Well I know many people have a problem with their houses being too dark, here is a clear and concise option to brighten up your humble abode's.

you could but I wouldn't recommend - complain on the forums time and time again asking for more candles or lighting.... inevitably gets you not very far (at all)

OR

YOU CAN - use torches, those primitive "sticks with fire on the end of it" often found on human characters, (bandits, soldiers and other such) or on "wall sconces"

Method

- drop the torch from your inventory... pick-up (hold activate button - do not collect it) now place it against the wall or jam it in the diagonal roof arches (breezehome ground floor has these) and release... it should sit there unlit...

leave your home and re-enter - the torch should now be lit... it may have ended up somewhere else but if you place it where you want it once more it should stay there... regardless of how long or far you are from the house...


I have used this method in all my homes, I have torches standing upright in corners, jammed in diagonal beams on ceilings and resting on overhead chandeliers... illuminating my homes far brighter than originally bought... it may not be the "perfect" method...


NOTE:- any item placed in your house... upon re-entry is often not where you placed it... to solve this "for sure" you must - place the item, leave and travel far from your house (another hold for example) and return a day or two later... replace your items and they "never" move... with the exception of placing other items ontop of or very close to the original item... so careful planning is necessary but you will eventually have a smart looking house... if but more or less organised than the bought version

Hopefully this helps those of you wishing to see your way around your skyrim home's

though if this didn't help, don't comment, just leave and continue your complaints and boycotts of skyrim due to lack of lighting in the player houses, while the rest of us enjoy storing items there and exploring the vast expanses of skyrim (or just chasing butterflies for a few hours each day) your choice

All I do is save after placing my stuff and it stays where I put it. The only time I've had things end up on the floor is when placing stolen items in the house. But the other stuff stays where I put it and I don't have to leave my house.

Just saying.......

Good idea about the torches BTW. But don't the torches burn out eventually? I'm pretty sure they don't last forever.

In Oblivion they lasted forever. After each Cave I used to drop a lit torch on the floor just to remind me that I already entered in it. That's why I remember they lasted forever. Could be the same in Skyrim..

By the way, my home in Whiterun is always in a mess . My follower is a dog and I have to push him to let me pass. I have 2 vases on the floor. I wait for Lydia to fix it

I think torches burn out after a while because I used to carry several and noticed them decreasing in number in my inventory. Now I just fumble around in dungeons until I see the interaction option. If the darkness bugged me badly enough I'd just adjust the gamma, I guess.

Torches only burn out when held. The fact they light themselves after being dropped is a bug rather than a feature

I hope they do not fix this! I discovered it when stocking away some torches in my house (i really like using them in game, give some to your follower too, they'll use them!).

I've been keeping one in the master bedroom of Proudspire, in this little elevated bowl type thing, not sure what is supposed to be used for, http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/614975232902917110/A3A0133DB9992CEEEF1F2FC4BD7D79C68D54343C/.

I always just cast a light spell when in dark places. My house in riften and markarth were both annoyingly dark!

Actually Hjerim and Proudspire Manor are too lit up for my taste. It looks unnatural. Honeyside and Vlindrel Hall have more of a firelight glow which is just right.

At that time houses had few light. It's normal like it's normal in Morrowind too.

I think the house in markarth is the darkest of all the houses when I'm in a dark place I just use night eye.

I use Candlelight and Magelight spells in my houses.

I HATED my companion having a torch! We would be sneaking, staying to the shadows and my follower pulls out a touch! Busted! Guards attacked us. Very practical! I've had to conferscate the bloody touches!
I have no problems with "seeing" in the dark, I've aquired the spell Detect Life!!! A highly used spell, might I add!

Inside all of my houses, I also use Candlelight and Magelight spells.