporate them into their own home decor. Well-known interior decorating brands are doing their part by offering luxury, hotel-quality paints for purchase, conveniently available at your local hardware store.

Tip: If you need sparks of inspiration, have a look at Pinterest or even design sites, like Design School and Houzz, to see professional color-palette ideas for free.

#3 Remove dated and faded pictures  

You know the ones we’re referring to. They evoke little emotion, were probably fairly cheap to begin with, and they really have no relevance to a hotel’s design concept. It’s time to get rid of them.

Guests, now more than ever, are looking for memorable hotel stays and local experiences. Millennials, in particular, crave the unique. So, it’s best to replace old prints for local art, impactful photos of your destination, or vintage pieces that help to tell the story of your property and its surroundings. The best part is that it can be an inexpensive fix with a significant impact.

Tip: Local art can often be acquired on loan from a local gallery in exchange for cross-promotion at your property. Alternatively, great photos of your location can be a fun, do-it-yourself project, too. Have a decent photographer in the family or on staff? Ask them to take high-quality photos of local landmarks and then have them printed and framed. If you like the idea of printing photographs onto canvas, check Groupon for great deals. And for eclectic and vintage pieces, head to the local flea market and garage sales to curate a collection that can tell your property’s story.

#4 Invest in comfortable, modern chairs

Most properties follow a classic concept to furnish their rooms, and the chances are good that yours does too: a bed, two nightstands, a closet, a desk, and a chair. If the chair is vinyl or matches the carpet, it needs to go.

The increasingly blurred line between business and leisure travel means that guests are working and trying to wind down on the same trip. So, give them a chair that’s comfortable and modern. Many designers suggest natural fibers whenever possible, with the freedom of mixing textures, too. When selecting new chairs, also consider the contours and overall comfort because you’ll want to offer something that’s as functional as the form is attractive. It’s inexpensive to do, and it’s also bound to get noticed.

Tip: Feel free to mix and match colors or styles throughout your rooms so long as they fit your new, neutral and soft-color palettes. Check your local home furniture stores for seasonal deals and bulk-buy offers. Before purchasing multiple pieces, you could test one out to see how it looks in a room.

#5 Rearrange room layout

Many properties have an old-fashioned room layout and concept. If yours does, then dare to be different in order to catch travelers’ attention.

A cheap and easy way to have rooms stand out is by changing the flow of the layout. This makes rooms appear inviting and unique, which is something that the modern traveler is definitely looking for while searching for their ideal accommodation. The best part? This is absolutely free to do.

Tip: Try moving sofas and chairs around, so that they aren’t against one wall. Provide a suite-like look by placing the chair and desk against the window, or the sofa across from the bed. Juxtapose any signature furniture pieces and, above all else, innovate and play with the cheapest of these hotel room tips to improve your look online.

How affordable are these 5 ways to improve the look of your hotel rooms?

If you aren’t quite sure how cost-effective these ideas are, let’s do a little math.

First, look at the profit from an average night’s stay. Next, divide a per-room budget by that number to see how many nights it will take until you break even. Once you have that figure, feel free to increase or decrease your budget based on what’s reasonable.

Then, start small with one or two rooms to test the impact that these inexpensive and effective design tips have on improving the look of your rooms. Last but not least, don’t forget to photograph them and upload them to your website and trivago profile to grab the attention of your potential guests.

Featured image by Vanitjan on Adobe Stock.
A version of this article was originally published in August 2018.