How to Make a Windowless Basement Lighter

Paint your basement walls a bright color, such as white, yellow or light orange. Avoid subdued or dark colors, such as violet, brown, green or red. Without natural sunlight to provide balance, these colors can seem oppressive and confining. Paint the ceiling white to open up the space and create the illusion of natural light overhead.

Install several light sources throughout the room to mimic the various tones of light caused by the sun as it moves across the sky. Also, minimal lighting can cause a shadow effect in unlit areas. Suggestions include recessed can lights, tall floor lamps, wall sconces, track lights, table lamps and multiple overhead light fixtures. Use task lighting at each “station” in your basement; near your laundry area, for example, as well as near a craft area, a work/ study space, and an entertainment area. Replace your dim light bulbs with the brightest light bulbs you can find. Create the illusion of a window by hanging a set of blinds over a wall light; this makes it seem as if sunlight is streaming through the “window.”

Hang mirrors strategically throughout the room to reflect and amplify light sources. Place plants, flowers and other natural elements within the zone of the mirrors’ reflection, to create the effect of looking at nature through the window.

Keep your floors as light as possible. If it's in your budget, replace concrete floors with light-colored ceramic tile. If renovations aren’t an option, paint the concrete floors in your laundry areas white and put down light-colored floor rugs. Be careful not to put rugs in the path of your floor drains. Put down light-colored wall to wall carpeting in areas of your basement used for entertaining or relaxing.

Mount art work with ample white space throughout your basement.