Every item on this page was hand-picked by a House Beautiful editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.Unless youre building from scratch, theres no such thing as a completely perfect home. And while some quirks, like creaking floorboards and original millwork, fill our home with character, others are less than desirable. Finding the right space for you, especially with budget constraints in a challenging real estate market, usually requires making some sacrifices. A lack of windows may be unheard of in suburban homes, but it's very commonplace in urban apartmentsfor the right location or price, its a necessity some people are willing to go without. Windowless rooms pose a design challenge, and the lack of natural light can leave your space feeling dark and dull. Fortunately, there are ways to improve it with some smart windowless room ideas.Back in 2019, House Beautiful's former senior editor, Alyssa Fiorentino, faced this challenge when she moved to a new apartment in New York City. She discovered designer-approved methods to make her windowless living room feel bright and welcoming without much effort. With clever use of color, artificial light, and decor, your windowless room can feel sun-kissed in no time. Keep reading to discover these illuminating tips below.Additional copy by Meghan Shouse and Kate McGregor.Related StoriesWhether you're on the hunt for your first house or apartment, you'll always find that something about the space is missing or could be better. Usually, though, the pros are good enough that you decide you can live with the cons, whatever they may be. Such was the case for me and my two roommates when we moved into our second apartment in New York City. Choosing a large, three-bedroom apartment with two bathrooms and an open kitchen in a great location also meant we had to settle for a living room with no windows. The windowless living room is a problem for two reasons: First, it gets extremely hot during the summer, and there's no way to get fresh air in the room. Second, and more importantly, it's always dark and dim. There's a skylight in the middle of the living room and kitchen, but that barely provides enough natural light to reach the length of both rooms. And if it's raining? Forget about it. We actually lived like this, with a dark and dingy living room, for two years. But after one roommate moved out and took a few pieces of furniture with her, we decided it was time to do something about our problem. The only issue was we had no idea how to fix it. Enter Modsy, now Lennar. Before it was acquired by Lennar, Modsy was an online design service that provided everything you needed to revamp your space, from 3D renderings of your room to handy shopping links. All we had to do was upload photos of our room, provide a few measurements, and take a quick style quiz. A few days later, Modsy sent us the design plans for our space, and we instantly fell in love. Courtesy ModsyA 3D rendering of our apartment, designed by Modsy. The next step was to shop. We bought a few things directly through Modsy, including the sofa from their own furniture line, and hit up some of our favorite home stores for everything else we needed. To be honest, it did take us a few weeks to pull the room together completely. And while it took longer than we expected to finish our redesign, it was definitely worth the wait. See for yourself below. The difference is obvious, but it can be hard to assess what, exactly, you need to do to get similar results. Alessandra Wood, the former vice president of style at Modsy, broke down the choices her team made and how their design changed our space so drastically. It turns out there are six easy things you can do to make a dark room feel so much brighter. Embrace Light Colored FurnitureBrie WilliamsAnita Yokota designed the recovery room in our 2024 Whole Home.Most people are hesitant when it comes to purchasing anything white for their homes, but it's a necessary evil when you're working on a room without windows. And while the chances of staining a white sofa or rug are high, the risk is worth the reward. By adding a long, white sofa and accent cabinet next to each other, we were able to make the wall look taller and wider, which made the room feel larger and a bit brighter automatically. On the opposite wall, a long white media console takes center stage. When planning your major purchases, try to plan for a few key items to be white or another light shade. And if you're really worried about stains, do a little extra digging. Make sure youre getting something that is treated or easy to clean, says Wood. Layer Pops of Color ThroughoutBrie WilliamsAnita Yokota designed the recovery room in our 2024 Whole Home.Of course, not everything in your room should be light. Using pops of color gives a more fun, lively vibe, says Wood. But keep in mind, just one 'pop' isn't enough. If you have just one dark piece in the room, its going to stick out like a sore thumb. So you really want to look for ways where you could introduce a color or a tone in a couple of different moments, she explains. Plus, following this tip can help add dimension to your space. Add Lots of LightingTrevor TondroDesign by Jeremiah Brent. Tour the entire home here.Without windows, you're forced to create your own light, so don't be afraid to go overboard with lamps. Because our living room only has one overhead light and a skylight that doesn't always provide the sunlight we need, Modsy put three lamps in the roomone on either side of the sofa and a floor lamp in the corner by the TV. Not only will this help to make the room feel brighter, but it also gives you more control over the space. If you want to turn off the overhead lights you have more than enough lighting to create a really beautiful and peaceful environment at night as well, Wood explains. Hang Multiple Mirrors Brie WilliamsThe game room of House Beautifuls 2024 Whole Home, designed by MA Allen.Another trick to fake more light in your space is to add a mirror. Modsy placed the mirror strategically above the bar cart so that the few beams of natural sunlight we get from the skylight would reflect off the mirror and back into the room. This works even if you only have lamps and overhead lighting, so definitely give it a try. Grow Low-Light PlantsJenna PeffleyA powder room by French & French. Tour the entire home here.Houseplants add life to your space, so placing a few around your room will help make the area feel more alive. You can also opt for light-colored planters to spread smaller moments of brightness around. (We went for pale pink, blue, and gray planters from The Sill.) Just be mindful, though, that you'll probably need to choose low-light plants for the space. Make sure you're watering them correctly and give them some time near a window in another room if needed. Invest in the Right ArtDAN PIASSICKA Texas powder room by Hilary Colia and Jennifer Kostohryz of Fort Design Studio. Tour the entire home here.If taking care of plants isn't your thing, there's another way to make the room feel alive that doesn't require any maintenance: Invest in meaningful art. Having art in the home creates a focal point that adds depth with imagery and pops of color, Wood notes. To capitalize on this, we mixed abstract paintings with travel photos that make us feel like we're exploring the world. This all may sound like a lot to take into account and plan for, but in the end, it all adds up to the result of a brighter, fresher space. Youre not thinking about the fact that the room doesnt have light or doesnt have windows because theres so much going on in the room and the room itselftheres a lot of different points of focus and a lot of energy, Wood says. So whether or not light furniture and plants are right for you, as long as you fill your space with beautiful items and try a few of the tricks above (mirrors! art! layered rugs!) you'll be on your way to a room that creates its own light. Follow House Beautiful on Instagram and TikTok.