CREATING a sense of light and space is important in any home. A bright, airy property will lift your mood and lower stress levels. To achieve this, there are lots of tricks to fool the eye such as painting walls and ceilings white or cream, using accent rugs and having a feature wall.

The Japanese Zen philosophy makes use of natural materials and patterns to create a calm, almost spiritual home to live in. And Chinese feng shui seeks to find balance and harmony in a property. These ancient philosophies have a common thread – they aim to promote wellbeing. But as well as getting the colour scheme right, your choice of furniture and home accessories is equally important. With that in mind, Where Saints Go have put together seven tops tips on what furniture pieces can help brighten up your home.

1. See The Light.

It may seem obvious, but floor lamps are a crucial element in brightening up a room. However, where you place them is what has the most affect. Indirect lighting aimed upward will counter a lack of light on the ceiling as daylight fades (or is non-existent in a basement apartment). Find a pair of uplighter floor lamps and place them either side of a sofa at the back of the room. If you like Art Deco-inspired home décor, then a good floor lamp example is the Two Palms Reeds Floor Lamp from Rockett St George. The brass palm leaves catch the light to reveal a subtle glow of antique gold. Perfect for adding extra light to any dark corners.

2. Add Metalics.

Shimmery gold or silver accessories will instantly lift a dreary room. A light fixture, piece of artwork or decorative object will do the trick. For a bold statement, a metallic drinks trolley can add a wow factor to a room and also create a talking point with friends as you wheel in a selection of gins and cocktails. Where Saints Go’s Art Deco-inspired Lama drinks trolley has a black marble shelf and gold metal frame. Stack its shelves with your cocktail kit or use it as a glam side table.

3. Reflect Light With Mirrors.

When a mirror is hung opposite a window it creates an illusion of another window. It also bounces light around the room, which is good for any plants in the room and also great at lifting your spirits.

The natural wood and design of Where Saints Go’s rattan starburst mirror makes a spectacular focal point for a larger wall. The mirror features rattan spikes, which radiate outward from the central circular mirror and fan around three tiers of concentric circles. Ideal to complement other home-furnishings of natural materials like wood and wicker.

4. Anyone For Coffee?

Use shiny surfaces to bounce light around a room. A well-placed tempered glass coffee table is functional and will reflect light coming through a window. Habitat’s Gala coffee table is made completely from glass, and creates a light, airy space to a room.

Trend for natural products

For a retro twist and a look that is on-trend with the current movement for natural products, the Where Saints Go Bali Rattan Round Coffee Table with a glass top could be a good choice. Crafted in natural rattan with a grey finish and tempered glass. If you have gone for a white or cream colour scheme on the walls and other furniture, its bohemian look will make it stand out as a centrepiece to a living room.

5. Where Saints Sit.

It is important to keep seating simple, especially with many homes now open-plan with the kitchen and living room. For sofas, go for a light colour. If you are brave enough, choose a white or cream fabric which will create the illusion of a brighter room.

If you have a kitchen island or home bar, opt for a thin frame on a stool rather than anything too heavy or thick. And if you want to go one step further, choose a metallic or gold finish to bounce light into the room. The Tapas Industrial Bar Stool from Where Saints Go fits adds this brief perfectly, with a splash of glamour and glitz too. Its on-trend brown and white cowhide seat looks great against the gold metal frame.

6. Take A Shine To Wallpaper.

A feature wall, or accent wall as it is sometimes called, will allow you to experiment with textures, shapes, colours and patterns. Ensure that whatever you choose, the finished result complements the rest of the room. Again, if you have an open-plan space you can use the feature wall to define an area, such as dining. If you want to brighten up a room, consider using a reflective wallpaper. This can work well in bathroom, too. Where Saints Go’s Antique Mirror Mariinsky Damask Wallpaper by Cole & Son comes in three colour-ways – silver, grey and golden bronze.  Unusual printing techniques were incorporated with the use of foil and transparent ink creating the reflective effect.

7. Fine DiningAnother important piece of furniture to get right is the dining table and chairs. It seems counterintuitive to the aim of creating a bright space but adding some black or dark grey will create contrast to a white or cream room.

Having a table or dining chairs with black legs can add balance to a bright colour scheme. But you don’t want the table top to be dark - for a chic look consider a beautiful polished wood such as arcacia, which will also reflect the light coming into the room from a window.

Where Saints Go has a stunning arcacia dining table with black metal cross legs. If matched with a dining chair with a thin metal base, such as the Road House Dining Chair range, it creates an industrial look that is a centre piece of a modern dining area. If you don’t want black legs on the chairs, a gold-effect can work equally as well, especially if you have followed the advice in steps 1-6.

We hope this blog has given you some useful insights – and inspiration for your home.