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Brooke Enos Interiors I would start with an inspiration piece like art or pillows and go from there. Maybe that's a good place for some brown so it doesn't absorb too much light.

Mary Poulos Interior and Exterior Design Can you show us a starting picture?

If it is dark brown, I would get as much white, cream, whatever you like into the scene. I would find a great picture, large as will fit, with a lot of white within the palette of the picture and have it breath light life into your dark room.

And basically do everything Brook Enos is suggesting. Pillows to accent etc. Bring "A" secondary balancing accent color to the Dark Brown color of walls, to just pop out here and there in pillows within the picture etc.

habeki Here are a few quick pictures. As you may be able to see, it's laundry day!! I also have a beautiful birdcage and the two windows really help the light come in, when it is sunny.

habeki I forgot to mention that the beds are usually donned with dark brown comforters. And the wall you can't see in these pictures has this (and pretty much nothing else except an outlet plug) on it:

Mary Poulos Interior and Exterior Design Use very light bedding, and perhaps a brown geometric print pillow of some sort, and a smaller botanical printed pillow with a light/white background, with either greens and pink/red or greens with blue if you prefer

habeki Thanks so much!! Your advice is helping me get a picture of what it might look like. I'm thinking about getting some new, maybe white, bedding and some fun pillows that help add color. Also, maybe a piece of artwork with lighter colors (though, due to my budget, I may have to paint or photograph something myself). But, as for my curtains, would a white color be good? I was thinking about possibly getting some white ones with a colored (maybe pink or blue or yellow or green?) pattern to add a little energy. How do you think that would look? Right now, I have dark purple, and that could partly be why it feels the way it does...

habeki I really like these colors, but would it be best to use them on pillows or artwork, rather than bedding or curtains?

Mary Poulos Interior and Exterior Design I like what you are showing here as your inspiration. If you can imagine the white, as you have here as layering your beddilng. Then add, perhaps, a throw across the foot of each bed, or on a pillow sham on each bed, made of fabric like the colorful striped fabric in the picture here. Then, looking at all of the colors that are in your picture here, find a picture, or pictures that go with these colors, or the colors that are in the fabric you find..

I would suggest some simple white linen window treatments to lighten the room. If they seem too boring you can add a horizontal color trim of fabric or wide ribbon perhaps 12" above the hem.

I reminded myself you have dark brown comforters. You will need to fold the way down/ back to expose as much of the white part of the bedding needed to sufficiently lighten the look you have.

Good Luck and let me know if you have any questions . and definitely post pictures for me, Thanks Mary

Jayme Hobbs pics...Add white bedding for sure & art with a lot of white in the background...large pics

Seventies House I agree with the above folks: Get some white/cream bed linens and plain white (linen?) curtains to downplay the dark walls. Your birdcage will go with it very nicely in the middle where it currently is. You'll find that contrast will add a lot of energy to the room. Then, you, can work on adding some white wall art. Even if you just buy some artists canvases when they are on buy-one-get-one-free at Michaels, and just dabble a small design onto the middle of them, you can probably "renovate" your wall quite easily and inexpensively. Good luck! :)