Decorating a windowless room to look bright and cheerful is one of the challenges of interior design. By definition, a windowless room lacks natural light from windows and any visual connection to the outside world. Rooms without windows present unique design challenges because they can feel dull, lifeless, and confined. Utilizing certain design strategies, such as color and strategic lighting, you can overcome the limitations of a room with no windows and transform it into something stylish and inviting.

Windowless Room Decorating Ideas

To compensate for the lack of natural light, decorating a windowless room necessitates careful and strategic planning. Here are some effective strategies for making a windowless room more appealing:

Thoughtful Lighting Design

John Robert Wiltgen Design

Install layered lighting throughout the space. This means using different types and depths of lighting. Install a ceiling light, such as a dome or chandelier, to provide complete illumination of the room. Position task lighting for specific purposes throughout the room. Accent lighting, such as recessed ceiling lights, can be used to draw attention to different decorative or architectural features in the room. Strategically position table and floor lamps throughout the room to minimize dark areas and brighten the corners in the room.

Use Mirrors

Turnstyle Design

Use mirrors to reflect the lighting sources in the room. This will not just brighten the space; it will give the room a more expansive appearance. Consider using large mirrors or mirror panels to create the illusion of windows. Mirrors placed on opposite walls can reflect light back and forth.

Light-Colored Palette

WeldenField & Rowe Custom Homes & Neighborhoods

Select light, neutral colors for your walls, decor, and textiles. Light colors reflect more light and amplify the appearance of the room, making it appear larger. When choosing a color, consider its Light Reflectance Value (LRV). This value ranges from 0 to 100. The higher the number, the more light will be reflected by the color. Glossy paints also reflect more light than matte or satin paint finishes.

Vertical Lines and Patterns

Sherri Blum | Jack and Jill Interiors

Use vertical patterns in wallpaper, textiles, and paint to create the illusion of height in the room. These options can draw the eye upward, making the room feel more lofty rather than confined.

Strategic Placement of Art and Decor

Plush Design Interiors

Choose the type of art and decor for the walls, as well as their placement, with care. Wherever you put it, it should create a focal point in the room, catching the eye and adding personality.

Plants and Greenery

ULAH Interiors + Design

In order to create a sense of nature in your room without windows, incorporate plants and other greenery. Use low-light-tolerant plants, such as snake plants and pothos, that can survive without natural light. Alternatively, use cut greenery that you can replace as it fades. You can also use a faux plant option. Look for faux plants that look like the real thing to create the most authentic space.

Add a Daylight “Window”

Wettling Architects

Daylight windows are frames with built-in lights that create the illusion of natural light in a room. While it does not provide outdoor views, it does brighten a room that does not have windows. If these windows are frosted and dressed with draperies, shades, or blinds, they can almost pass for the real thing.

Multi-Functional Furniture

Studio Fabbri

Employ multi-functional furniture pieces, such as sofas with built-in storage or a fold-out desk. This helps to maximize the functionality of the room and keep it organized.

Use Textures

Amy Storm & Company

Add a variety of textures throughout the room with upholstery, rugs, throws, pillows, and decor. Different textures add visual interest, but they also give the room more depth, personality, and warmth, distracting the viewer from the lack of light.

Mirrored or Glass Furniture

Elad Gonen

Mirrored and glass furniture reflects light the same way that wall mirrors do. Transparent glass furniture like acrylic chairs and glass coffee tables can create a sense of opening in the room without visually weighing down the space.

Window Illusions

Renovation Design

Create the illusion of windows on your wall, even if there are no actual windows there. hang a window frame with or without glass to dress up the wall or hang a rod and draperies to one area of the wall where a window would normally be. This can give the room a sense of grace and elegance.

Nature Wallpaper

Sai Interiors

Incorporate nature into the room with a natural-themed wallpaper. Choose a mural or wallpaper design that mimics the look of the outside world and can create the illusion of a window outdoors.

Bright Colors

Logan Killen Interiors

Rather than use light colors to expand the look of the room, use bold or even dark colors to create warmth and interest in the room. Bright colors brighten dark and windowless rooms and create an energetic and lively atmosphere. Be sure to integrate layered lighting throughout the room to alleviate any dark spaces that the bold or dark colors create.

Transom Windows

Cummings Architecture + Interiors

Introducing a transom window in the doorway of a windowless room is a clever architectural solution to the darkness of rooms without windows. This approach allows you to address the challenge of limited light while still maintaining the privacy of the space. You can add transom windows on any wall in a windowless room, but the least disruptive is to add one over the door.

Keep the Room Clutter-Free

Dwelling Designs

Maintaining order in a room without windows can be particularly important for creating a sense of openness so that the room does not feel cramped. It is also good feng shui. Invest in smart storage solutions that double as other furniture, like storage coffee tables and bookshelves that double as room dividers. Declutter on a regular basis, donating items that you no longer need.