Lighten Up: Before and After Projects That Will Lift Your Mood

It is no secret that our surroundings influence the way we feel. If you work in an office with limited natural light, your job satisfaction tends to decrease. It is also said that people living in dark, dreary climates are more likely to suffer from depression. Even hospitals have tried to integrate color as a means of speeding up the healing process for their patients. Naturally, you'd think everyone would try to lighten up a bit! Which is why integrating light and/or lighter colored furniture/accessories is very important for your physical and emotional well being.
I love antiques, but let's be honest. Sometimes they tend to exude a sense of dreariness and can make you feel like you're alone in your grandmother's haunted attic. The chair above was purchased on Craigslist for $20, but needed to make the transition from "vintage" to "vintage modern," which, in my opinion, adds a lot of glamour to the piece.

And it's as easy as pie! All I did was paint the wood part of the chair white! I'll admit, the chair could use a reupholstering job as well. But for 10 bucks, a coat of white paint can make your furniture go a long way against a dark wall.

Another depressing piece of furniture consisted of a Walmart hutch, originally black, and painted beige during my "Shabby Chic" phase. As you can see, the hutch needed some major work, from the peeled paint to the boring beige color throughout.

So what do you do with a disaster like this? Slap on a brighter coat of paint, replace the knobs, and line the background with your favorite color craft paper. Some people choose to get all fancy pants and use wallpaper or fabric for the backdrop. Great idea, but hey, craft paper is a fraction of the price, and also gives me the option to easily change the background regularly to keep things interesting.

In keeping with the "Lighten Up" theme, I chose to cover my books with white "book lining" purchased from an art store down the street. You can also use craft paper to do this if you are on a budget, but you may need to double up if the book is darker than your sheet of paper. In this case, my "bright" is more apparent in the craft paper than the white hutch. It would also be fun to have a dark colored hutch with brightly colored books. Florescent yellow, perhaps? My favorite part of this hutch is the new knobs. Not going to lie, the knobs can get pricey if you need several of them. I believe I bought these for about $8 each at anthropologie. I wish there was another place to get these for less, but I have yet to find a place that has a comparable selection.

If you like dark woods/walls/whatever, you can still brighten up your life a little bit by adding subtle (but noticeable) accents. Before the hutch revamp, the livingroom had a more cluttered appearance. Now the eye is delighted to wander throughout the cleaner and brighter livingroom. And as a huge bonus, I'm happier!