Having received many requests from clients, JCR Design Group knows how add light to a dark, windowless space. By using a clean, neutral palette, they can transform and brighten a room. We asked Emily Koch, Design Associate at JCR Design Group, to share her team’s winning formula for creating a bright, beautiful home that is filled with light.

Learn Emily’s top 4 design solutions from our Q & A…

IDC: How can you instantly brighten a room?

EK: Paint! Have you ever noticed every Sherwin Williams paint sample has a LRV number on the back? This tells the Light Reflectance Value. The higher the number, the more sunlight bounces off the walls, making the room brighter.  For example, Sherwin’s Dover White has much higher LRV than Black Bean. The sheen matters too – eggshell is a favorite for the subtle shine.

Try these neutral paint colors from the Sherwin Williams ColorMix Forecast 2018 palettes.

Shown: Sherwin Williams paint Ibis White, Shell White and Aged White

IDC: How can furniture add brightness to a space?

EK: Consider the furniture and the fabric selections that go with it. Try replacing dark wood with lighter painted finishes and update upholstery with pale neutral textiles.

Light gray washed, Maison ’47, dining table from Century Furniture. 

IDC: What are your thoughts on drapery?

EK: If privacy is not a concern, sheer white draperies are a great choice. A current project of ours involves ripplefold sheers suspended by Orion’s traversing drapery rod. The ripplefold style lends a contemporary aesthetic while the white sheers allow plenty of light through the windows.

An example of ripplefold sheers suspended from a traversing drapery rod VIA HOUZZ.

IDC: Do you use lighting to enhance a space?

EK: Lighting… this one seems obvious right? The lighting can certainly have an intense impact on the feeling of the room. Bright lights may be needed during the day, but in the evening, it’s nice to have everything on a dimmer. Referencing the dining room again, a chandelier like this one from Niermann Weeks has style and packs in plenty of wattage with the eight bulbs.

Merida Pendant chandelier from Niermann Weeks

JCR Design Group is a full-service interior design firm known for its highly personalized approach to residential and commercial design.

For more information or questions, contact JCR Design Group at 314.706.2727.
www.jcrdesigngroupstl.com