We know that natural light enhances mood, health, and overall quality of life. And bringing more natural light into our homes would be easy if we could all afford costly renovations. But sometimes, the budget dictates that we use what we have to play with light instead.
So, read for some of the best tips and tricks for enhancing the natural light in your home.
8 Tips For Maximizing Natural Light
Colors
If a light, airy feel is what you are after, banish the thought of dark paint and busy wallpaper on the walls.
Shades of white reflect natural light entering the room, making the space feel brighter.
Off-white shades will create a much softer effect than brilliant, pure white but they will still give you the reflective quality you want. You are not limited to white or cream; pale cool colors work equally well.
A helpful guide is to check out the Light Reflective Value (LRV) of your preferred color.
LRV is measured on a scale from 0 to 100 with 0 being absolute black and absorbing all light, and 100 being pure white, reflecting all light.
Satin finish paints help reflect the light more than matt paint does.
And don’t forget the ceilings. Ceilings are usually white for a good reason. White reflects light. Painting a ceiling several shades lighter than the walls creates a more spacious and brighter feel.
Surfaces
Shiny surfaces reflect light, and where better to use this trick than in kitchens and bathrooms?
A light, consistent color scheme through walls and cabinet doors with a glossy finish will enhance the reflective effect of light filtering into the room.
High gloss ceramic or glass tiles on walls will reflect substantial amounts of the light that hits them.
In terms of light reflection, mirrors are a winner for light-reflecting properties so consider investing in some to place strategically around your home.
Flooring
The flooring you choose will also have a significant impact on how light and bright your room feels. Ceramic tiles, polished stone, or light wooden floors are preferable to dark wood floors or carpets.
If you prefer carpets, then light neutral colors are preferable over dark. If your existing floors are already dark, try brightening up the room with a light-colored area rug.
Windows
Heavy brocade-style curtains will give the impression of a darker room. Light, sheer, simple, and airy is the current trend.
A popular option is vertical blinds that adjust with a twist, letting in the amount of light you want. Roman blinds are a no. Even when open, they obscure part of the window, obstructing the flow of light.
If your windows are small, adding a broad white window trim to surround the windows or painting dark window trims light will create the illusion of a larger window.
Give your windows a good clean, inside and out. Even windows that do not seem particularly dirty can still dull the sunlight filtering through the glass.
Accessories
We tend to give little thought to how accessories might contribute to enhancing natural light. Any reflective surface will radiate light.
Mirrors are an obvious accessory choice for light reflection and can exaggerate the effect by placing a mirror across from a window. It will double the light.
Other shiny room elements will contribute too. This includes chandeliers or metallic light fixtures, polished cabinet pulls, and even silver photo frames
Outdoors
Be sure to keep your garden neat and trimmed. Overgrown greenery can decrease the amount of light inside. Cut back tree branches, bushes, and climbers that obscure windows and doors.
Another little-known way to boost light reflecting into the house is to paint overhanging eaves white. They will reflect natural light into your home. Eaves angle toward the house so painting them white will not affect external appearance.
Skylights and Solar Tubes
If you are in the market for a pricier revamp, skylights are an effective way to pull in natural light.
Because skylights face upwards towards the sun, light coming through them is more consistent than through windows that can be shadowed or obstructed.
An alternative and less expensive home improvement is installing a solar tube.
Solar tubes are reflective pipes that can travel up to 30ft from roof to ceiling. The illumination from even the smallest tube is equal to 100 watts of light.
Glass walls and doors
One of the best ways to increase natural light in your home is by replacing walls with windows or glass.
A more cost-effective way to bring light into a house is to replace solid wood doors with glass doors or doors with glass panels.
Conclusion
Implementing all these light-enhancing solutions may not be possible for all. Still, if you want to add more natural light to your life, there are easy and affordable ways to transform a dark, dreary room into a lighter, more welcoming space.
And if you need some advice, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team at Fazzolari Construction.
