How to Brighten a Home Without Painting Natural Wood Walls

Use mirrors and sconces throughout the house. Mirrors reflect the light that's already in the room, and you can hang sconces near the mirrors to provide a light source that also possesses a decorative quality. To employ this technique, hang a gallery of mirrors over the mantel of a fireplace if you have one. Choose mirrors with frames that hold visual interest for you and combine mirrors of different shapes. Place large mirrors in the entryway of the house; this provides you with light and a last look at yourself before you head out the door.

Lay down white or light-colored area rugs if you have hardwood floors. Position them in places that function as a room's focal area, such as the space in front of a built-in bookcase.

Buy light-colored furniture. It isn't necessary to buy white, but do look for furniture in colors such as yellow, spring green or the lightest of grays. If you feel you need to have some darker visual elements, add throw pillows or blankets to these items. Choose a few bright colors and mix these elements with lighter colored accessories.

Plan out your lighting, including how you'll use the natural light in the room. If you have a large sliding glass door, keep the curtains pulled back. Make a window seat the focal point of a room and decorate it with bright accessories. Place lamps at the ends of the couch to create task lighting for activities such as reading or crocheting. Position floor lamps in the corners; these areas tend to suck light from the room.

Hang tapestries on the walls. Choose a tapestry with light colors. This brightens the wall without painting. You can hang a large tapestry on a wall in a darker area of your home or pair two related tapestries to cover a large wall.

Choose light-colored curtains made from light materials such as a light cotton or silk. Use curtain tie-backs to allow as much light as possible to get into the room.