9 Ways to Brighten a Dark Basement

Because they’re located below ground, home basements can be dark, dingy, and possibly uninviting places even on the sunniest days. Finding creative ways to lighten and brighten your dark basement will make it feel warmer and more welcoming all year long.

If that’s your goal, these nine basement-brightening tips will help transform your space into a comfortable, stylish, and relaxing place for many years to come.

1. Paint Walls a Light/Bright Color

White, yellow, and light blue are examples of subtle paint hues that reflect light, making your basement space feel airier and more open. Regarding the paint’s finish, the higher the gloss level, the higher the reflectance. If painting the walls in a brighter color isn’t possible, paint the ceiling instead.

2. Install Larger Basement Windows and Window Wells

Because they are small, rectangular, and easily blocked by outdoor shrubs, traditional basement windows often don’t allow enough sunlight to filter in. Required by code in most basement-dwelling spaces, egress windows let in more light than traditional basement windows.

Replacing outdated windows with larger egress windows and window wells not only boosts the level of natural light, but also provides your family with a safe escape route in the event of an emergency.

3. Choose Light-Colored Flooring

A cold, unfinished concrete basement floor not only looks unappealing, but walking on it with bare feet can be cold and uncomfortable. It does, however, provide a blank canvas upon which you can install warm, comfortable, and beautiful basement flooring such as luxury vinyl planks in a faux wood finish or light-colored tile—creating a brighter, lighter space that will also withstand higher moisture levels common to basement living.

4. Install Proper Basement Lighting

In addition to being safer, a well-lit basement feels more inviting. Boost your basement’s illumination factor by installing one or more of these artificial light sources:

• General Lighting
  General, or ambient lighting refers to the primary artificial light source in your basement. Recessed can lighting incorporated into a drop ceiling provides a stylish, modern approach to overall lighting.
• Task Lighting
  Sometimes you need focused lighting for specific tasks, such as sewing, reading, or crafting. Task lights—most frequently either desk or floor lamps—provide bright, glare-free illumination in areas where you work, play, or study.
• Accent Lighting
  Accent lights in the form of track lighting or individual spotlights are often used in formerly-dark basements to showcase details of the room’s décor, like framed photos, collectibles, or art pieces.

When replacing basement lights, LED lights are a more energy-efficient choice that also last longer and come in more sizes than traditional fluorescent and incandescent bulbs.

5. Choose Bright, Light-Colored Furniture and Décor

Visual contrast is a powerful design tool, one that’s commonly used to introduce warmth and serenity into a space. According to color theory, inviting hues like yellow and orange make people feel cheerful, while white gives off a vibe of cleanliness, purity, and safety.

Create a more positive atmosphere in your space by incorporating bright, light-colored furniture pieces and decorative artwork that adds pops of color. Paintings, posters, sculptures, and collectibles are all examples of colorful accents that could be used to brighten up your basement.

6. Become a Master of Illusion:  Mirrors

Mirrors serve a useful purpose in smaller, darker spaces because they create the illusion of more space by reflecting light around the room. Designers often use them as decorative accents because the mirror’s highly reflective surface makes cramped spaces magically appear spacious and airy.

7. Keep Landscaping and Greenery Well-Manicured

Although beautiful hedges and flower beds add curb appeal outside your home, they can keep natural light from reaching your basement’s interior. Keeping landscaping well-manicured and planting greenery further away from basement windows will not only improve illumination in your space, but has the added benefit of keeping water away from the foundation of your home.

8. Declutter to Create More Space

Spending a weekend afternoon sorting through boxes and bins of personal belongings may not sound exciting, but it will help create a clutter-free space with an atmosphere that’s light and airy.

Transition your basement from cluttered to comfortable by setting aside some time to reorganize holiday decorations, seasonal clothes, collectibles, and other items you’ve accumulated over the years.

9. Consider Reflective Surfaces

In addition to mirrors, reflective surfaces like metal accents, glass tabletops, glossy tiles, and stainless-steel counters can all introduce more light into your basement. Adding more shine takes the edge off any dark, shadowy space by introducing a lighter, brighter ambiance.

When you’re ready to remodel your basement, finding a reputable basement finishing contractor near you can be challenging. At Finished Basements & More—a division of Sheffield Homes—we ‘re dedicated to providing you with outstanding basement finishing services and quality construction that transcend the mainstream. As a trusted basement remodeling contractor, we’ve been serving northern Colorado and the Denver metro area since 1978. Call today for a no-obligation appointment:  (303) 420-0056.